What to Do When Someone Dies in Yemen: 5-Step Official Checklist

1. 1

   Obtain Medical Certification of Death

   • Hospital and clinical deaths: When a death occurs in a public or private hospital operating under the supervision of the Ministry of Public Health and Population, the attending physician completes and signs the official medical death notification (Balagh Wafat Tibbi) stating the date, time, and clinical cause of death [2][3].
   • Deaths at home: When a person dies at home from natural causes without a physician in attendance, the family should obtain a medical report from a local health center where available, together with a written attestation signed by the neighborhood community head (Aqil al-Harah) and two adult male witnesses confirming the identity of the deceased and the date and place of death [3][5].
   • Unexpected, accidental, or suspicious deaths: If the death resulted from an accident, unnatural cause, or unexplained circumstances, the local police station and Public Prosecution (Al-Niyaba al-Amma) must be notified immediately so a forensic physician can examine the body and issue formal judicial clearance before burial or registration [3][4].
2. 2

   Register the Death with the Civil Status and Civil Registry Authority

   • Competent registry and statutory deadline: Under Yemeni Civil Status and Civil Registration Law No. 23 of 1991 (as amended), deaths occurring within Yemen must be declared to the local branch of the Civil Status and Civil Registry Authority (Maslahat al-Ahwal al-Madaniyya wal-Sijill al-Madani) under the Ministry of Interior within the statutory reporting period (ordinarily 15 days from the date of death) [3][4].
   • Required documents for registration: The declarant (an adult relative, spouse, or authorized legal representative) must present the hospital medical death notification or the Aqil al-Harah witness statement, the deceased's national identity card (Al-Bitaqa al-Shakhsiyya) or family book (Al-Bitaqa al-A'iliyya), and the declarant's own identification [3][5]. If the statutory deadline has passed, a late-registration verification order (Hukm Ithbat Wafat) from the competent primary court may be required before the civil registry issues the certificate [3][5].
   • Issuance of official death certificates: Upon recording the death in the civil register, the Civil Status and Civil Registry Authority cancels the deceased's national identity card and issues the official Death Certificate (Shahadat Wafat), which is mandatory for pension claims, banking closures, and court succession orders [3][4].
3. 3

   Arrange Burial, Cremation, or International Repatriation

   • Local burial procedures: Burial in Yemen takes place promptly in municipal or community cemeteries in accordance with local public health and religious rules upon presentation of the medical death notification or police burial permit [2][3]. Cremation facilities are not operated in Yemen [3].
   • International repatriation of remains: If your family member was a foreign citizen or if the remains must be repatriated abroad, the family or appointed funeral transport agent must obtain a medical non-contagion and embalming certificate from the Ministry of Public Health and Population, a sealed coffin certificate, a police clearance certificate, and an exit transit permit [1][2].
   • Consular legalization (non-Apostille jurisdiction): Because Yemen is not a party to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention, official death certificates and mortuary transit documents intended for use in another country must be legalized through the Consular Affairs Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates and subsequently attested by the embassy or consulate of the destination country [1].
4. 4

   Notify Social Security, Pension, Tax, and Banking Authorities

   • Public-sector and civil service pensions: If the deceased worked in the civil service or public sector, eligible survivors should notify the General Authority for Insurance and Pensions (Al-Hay'a al-Amma lil-Ta'minat wal-Ma'ashat) under the Ministry of Civil Service and Insurance to apply for statutory funeral grants and monthly survivor pensions [4].
   • Private-sector social security benefits: If your family member was employed in the private sector, survivors must file a death benefit and survivor pension claim with the General Corporation for Social Security (Al-Mu'assasa al-Amma lil-Ta'minat al-Ijtima'iyya) by submitting the official death certificate, the court succession decree, and family identification records [4].
   • Banks, tax offices, and administrative records: Heirs must notify commercial and Islamic banks in Yemen where the deceased held accounts so balances are frozen pending presentation of the judicial succession decree, and notify the Tax Authority if the deceased owned an active commercial establishment [4].
5. 5

   Administer the Estate, Succession, and Cross-Border Assets

   • Court decree of succession (Inhisar al-Waratha): Under Yemeni Personal Status Law No. 20 of 1992, heirs must apply to the Personal Status Division of the Primary Court (Al-Mahkama al-Ibtida'iyya) in the district of the deceased's residence to obtain an official Deed of Determination of Heirs (Hujjat Inhisar al-Waratha) [4]. Two adult witnesses must testify before the judge to confirm the identity of all surviving legal heirs and their statutory shares [4][5].
   • Estate inventory and property division: Once the Inhisar al-Waratha is issued and authenticated by the court, heirs can divide movable and immovable assets by mutual agreement registered before a court-licensed notary (Al-Amin al-Shar'i or Notarial Documentation Office at the Ministry of Justice) or petition the court for formal judicial partition (Qismat Tarika) [4].
   • Cross-border heirs and foreign assets: If an heir lives outside Yemen, they can execute a specific power of attorney (Tawkil Khass) before a Yemeni embassy or consulate abroad, which must be legalized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates and the Ministry of Justice in Yemen so a designated representative can act on their behalf in court and banking settlements [1][4].

Official Authorities & Verified Contacts

Official Sources Checked by Clarvia

1. [1]
   Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates - Consular and Legalization Portal — Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Republic of Yemen (mofa-ye.org)
2. [2]
   Republic of Yemen - Public Health System and Country Overview — World Health Organization (who.int)
3. [3]
   Civil Registration and Vital Statistics System in the Republic of Yemen — United Nations Digital Library (digitallibrary.un.org)
4. [4]
   Republic of Yemen - Civil Status, Personal Status, and Social Security Legislation — International Labour Organization NATLEX (natlex.ilo.org)
5. [5]
   Civil Documentation and Legal Procedures in Yemen — UNHCR Yemen Country Portal (unhcr.org)