Costly Farewells: Diaspora Families Hit by Surging Repatriation Expenses

When a Kenyan dies overseas, the sorrow that follows is often compounded by a logistical and financial ordeal few families anticipate.

For many in the diaspora, the true cost of returning a loved one home only becomes clear after tragedy strikes.

Families seeking to transport remains from the United States back to Kenya are now confronting expenses ranging between $15,000 and $20,000, translating to well over Ksh 1.7 million at current exchange rates.

These figures cover embalming, funeral home services, documentation, consular approvals, airfare, and reception arrangements upon arrival in Nairobi.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the process has grown even more complex.

Human remains departing the U.S. for international destinations must be processed through designated federal clearance hubs, commonly located in New York or Washington, D.C.

This additional layer has introduced both delays and higher administrative costs.

The Paper Trail Behind the Grief

But that is not all; there are also a series of formalities to be completed before the mortal remains leave the American soil.

For instance, the Kenyan Embassy in the United States asks for evidence of citizenship in the form of a passport, identification card, or birth certificate along with a local death certificate.

Other papers that have to be submitted include a burial or transit permit issued by the local authorities, confirmation from the local health department that there is no risk of any contagious disease, and a certificate from a licensed funeral home that the body has been embalmed.

Also, the body has to be put in a hermetically sealed metal casket that conforms to international standards.

The logistics of airlines also have to be sorted out before the mortal remains leave the country.

Only a few airlines in the world, such as Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, and Lufthansa, facilitate the transport of human remains from one country to another.

Most airlines in the United States operate only within the country and not outside.

Also Read: How to Book an Affordable Private Jet in Kenya, Costs and Benefits

Role of the Funeral Homes

As a result of the complexities, families have resorted to using funeral homes that have experience in repatriating the deceased back to the home country.

These funeral homes usually handle the collection of the deceased, documentation, communication with the consulate, flight booking, and liaising with the handlers at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

Although the full-service options minimize surprises, they have little impact on the cost.

Fundraising has also become a means to deal with the repatriation of the deceased.

In the U.S. and Canada, where Kenyans have a large population, online fundraising has become a common occurrence, especially after sudden deaths.

However, the community has raised concerns about the exhaustion of goodwill and resources.

Legal Authority and Family Disputes

Financial issues, however, are not the only problem that families face.

In the U.S., for example, the legal authority for burial decisions belongs to the next of kin, who are the children aged 18 years and above.

In cases where the Kenyan parents want the bodies buried in the ancestral home, but the children who grew up overseas prefer cremation or burial overseas, the situation can become very contentious.

Families have even been known to disagree while the bodies are still at the funeral home, racking up storage expenses.

Also Read: How To Book Kenya Airways Flight Online

Ashes as an Alternative

The transportation of ashes is a far more cost-effective solution.

The Kenyan Embassy provides a Letter of No Objection free of charge if the relevant documentation is presented.

The airlines also have fewer restrictions for the ashes.

But the traditional practices are a deterrent for cremation.

The general consensus is that the problem lies in a lack of planning.

While diaspora Kenyans are willing to invest in properties back home, few have life insurance policies, burial wishes, and emergency repatriation schemes.

This leaves the decision to the grieving relatives, who are often under financial duress.

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Kenya Airways Plane at the JKIA
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