Nicaraguan Laws & General Fees
Costs for preparing and returning the body to the United States must be paid by next of kin or a legal representative.
Nicaraguan law requires disposition of remains (either cremation or burial) within 24 hours unless the remains are to be shipped outside the country or embalmed. The following paragraphs explain the options you have for making your decisions.
The cost for preparation and burial in Managua, Nicaragua is approximately $2,000.00 dollars.
Should you decide to have the remains returned to the United States for burial, the costs would be substantially greater due to the high cost of air freight and embalming.
The cost for preparation of remains for shipment to the United States is approximately $4,500.00 dollars, which generally does not include tax. The cost for air freight shipment is dependent on where the body will be shipped.
The total cost for preparation, cremation and air shipment of ashes to the United States is approximately $3,500.00 dollars.
Preparation and air shipment are carried out in accordance with the laws of and facilities available in Nicaragua. In some cases, the services fall short of those expected in the United States. We recommend that you ask your hometown funeral director to determine the advisability of viewing the remains.
Funeral Homes
While there are many small funeral homes in Managua and other cities in Nicaragua, the four funeral homes listed below are able to handle emergency cases in most areas of the country.
The Embassy assumes no responsibility for the professional ability or integrity of the funeral homes whose names appear on this list. The names of the funeral homes are arranged alphabetically and the order in which they appear has no other significance.
El Alba Funeral Home
Jorge Luis Herrera, Manager
Ph: (505) 2249-3584
Cel: (505) 8396-8484
Fax: (505) 2248-3826
E-Mail: info@funerariaelalba.com
Sucursal Diriamba
Ph: (505) 7872-0080
Cel: (505) 8373-2719
Email: sucursal.diriamba@funerariaelalba.com
La Católica y La Auxiliadora Funeral Home
Lic. Evel Zuniga, General Administration Representative and
Legal Adviser
Ph: (505) 2248-3282, ext. 108
Cel: (505) 8389-5761
Fax: (505) 2249-3476
E-Mail: ventas@funerarialacatolica.com
Monte de Los Olivos Funeral Home
Roberto Cardenal, Manager
Ph: (505) 2278-0217
Fax: (505) 2278-4205
E-Mail: info@funerariamontedelosolivos.com
Sierras de Paz Funeral Home
Julio Rocha Cerna, Manager
Ph: (505) 2278-7478
Cel: (505) 8810-1744
Fax: (505) 2278-7567
E-Mail: ventas@sierrasdepaz.com.ni
The Nicaraguan Death Certificate and Consular Report of Death
The consular “Report of Death of an American Citizen Abroad” is a report that provides the essential facts concerning the death of a U.S. citizen, disposition of remains, and custody of the personal effects of a deceased citizen. This form is generally used in legal proceedings in the United States in lieu of the foreign death certificate. The Report of Death is based on the foreign death certificate, and cannot be completed until the Nicaraguan death certificate has been registered and issued by the Civil Registry of the municipality where the death took place.
To register the death of a U.S. citizen in Nicaragua, you or your legal agent (the Nicaraguan funeral home, for example) will need to do the following:
Register the Death Certificate issued by the Ministry of Health with the Civil Registry (City Hall).
Submit the following documents to the Consular Section between 8:00 AM and 11:00 AM, any day the Embassy is open:
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Copy of Death Certificate issued by the Ministry of Health
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Original, Registered Death Certificate issued by the Civil Registry
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Deceased U.S. Citizen’s Passport;
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Deceased U.S. Citizen’s Naturalization or Citizenship Certificate, if dual national; and
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Social Security Card
This Consular Section will issue twenty (20) original official reports of death for family members and will send copies to the Department of State, the Social Security Administration and Veterans Administration, if applicable.
Personal Estates of Deceased U.S. Citizens
If the deceased has no legal representative or relative in Nicaragua, a consular officer may take temporary possession of the deceased’s personal effects. It is generally best for next of kin and/or a legal representative to travel to Nicaragua to dispose of the estate. In some cases, next of kin may choose to consult with a Nicaraguan attorney.
For additional information click here.