Disposition of Remains Report

Disposition of Remains Report

The following information is submitted in accordance with the referenced requirements.  Various area mortuaries were surveyed in order to compile this data.  The laws cited are from the national law of Honduras, (Environment Protection Law, Art. 29; Health Code, Art. 195 – 209, Art. 210-216, Art.217-221; General Regulation of Environmental Health Art. 147 – 170; Criminal Procedure Code, Art. 204-205).

Part I. 

Honduras

Part II.  U.S. Embassy or Consulate Information

U.S. Embassy Tegucigalpa

Address: Avenida La Paz, Tegucigalpa

Phone: (504) 2238 5114, Ext. 4400

Fax: (504) 2238 4357

After Hours Phone: (504) 2236 8497, (504) 2236 9866

Consular Information Sheet,

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1135.html

Register With the U.S. Embassy,

https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/ui/

Part III.  Profile of Religions of the Host Country and Religious Services available to visitors

Country Profile: Host Country Religions: Although the Constitution of Honduras provides for religious freedom and freedom of worship, the country has Roman Catholicism as its dominant national religion. More than 80% of the populations are Roman Catholics with only a small percentage belonging to the minority Protestant religion and other small religions.

Religious Activities for Visitors:  Spanish-speaking religious organizations representing the following are found in Honduras:  Roman Catholic, Seventh-day Adventist, Assembly of God, Central American Mission, Baptist, Four-Square Gospel, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mennonite, Lutheran, Mormon, Southern Baptist, Methodist and World Gospel Mission. The indigenous groups have their own religions, often existing alongside Christianity and incorporating elements of African and Indian animism and ancestor worship. English-language Catholic and Protestant services are available including the non-denominational Union Church.

Part IV.  Funeral Directors, Mortician and Related Services Available in the Host Country: 

Funeral Homes in Tegucigalpa:

 Funeral Homes in San Pedro Sula:

Funeral Homes in La Ceiba:

 Part V.  Profile of services available in the host country regarding preparation and shipment of remains: 

1. a.   Disposition of Remains General Information

Honduras has three national refrigerated morgues available at no cost, located in Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula and La Ceiba.

The capacity of the Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula morgues is from 40 to 60 corpses, the La Ceiba Morgue has a minimal capacity of 8 corpses. Remains can be kept refrigerated for up to three months before their disposition is decided. If remains are not collected after the three month period, local authorities will bury them in a common grave.

Local authorities mandate that an autopsy is performed in all non-natural death cases and those that do not take place in a recognized medical facility or hospital.

Once remains are released by the local morgue, they must be prepared or embalmed for local interment, cremated or embalmed for transportation to the United States.

The quality of the embalming meets the requirements of the Ministry of Health; however, it doesn’t normally meet U.S. standards. Costs for this service vary according to the type of disposition.

1. b.   Disposition of Remains – Specific Facts

The NOK or legal representative has five options regarding the disposition of their loved one’s remains. The costs for all options will vary depending on the type of disposition, transportation, quality of caskets or containers and memorial service desired:

1. 1.   Preparation and local interment

Funeral homes offer a basic preparation service. Remains can last up to 24 a 36 hours before their interment.

The funeral home will not be responsible for registering the death at the local Civil Registry.

The cost for preparation and local interment ranges between US$ 1,000.00 - US$ 6,000.00.

1. 2.   Embalming and local interment

Embalmed remains can last up to 8 to 30 days before their interment.

The cost for embalming and local interment ranges between US$ 1,500.00 – US$ 6,500.00.

1. 3.    Embalming in Honduras and repatriation of remains to U.S.

Embalming is required for repatriation of remains to the U.S.  Local funeral homes provide caskets and hermetically sealed containers that meet the requirements for international transportation.

The funeral home must obtain the following documents and information:

• Medical certificate of death from the attending physician
• Death certificate from the Civil Registry (Registro Nacional de las Personas)
• Passport
• Honduran Export Permit from the Ministry of Health.
• Name, address and phone number of funeral home at destination
• Flight information.  (Name of airline, date, port of entry, and name of carrier, flight number(s), departure and arrival times)
• Affidavit of preparation of remains for shipment.

Once the funeral home obtains these documents, the U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa or the Consular Agency in San Pedro Sula can issue the Consular Mortuary Certificate to accompany the remains and enter U.S. Customs.

The remains have to be collected in the U.S., by a licensed funeral home. The NOK or legal representative has to make arrangements with the representative of the funeral home of their selection.

The cost for embalming in Honduras and repatriation to the U.S. ranges between US$ 3,000.00 - US$ 5,500.00.

1. 4.    Cremation and Disposition in Honduras

Honduran law allows cremation services. There is only one funeral home in Honduras that provides this service, which is Jardines y Funerales Del Recuerdo located in San Pedro Sula.  In addition, Funerales Santa Anita/Señorial/Gayoso in Tegucigalpa provides cremation arrangements in coordination with Jardines y Funerales del Recuerdo in San Pedro Sula.  

The funeral home must obtain the following documents from Honduran authorities:

• Local death certificate.
• Autopsy result (when requested by local authorities).

In regards to the disposition of ashes, the NOK or legal representative must choose among the following options:

• Burial of ashes (interment)
• Burial of ashes (cinerary niche)
• Take possession of the ashes.

The cost for cremation and Disposition in Honduras ranges between US$ 1300.00 – US$ 5,500.00.

1. 5.   Cremation in Honduras, Disposition in the U.S.

The funeral homes provide containers (urns) that meet shipment requirements. Cremains may be taken by the NOK or legal representative on a commercial flight.

The funeral home must obtain the following documents and information:

• Medical certificate of death from the attending physician
• Death certificate from the Civil Registry (Registro Nacional de las Personas)
• Passport
• Honduran Export Permit from the Ministry of Health.
• Name, address and phone number of funeral home at place of destination
• Flight information.  (Name of airline, date, port of entry, and name of carrier, flight number(s), departure and arrival times)
• Affidavit of preparation of remains for shipment.

Once the funeral home obtains these documents, the U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa or the Consular Agency in San Pedro Sula can issue the Consular Mortuary Certificate to accompany the cremains and enter U.S. Customs.

The cost for cremation in Honduras and Disposition in the U.S. ranges between US$ 1,300.00 - US$ 5,500.00.

1. c.   Special Circumstances

It is not unusual for autopsy reports to be written up as “under study” or “Pending further investigation”.  Unfortunately, these studies and investigations can take several months and in many cases they are left inconclusive.

1. d.   Shipping Options

Funeral homes normally make arrangements for in-country and international transportation. Additional in-country transportation resources are also available.

In cases where the death occurs in the north coast islands of the country, arrangements for transportation of remains to the designated morgue for autopsy are usually required.  These expenses could be covered by the Prosecutor’s office, family/friends, or hotel.  Transportation means are available by sea through ferry and then by car to the designated morgue; or by air through a charter plane and then by car to the designated morgue.

The airlines that provide international shipping are: American Airlines, Delta Airlines and Continental Airlines. All airlines have daily flights to the U.S. and offer a similar selection of flights and connections.

1. e.   Local Authorities – Funeral Home licenses

The Local authorities responsible for licensing funeral directors and morticians are:

• Environment and Natural Resources Ministry (SERNA): responsible for issuing an Environmental License that allows funeral directors and morticians to operate in Honduras.
• Local Municipalities
• Ministry of Health

1. f.    Local Authorities – Death Certificates and Autopsies

• Coroner’s Office: responsible for establishing the cause of death in those cases where an autopsy is required.
• Civil Registry: responsible for issuing a local death certificate.
• Ministry of Health: responsible for issuing exportation permits.

1)  Maximum period before burial of remains:

a)   If remains are embalmed: eight to 30 days

b)   If remains are not embalmed: two days

2)  Embalming:

All local funeral homes provide embalming services. The quality of the embalming meets the requirements of the Ministry of Health; however, it doesn’t normally meet U.S. standards. Remains are normally embalmed no later than two days after the death.

3)  Cremation:

Art. 211 of the Ministry of Health states: “Cremation of remains can be authorized by the Ministry of Health.” There is only one funeral home in Honduras that provides this service, which is Jardines y Funerales del Recuerdo located in San Pedro Sula.  In addition, Funerales Santa Anita/Señorial/Gayoso in Tegucigalpa provides cremation arrangements in coordination with Jardines y Funerales Del Recuerdo in San Pedro Sula.

4)  Caskets and Containers: Local funeral homes provide caskets and hermetically sealed containers that meet the requirements for international transportation.

5)  Exportation of Remains/Cremains:

Art. 208 of the Health Code states: “International transportation of human remains can take place only with previous authorization from the Ministry of Health and in accordance with the conditions, requirements and restrictions that are established in the regulation”.

Art. 150 of the General Regulation for Environmental Health states: “In order to obtain the authorization for international transportation, the requesting party should submit their request along with the following documents”:

a)   Death Certificate

b)   Certified copy of the deceased’s passport

c)   Medical certificate that states the cause of death and that the remains have been properly embalmed

d)   Any other health related relevant documents

6)  Costs:

Costs will vary depending on the type of disposition, transportation, quality of caskets or containers and memorial service desired.  The available options are:

• Preparation and local interment ranges from

U.S. $ 1,000.00 – U.S. $ 6,000.00.

• Embalming and local interment ranges from

U.S. $ 1,500.00 – U.S. $ 6,500.00.

• Embalming in Honduras and disposition in the US ranges from U.S.  $ 3,000.00 – U.S. $ 5,500.00.
• Cremation in Honduras and disposition in Honduras or the US ranges from U.S. $ 1300.00 – U.S. $ 5,500.00.

7)  Exhumation and Shipment:

Art. 216 of the Health Code states: “The exhumations of remains can only be done with a judicial court order and with previous authorization of the Ministry of Health”.

Art. 159 of the General Regulation for Environmental Health states: “Exhumations should take place within the first and last hours of the day”.

The funeral home must obtain the following documents from Honduran authorities:

• Exhumation permit issued by the Public Health Ministry.
• Local death certificate.
• Internment certificate issued by the cemetery.
• Exportation permit issued by the Health Public Ministry (in case of repatriation)

The funeral home must also obtain a mortuary certificate from the American Embassy in Tegucigalpa or Consular Agency in San Pedro Sula.

The average cost for an exhumation service is US$ 1,200.00. The average cost for shipment ranges between US$ 3,000.00 – US$ 5,500.00.

8)  Autopsies:

Art. 147 of the General Regulation for Environmental Health states: “An Autopsy and necropsy is defined as every study that implies the opening of human remains within and outside national territory, as long as it complies with the following requirements”:

a)   That it has scientific, didactic or legal purposes.

b)   That the autopsy is performed in morgues that belong to the national hospital system, judicial authorities, General Prosecutor’s office and private medical institutions that have been previously authorized by the Ministry of Health.

c)   That the autopsy if performed by medical examiners that are specialized in pathological anatomy, legal medicine or forensic pathology, and are registered and authorized by the Honduran Medical Association.

Art. 201 of the Health code states: “The judicial authorities, directors of National hospitals and the heads of the pathological anatomy divisions are authorized to order the autopsies that they consider pertinent in accordance with the law”.

9)  Honduran Local Customs:

The wake can last between two to three days.

Locals prefer interment rather than cremation, given that these services are fairly new in Honduras, it is not yet considered a general custom.

Mourning normally lasts three to nine days, at which time mass are held on a daily basis.  People tend to wear black colored clothing in order to show their mourning and respect.

Memorial services are not customary in Honduras.