We hope the information below helps you understand the laws and customs governing death in Jordan.
Report the Death of a U.S. Citizen in Jordan
If you need immediate help contacting the family of a deceased U.S. citizen to inform them of the death, please call the U.S. Embassy at +962 6 590 6000.
If you need to report the death of U.S. citizen but do not need immediate assistance, please make a notarial appointment to discuss the Consular Report of Death Abroad process with a consular officer. This process can be completed more quickly if you bring the following documents to your appointment:
- Original local death certificate with English translation issued by Jordanian authorities
- Original notification of death issued by hospital or doctor with English translation
- S. passport of the deceased
- Social security number of the deceased
- Primary residential address for the deceased
- Full name, address, and telephone number of the surviving spouse, children, parents, or other family, plus a copy of their valid passport or ID
Jordanian Laws Regarding Death
- Jordanian law requires burial within 24 hours of death. You, or a funeral service provider on your behalf, may apply for a permit from the Ministry of Health to extend this time up to 72 hours if the remains are in an appropriate facility. Such facilities include the government hospitals in Amman, Aqaba, Irbid, Zarqa, and Ma’an. These facilities charge a daily rate of JD 15.00, on average. Many private hospitals also offer this service, but their daily rates can reach JD 90.00 or higher.
- Jordanian law requires an autopsy for any death occurring outside a hospital. There are no religious waivers for this requirement.
- Jordanian law does not permit the cremation of remains. There are no religious waivers for this requirement.
- Jordanian law permits remains to be exhumed up to one year after burial unless the cause of death was cholera, plague, or yellow fever. Jordanian custom, however, is extremely opposed to disturbing interred remains. The next-of-kin may apply to the Ministry of Health, in writing, to disinter remains. The request should include identity of the deceased, the cause of death, and the reason for the exhumation. Such requests (and disinterment, if approved) should be handled with great discretion and you should be prepared for the request to be denied.
Jordanian Requirements to Export Remains
- Remains must be embalmed* and shipped in a sealed zinc-lined coffin, in a wooden shipping case, both sealed by a Jordanian Ministry of Health official
- Jordanian Death Certificate
- Local health authority-issued permit to export
- Embassy-provided Consular Mortuary Certificate
- Embassy-provided Transit Permit
- Affidavit of the funeral service provider who witnessed the sealing of the casket, notarized by a U.S. Consular Officer
*Embalming services are available but not common in Jordan and the quality may not be consistent with U.S. practice. The Department of Forensic Pathology at Al-Bashir Hospital and the University of Jordan Hospital both embalm, and the fee is about JD 100. Embalming is not required for burial in Jordan.
COVID-19 and U.S. Import Restrictions
COVID-19 is a quarantinable communicable disease in the United States. The remains of a person who died from COVID-19 or any other quarantinable communicable disease must meet the importation standards in 42 CFR Part 71.55. For shipment to the U.S. from Jordan, the remains must be properly embalmed and placed in a hermetically sealed coffin or the remains must be accompanied at all times by a permit issued by the CDC Director. Contact the CDC Division of Global Migration and Quarantine at 770-488-7100 or dgmpolicyoffice@cdc.gov to apply for a permit for the importation of the remains of a person known or suspected to have died from a quarantinable communicable disease.
Estimated Costs for Burial or Repatriation
- Burial in Jordan
- JOD 1,000 ($1,409)
- Includes documentation, simple coffin, burial plot, and burial
- Preparation of Remains for Shipment
- JOD 9,000 ($12,678)
- Includes documentation, embalming, simple coffin, wooden shipping crate, labor, and transportation to airport
- Shipment of Remains from Jordan to the United States
- JOD 12,000 ($16,904)
- Average weight of shipment is 250 kg. Shipping costs vary by airline and route and range from JOD 9 to JOD 15 per kilo. Costs vary significantly depending on weight, complexity, and destination.
Funeral Service Providers in Jordan
The choice of a service provider and financial negotiations for funerary services are the responsibility of the next-of-kin or other representative of the family. If you have insurance, however, we strongly recommend you contact the insurance company before contacting a funeral service provider. The insurance company may be able to negotiate the funerary services on your behalf or have a preferred provider in Jordan.
As a courtesy, we provide the following list of funeral service providers in Jordan who have informed us they are able and willing to assist U.S. citizens to make funerary arrangements in Jordan, including burial and repatriation.
DISCLAIMER: The U.S. Embassy assumes no responsibility or liability for the professional ability or reputation of, or the quality of services provided by, the following persons or firms. Inclusion on this list is in no way an endorsement by the Department of State or the Embassy of the United States of America. The names are listed alphabetically, and the order in which they appear has no other significance. The information in the list has been provided by the service providers themselves.
Sameer Al Taweel
Al Taweel Funeral Center
Tel: (+962-6) 4655832
Mobile: (+962-79) 6758682
Mobile: (+962-78) 8122233
E-mail: sameer_taweel@hotmail.com
Address: Abdali, Amman; Rawabi, Amman
Ramzi Bisharat
Funeral Home Center
Tel: (+962-6) 5332367
Fax: (+962-6)5350290
Mobile: (+962-79) 5524680
Address: University of Jordan St., Amman
Amjad Kawar
Tel: (+962-6) 5857311
Fax: (+962-6) 5857312
Mobile: (+962-79) 6570390/ (+962-79) 5911350
E-mail: skc@kawar.org
Address: 60 Ibrahimi Martyrs St.
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