Procedure for Sending Coffin to India

--- Compiled by Murali Manohar

1. Get PINK copy – given by Hospital Authorities (pronouncing death of the person). (Take 4-5 Xerox copies of the same)
2. A person has to go to Embassy of India, Kuwait to inform about the Death
3. The person going to Embassy of India, Kuwait – has to have the following documents – to inform about the demise
a) Copy of the Pink Paper – given by Hospital
b) Copy of Civil ID of the informer
c) Copy of Civil ID of the Deceased
d) Copy of Passport of the Deceased
REMEMBER TO CARRY – ORIGINALS of the all the ABOVE (a) to (d).
4. Please take ENOUGH copies (say 5-6) of the Civil ID & Passport (Full Set) of the Deceased
5. Take all details – regarding the details of the Sponsor & Local (Kuwait) and India (Permanent) address & Tel Nos.
6. Have details of the Next of the Kin, family members details (Father, Mother, Brothers, Sisters, Husband / wife, Kids et al)

Meet Mr. Deepak Jain – in Embassy of India, Kuwait for informing about the demise of the person

You can download the form from (www.indemb.com.kw) Indian Embassy, Kuwait (click this link to download the form
http://www.indembkwt.org/forms/Embassy%20of%20India-13%20death%20form.pdf).

Indian Embassy will hand over an AUTHORISATION LETTER to the INFORMER to undertake all works (to collect Death Certificate and / or any works related to getting documents of the deceased) & to assist the family in sending the coffin to India, for burial.

After taking the Authorization Letter from Embassy of India, the INFORMER has to go to:

1. Office of the Births & Deaths – Maidan Hawally (near Arabic School on Maidan Hawally – nearer to Al Rasheed Street).
2. This office, in Maidan Hawalli, will TAKE THE ORIGINAL CIVIL ID & Issue Death Certificate.
3. This Death Certificate will have to be TRANSLATED in English – Go to any Translations office in Murgab (They will take KWD 2-3 per page). This death certificate will show (In English) the Cause of Death, as mentioned in the Pink Copy (which would be in Arabic).
4. Then, this Translated Certificate has to be taken back to MAIDAN HAWALLY office, where, the Officer will put a SEAL on the Translated Certificate.
5. The Death Certificate, thus issued, has to be taken to Foreign Affairs (next to KUNA, Shuwaikh) (before City Centre Bridge) (or in Liberation Towers, in City). Please note, NO STAMP to be AFFIXED for Death Certificate. It is DONE FREE OF COST and there is NO QUEUE for this. One can go and get this DONE in minutes.
6. Take ENOUGH Copies of this DEATH CERTIFICATE (both sides – including Foreign Affairs stamp)

Procedure to take body to India

1. Contact Mr. Govind (Al Rasheed Cargo) (99384117 or 24731216/8) and inform him about the location (which city in India) where the body to be taken to. (or anyone of your choice)…
2. He will block the ticket, as per the dates requested.
3. One person has to accompany the body
4. The person accompanying the body has to have CONFIRMED flight ticket and the copy of the same to be given to Cargo office
5. They will charge, approximately KD 300 or so (Confirm with them) or else, if assistance required for poor people or so, contact Embassy.
6. Collect Airway Bill & stickers (3 will be given)

Procedure for arranging the coffin etc:

1. Visit Dr. Ali (in Sabah Hospital) (small office – diagonally opp to Sabah’s reception – the office is located like a picnic villa, inside trees)
2. Show Airway Bill & inform the Flight details in this office. (when you enter the bldg, take left and this office is in the 2nd office on the right)
3. They will give few papers – including
(a) Certificate from Dr. Ali, giving permission for the body to be taken to India. (3 copies)
(b) Certificate for transporting the Coffin from Any other Mortuary (like Amiri / Farwaniah / Jahra / Adan)
4. Outside this office, you will see many people asking for ordering the box for the coffin – PLEASE do not BOOK anyone there.
5. Kindly visit Mortuary (which is opp to this office – next to Al Mulla Engg Office there) and you can meet Mr. Ali or so (he speaks Hindi) or meet a Bengali person – who will give the BOX even for KD 50 or so. Do not be tempted by HIGH price and design.
6. Next visit the concerned Mortuary where the coffin is kept and arrange for the body to be brought to Head Mortuary in Sabah Hospital (use the slip given by Dr. Ali’s office)
7. Later on go to City and GET the papers TRANSLATED given by Dr. Ali’s office.
8. Then visit Embassy and Hand over the letter given by Dr. Ali (so that Embassy staff will come on the following day at 10.30 am), while the body is EMBALMED.
9. Do not become PANIC for the DELAY of the Indian Embassy Staff – as they WILL COME IN TIME for this and THE EMBALMING cannot take place, without their presence.

Cancellation of Passport

Please take ORIGINAL & 2 copies of the following for cancellation.

1. Passport of the Deceased
2. Death Certificate
3. Original & Translation of the Letter given by Dr. Ali to transport the body to India
4. Passport of the SPONSOR (in case of Dependants)
5. Civil ID copy of the Informer

Please note, Embassy will give 2 SHEETS – which has to be filled – which contains the details of the deceased, details of the deceased family members. Kindly have these details, without fail.

Embassy will cancel the passport and give it to the informer. (NO FEE TO BE PAID for this)

Handover the letter – given by Dr. Ali’s office – and ask Embassy staff to come for EMBALMING.

Cargo WORK

After cancellation of the passport – take ALL ORIGINALS To the Cargo office, who will make 8 copies of the all the documents. (They will take away the ORIGINAL).

They will give a SET OF DOCUMENTS (ONLY COPIES)

Embalming

On the day of leaving for India, please go to Mortuary at 8.30 AM and wash the body and put NEW CLOTHES (all optional) and the body can be kept for public viewing (if required)

Embassy staff will come before Embalming

Kindly bring good amount of COTTON, NEW FACE POWDER, SCENT BOTTLE etc, which can be put in the coffin BOX. Please carry few MARKER PENS to write the INDIAN Address on the box.

Mr. Ali will do the Coffin box (or any other person, whom you have fixed).

The Harris of the Mortuary will expect some money – so, tip him with some money (KD 10 or so)

Body will be closed (Embalming) in front of the Embassy official.

Taking body to Airport

On the day of the journey – please visit RECEPTION of the Hospital – 4-5 Hours before the flight timing (this is the place, where you would have come FIRST, when you had got the COFFIN from some other hospital to Head Mortuary in Sabah Hospital).

The coffin would be TAKEN directly by Sabah Hospital 3 hours before the schedule of the flight and will go INTO Cargo section of the AIRPORT.

The person, accompanying the body, has to be in the AIRPORT (3 hours before the departure of the flight & SHOULD have the set of documents given to him by the Cargo Office). He also has to inform, after CROSSING the IMMIGRATION, that he is accompanying a coffin.

He will be asked to go to Cargo section and identify the BOX.

In Indian Airport

After reaching Indian Airport (the destination) the ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS would be GIVEN AWAY to the Accompanying person.

(Please make sure, the accompanying person, if not related to the deceased – carry LESS Luggage of his, so that he does not get DELAYED in the CUSTOMS & Baggage Clearance).

Ambulance Arrangement

Kindly make sure, A/c Ambulance is available at the time of taking the coffin from Indian Airport – so that they can immediately shift the body to the ambulance and take it to the concerned place for burial or formalities.

PS: Make sure, a set of documents are also kept in Kuwait for any emergency & assistance.

General Information:

1. Everyone (Indian Embassy Officials / Births & Death officials in Maidan Hawally / Foreign Affairs Department, Shuwaikh) are very co-operative in handling Death cases – please do