Repatriating a body from France to Cameroon, the DRC or the Congo

The steps, in order

1. 01

   Choose a funeral director authorised for international transport

   They coordinate the care, the coffining, the authorisations and the flight. Choosing them first avoids repeating steps.

2. 02

   Obtain the prefect's authorisation

   It allows the body to leave France. It is granted by the prefect of the department where the coffin is sealed, and the funeral operator usually applies for it.

3. 03

   Have the death records legalised, for the DRC

   A French death record presented in the Democratic Republic of the Congo must be legalised. Since 1 September 2025, notaries legalise French public documents, through their regional councils, rather than the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For Cameroon and Congo-Brazzaville, agreements with France exempt civil status records from legalisation.

4. 04

   Gather the documents the consulate asks for

   The consulate of the country of burial authorises the body's entry and sets the list of documents. The Consulate General of Cameroon in Marseille, for example, asks for: the funeral home's request with the flight itinerary, a certificate of non-contagion signed by a doctor, the coffining report, the death certificate and an extract of the death record, the transport report, the burial permit, the prefecture's authorisation, a copy of the deceased's passport and revenue stamps.

5. 05

   Ask the competent consulate for its list

   Each consulate has its own, and it changes: ask in writing the one that covers your city before gathering anything. For the DRC, we found no list published by the Congolese authorities: only the DRC embassy in Paris can provide it.

6. 06

   Book the flight and plan the arrival

   Not all airlines accept this transport. On arrival, someone must receive the body, complete the formalities and take it to the place of burial: appoint them before departure.

Frequently asked questions

Read also

• Repatriating a body from Belgium to the DRCBringing a loved one home to the Democratic Republic of the Congo from Belgium: the mortuary pass from the FPS Public Health, legalisation of the records by the FPS Foreign Affairs then by the DRC embassy, and the arrival.
• Estate: where to startThe first steps of an estate in France: the bank, the notary, the choice to accept or renounce, and the estate declaration within six months.
• Financial help after a death in FranceThe CPAM death grant, the survivor's pension, the widowhood allowance, life insurance and protection plans: who is entitled, how much, and within what deadlines.