Reviewed by Carlos Vargas, Texas Licensed Funeral Director (TFSC #119648) ·
Texas belongs to the embassy in Washington
South Africa’s foreign ministry publishes a jurisdiction table that places Texas, together with Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Virginia and Puerto Rico, under the South African Embassy in Washington, at 3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008. The embassy’s own homepage gives the telephone +1 (240) 937 5760, an emergency line, +1 (202) 413-1953, the consular email consular.saembassydc@dirco.gov.za, and says applications and collections are accommodated Monday to Thursday between 09h30 and 12h30. The jurisdiction table shows a different telephone and consular email, so use the homepage’s details first and the table’s as a fallback.
The Texas Secretary of State’s list names a Dallas-area honorary consul and points to the Washington embassy as the mission behind the post.
The import permit is the centre of the file
South Africa is stricter than most. The National Department of Health’s 2024 guideline on the issuance of permits to import and export human remains implements Chapter 4 of the Regulations Relating to the Management of Human Remains, and states that no person may import human remains without a permit issued by the Director-General of Health. Requests go by email to humanremainspermits@health.gov.za. No walk-in submissions are permitted, and no permits are issued at the point of entry, so the permit must exist before the flight lands.
For an import the guideline asks for a cover letter from the embassy or the funeral undertaker giving the name of the person who died, the place of burial, the date, place and cause of death, the South African point of entry and the type of transport; the death certificate, clearly stating the cause of death; the identity document or passport of the person who died; an embalming certificate; a letter from the family member requesting the importation, with contact details and identification; a non-infectious or infectious disease certificate signed by registered medical personnel or a forensic pathologist; and a certificate of competence of the funeral undertaker who will handle the remains once they enter South Africa.
The exact wording the embalming certificate needs
The guideline is specific about what the embalming certificate must say. For remains that are not infectious it should indicate that the remains were embalmed, sealed in an airtight container and placed in a sturdy, non-transparent coffin. For infectious remains it should indicate that the remains were embalmed, placed in a polythene bag, sealed in an airtight container and placed in a sturdy, non-transparent container.
It also provides for families who cannot embalm. If embalming cannot be done for religious reasons, a statement from the relevant authority describing the alternative method that will preserve the remains and transport them safely must be included, immediately, for infection control. Raise that with the funeral director here and with the embassy before any preparation. The guide to faith and family preferences explains what Texas itself requires.
How long the permit takes
If all the requirements are met, the guideline says a permit will be issued at least within two working days of receipt. It asks applicants to apply well in advance and only when every document is available. In practice the pace is set by the slowest document, usually the certificate of competence from the receiving undertaker, so choose that undertaker in the first days.
Ashes need no permit
The same guideline states that no import or export permit is required for cremated remains. The death certificate, the cremation certificate and a copy of the identification must accompany the ashes at all times, and the ashes should be in a sealed airtight container placed in an urn.
Customs treats remains as restricted goods
The South African Revenue Service lists human remains on its prohibited and restricted goods page, in an update dated 10 September 2026. It states that a valid human remains import, export or transit permit issued by the department is required for each and every consignment.
What the embassy’s own page adds, and where it differs
The embassy publishes an older page on importing mortal remains to South Africa. It says the South African government provides no financial assistance towards the costs, but will write to Pretoria to request approval. It sets the same three conditions: the body embalmed, sealed in an airtight container and placed in a sturdy non-transparent coffin, and an import permit obtained from the receiving health authority.
Two differences matter. That page describes approval flowing through Pretoria and a letter issued by the consulate general in New York, while the 2024 health guideline has the undertaker or embassy email the department directly. And the jurisdiction table places Texas under Washington, not New York. Ask the embassy in Washington which route applies to your case before you send anything, and say that the death occurred in Texas.
What the government says about money
Its foreign ministry’s page on deaths abroad states that the government does not render any financial assistance pertaining to the death of South African citizens abroad, and that payment for the importation of remains, a local burial or cremation, and the return of ashes may only be made through a commercial institution such as a bank. In other words, money goes from the family to the funeral home directly, not through a mission. The insurance and assistance guide lists places to ask about cost.
Apostille
The HCCH status table shows that South Africa acceded to the Apostille Convention on August 3, 1994 and that it entered into force on April 30, 1995. The health guideline does not ask for an apostille, but a South African bank or court may ask for one later on the Texas death certificate. It is issued by the state; see the Texas Secretary of State authentication FAQ. Order extra certified copies now.
Routes and what airlines publish
We found no airline page confirming a routing from Dallas/Fort Worth to South Africa for human remains, so expect at least one connection and let a cargo agent propose it. South African Airways Cargo names human remains among its special services and says the service is available to all its destinations and receives priority booking. Emirates SkyCargo’s Solace flyer sets packaging standards: human remains in a hermetically sealed inner containment, which may be a flexible material or a rigid coffin of lead or zinc, and ashes in funeral urns protected against breakage. Turkish Cargo’s funeral page shows another carrier’s document list. Decide the point of entry, Johannesburg, Cape Town or Durban, with the receiving undertaker, because the permit names it.
| Step | Who to ask |
|---|---|
| Death certificate, embalming certificate, transit permit | The funeral director here |
| Certificate of competence, and the point of entry | The receiving undertaker in South Africa |
| The import permit | National Department of Health, by email |
| Which approval route applies to a Texas death | South African Embassy in Washington |
| Release at the border | Customs and port health, on the permit |
| Acceptance of the casket and the flight | The airline’s cargo desk |
Questions families ask about a return to South Africa
- Which South African office covers Dallas?
- The embassy in Washington. The foreign ministry’s jurisdiction table places Texas under Washington, and Texas lists a Dallas-area honorary consul who points to that embassy.
- Can the permit be obtained on arrival?
- No. The health department’s guideline says no permits are issued at the point of entry, so the permit must be in hand before the remains arrive.
- Do ashes need a permit?
- No. The guideline says no import permit is required for cremated remains, but the death certificate, cremation certificate and a copy of the identification must travel with them.
Sources checked and case confirmation
Sources checked September 21, 2026. The embassy’s page and the 2024 health guideline describe different approval routes, and the embassy’s contact details differ between two of its own pages; both are noted above. Confirm documents, fees, route and receiving arrangements for the individual case. Contact Vargas–London with the origin and destination to discuss the next step without sending medical or identity documents through the inquiry form.
