American Dies in the Dominican Republic — What to Do First

The phone rings at 2 a.m. and a hotel manager in Punta Cana is telling you that your father collapsed at dinner. He didn't make it. You're standing in your kitchen in New Jersey, and you have no idea what to do next.

The Dominican Republic operates under the Napoleonic Civil Code, which means the bureaucratic process for handling a death looks nothing like what you'd encounter in the United States. The remains cannot be moved from where the death occurred until police and a government medical examiner arrive. There's a mandatory forensic autopsy for every foreign national whose body will leave the country. And the clock on civil registration starts ticking immediately.

Here's what needs to happen, in order.

Call the Police, Then Do Not Move the Body

If the death occurred outside a hospital — at a resort, private home, or anywhere in public — the local Policía Nacional must be contacted first. Under Dominican law, the remains must stay exactly where they are until both the police and the provincial Médico Legista (government medical examiner) arrive to make a legal determination.

This is not optional. Moving or disturbing the body before these officials arrive is a legal infraction that can trigger a criminal investigation and delay everything that follows.

If the death occurred inside a hospital, the attending medical staff will pronounce the death and issue a preliminary cause-of-death certificate. But if the death was sudden, unexplained, or non-natural, the hospital is legally required to notify the police and the Médico Legista anyway.

Contact the U.S. Embassy Immediately

The American Citizens Services (ACS) unit at the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo operates a 24/7 emergency line: (809) 567-7775. After hours, weekends, and holidays, the system routes automatically to the Embassy Duty Officer.

The embassy cannot pay for mortuary services, act as your legal representative, or advance funds. What they can do is substantial: help locate reputable local funeral homes, explain Dominican legal requirements, liaise with police and forensic authorities, and prepare the federal documentation — specifically the electronic Consular Report of Death Abroad (eCRODA) — that you'll need for everything from probate to insurance claims back in the United States.

Call them before you call the funeral home. They'll help you understand what's ahead.

Notify Your Insurance and Travel Providers

If the deceased had active travel insurance with a "Repatriation of Remains" benefit, contact the insurer's emergency assistance hotline immediately — before finalizing any arrangements with a local funeral home. Most policies can be voided if the insurer isn't notified before mortuary work begins.

The insurer's medical assistance team may issue a Guarantee of Payment directly to the Dominican funeral home, which means you won't need to wire thousands of dollars upfront.

Also notify:

• The deceased's employer (especially if they were a federal employee serving abroad — contact the Office of Casualty Assistance at (202) 736-4302)
• Any cruise line or tour operator
• The deceased's domestic life insurance company

Understand the Autopsy Requirement

A forensic autopsy is mandatory for every foreign national whose remains will leave the Dominican Republic — regardless of whether the death was natural. There are no exemptions. The autopsy must be conducted by a forensic pathologist affiliated with INACIF (Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Forenses), the national forensics institute.

INACIF maintains regional laboratories in Santo Domingo, Santiago, San Francisco de Macorís, San Pedro de Macorís, and Azua. If the death occurred in a resort area like Punta Cana, the remains will likely be transported to the INACIF facility in San Pedro de Macorís or Santo Domingo.

A private hospital autopsy does not count. Only an INACIF-certified forensic examination will be accepted by civil registry and consular authorities.

Register the Death Within Three Days

Once the Médico Forense issues the official Certificado de Defunción (medical death certificate), someone — you, a relative, or the funeral home acting on your behalf — must register the death at the local Oficialía del Estado Civil (civil registry office) within three days.

You'll need the original death certificate from INACIF, the deceased's passport, and identification for whoever is filing. The registry will issue the Acta de Defunción Inextensa (long-form death certificate), which is the document you need for repatriation, probate, and insurance claims. The short-form version (Extracto) isn't sufficient for international use.

What Comes After the First 72 Hours

Once the autopsy is done, the death is registered, and you've connected with both the embassy and a funeral home, the next decisions are about disposition: repatriate the body home, have the remains cremated locally, or arrange a local burial.

Each path has its own documentation chain, timeline, and cost structure. Full-body repatriation typically takes 10–15 business days and costs $3,000–$10,000 in base mortuary and transit fees — with Dominican funeral homes requiring full payment upfront before they begin work.

The American Dies in the Dominican Republic — Family Emergency Guide walks you through every step of this process, from the first police call through estate settlement back home. It includes the complete document legalization chain, real cost comparisons between funeral homes, and the exact paperwork the embassy needs.