What to Do When a Citizen of Egypt Dies in Saudi Arabia: 5-Step Official Checklist

1. 1

   Medical Certification of Death and Police or Forensic Clearance in Saudi Arabia

   • Death in a hospital: When your family member dies in a public or private hospital in Saudi Arabia, the attending physician logs an electronic Medical Notification of Death in real time through the Saudi Ministry of Health (phone: 937; email: [email protected] / Sehhaty system) and transfers the deceased to an authorised hospital mortuary [1][2].
   • Death outside a hospital: If the death occurs at home, at a workplace, or in a public place, immediately call 911 (in Riyadh, Makkah, and Eastern Province) or 999 (Saudi Police in other regions) and 997 (Saudi Red Crescent Authority) [1][2]. The police secure the scene, open an official Police Report, and arrange transfer to a Forensic Medicine centre if the death was sudden, accidental, or under investigation, coordinating with the Public Prosecution before issuing a forensic release and police clearance [1][2].
2. 2

   Repatriation Coverage, Funeral Coordination, and Egyptian Consular Support

   • Employer and insurance obligations: Check whether your family member had medical or travel insurance covering repatriation or worked for a Saudi employer. Under Saudi Labour Law administered by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (phone: 19911), the employer is responsible for preparing and transporting the remains of a deceased expatriate worker back to the home country or point of contracting unless the family agrees to local burial in Saudi Arabia [5].
   • Appointing funeral and repatriation coordinators: In Saudi Arabia, local burial permits and municipal mortuary services are managed through the Balady / Ikram platform of the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing, while international air cargo shipments are coordinated through authorised hospital mortuaries and IATA-accredited cargo agents in Riyadh, Jeddah, or Dammam [3]. In Egypt, appoint a licensed international mortuary and funeral operator in Cairo, Alexandria, Hurghada, or Sharm El-Sheikh to clear airport quarantine and transport the coffin to the cemetery [8][9].
   • Egyptian diplomatic mission: Contact the Embassy of Egypt in Riyadh (for central, eastern, and northern regions) or the Consulate General of Egypt in Jeddah (for western and southern regions), operating under the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to register the death and obtain the consular No Objection Certificate (NOC) [8][9].
3. 3

   Civil Death Registration, Visa Cancellation, and Egyptian Recognition

   • Saudi Death Certificate and Iqama cancellation: Once the hospital records the electronic death notification and any required police clearance is issued, a family member, employer sponsor (Kafeel), or authorised representative requests the official Saudi Death Certificate digitally through the Saudi Civil Affairs Directorate (Ahwal Madaniyah) via Absher on the Unified National Platform [1][2]. As part of closing the residency record, the General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat) cancels the deceased's residency permit (Iqama) or visa [1].
   • Legalization and Egyptian Civil Status registration: Have the Saudi Death Certificate attested by the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and presented with the deceased's Egyptian passport and National ID card to the Egyptian Embassy or Consulate in Riyadh or Jeddah [8][9]. The mission cancels the passport, issues an Egyptian consular death record, and transmits the registration to the Civil Status Organization (الأحوال المدنية) under the Ministry of Interior in Egypt so the family can obtain the computerised Egyptian Death Certificate [7][8][9]. (When a death or burial registration is filed directly inside Egypt, it is reported to the local Health Office / Maktab El-Seha within 24 hours and recorded by the Civil Status Organization, with foreign certificates legalized by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs [7][8].)
4. 4

   International Repatriation to Egypt vs. Local Burial in Saudi Arabia

   • Family Power of Attorney (Wakala): If the next of kin reside in Egypt, they must execute a formal Power of Attorney (Wakala / Tawkil) naming the employer sponsor or a designated representative in Saudi Arabia, stating whether they request international repatriation to Egypt or local burial in Saudi Arabia, and have it legalized by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Saudi Embassy or Consulate in Egypt [8][9].
   • International repatriation of human remains: Repatriating the body from Saudi Arabia to Egypt requires the attested family Wakala, Police and provincial Emirate (Imarah) export clearance, an authorised hospital Embalming Certificate, a Certificate of Non-Contagious Disease and hermetic coffin sealing, Saudi MOFA attestation, and the Egyptian Embassy or Consulate Mortuary Certificate and NOC [1][8][9]. Upon arrival at Cairo International Airport or a regional Egyptian airport, the Preventive Medicine / Quarantine office (under the Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population) inspects the embalming, sealing, and consular documents before releasing the coffin (with Public Prosecution / Niyaba clearance required where unnatural circumstances or foreign-inquiry rules apply) [8][9].
   • Local burial in Saudi Arabia: With the family's written consent and Police clearance, the authorised recipient can obtain a free electronic burial permit and print the Burial Certificate via the Balady / Ikram service of the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing for burial in a designated municipal cemetery in Saudi Arabia (including in Makkah, Madinah, Riyadh, Jeddah, or Dammam) [3].
5. 5

   Post-Death Benefits, End-of-Service Settlements, and Estate Administration in Both Countries

   • Saudi end-of-service award, GOSI benefits, and succession: Under Saudi Labour Law (Article 74), the employment contract ends upon death and the employer must settle unpaid wages, accrued leave, and the full statutory end-of-service award overseen by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development [5]. If the deceased was registered with the General Organization for Social Insurance (phone: 8001243344), eligible heirs can claim survivor pension or occupational work-injury death benefits online [6]. To collect Saudi bank balances or employer dues, the family obtains an official Determination of Heirs deed (Sakk Hasr Al-Waratha) through the Ministry of Justice (Najiz platform) or presents an Egyptian inheritance deed duly legalized for use in Saudi Arabia [4][5].
   • Egyptian survivor pension, consular follow-up, and inheritance: In Egypt, eligible dependents use the computerised Egyptian Death Certificate and family registry extract (Qayd A'aely) to claim funeral expenses grants and monthly survivor pensions from the National Organization for Social Insurance (NOSI) [10]. The Consular Sector of the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also assists heirs in tracking and receiving overseas employment entitlements and blood-money (Diyya) or insurance settlements remitted from Saudi Arabia [8]. For Egyptian bank accounts and real property, heirs petition the Egyptian Family Court for an official Inheritance Declaration (I'lam Al-Waratha / إعلام الوراثة) [7][8].

Official Authorities & Verified Contacts

Official Sources Checked by Clarvia

1. [1]
   Issue a Death Certificate - Unified National Platform — Unified National Platform (my.gov.sa)
2. [2]
   Issuance of Death Notification Service — Saudi Ministry of Health (MOH)
3. [3]
   Print Burial Certificate (Balady / Ikram) — Ministry of Municipalities and Housing (MOMAH)
4. [4]
   Determination of Heirs eService (Najiz) — Saudi Ministry of Justice (MOJ)
5. [5]
   Labor Relations and End-of-Service Entitlements — Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD)
6. [6]
   Family of the Deceased - Survivor Entitlements — General Organization for Social Insurance (GOSI)
7. [7]
   Ministry of Interior Civil Status Directory Services — Egyptian Ministry of Interior (MOI)
8. [8]
   Consular Services and Citizens Abroad Guidance — Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
9. [9]
   Registration of Deaths of Egyptian Citizens Abroad and Repatriation Requirements — Consulate General of Egypt
10. [10]
    Pension and Funeral Expenses Services — National Organization for Social Insurance (NOSI)