CDC requirements for importing human remains depend upon if the body has been embalmed, cremated, or if the person died from a quarantinable communicable disease.

At this time, COVID-19 is a quarantinable communicable disease in the United States and the remains must meet the standards for importation found in 42 Code of Federal Regulations Part 71.55 and may be cleared, released, and authorized for entry into the United States only under the following conditions:

• The remains are cremated; OR
• The remains are properly embalmed and placed in a hermetically sealed casket; OR
• The remains are accompanied by a permit issued by the CDC Director. The CDC permit (if applicable) must accompany the human remains at all times during shipment.
  • Permits for the importation of the remains of a person known or suspected to have died from a quarantinable communicable disease may be obtained through the CDC Division of Global Migration and Quarantine by calling the CDC Emergency Operations Center at 770-488-7100 or emailing dgmqpolicyoffice@cdc.gov.

Please see CDC’s guidance for additional information.

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If you would like to transport the remains to the United States, you would need a “Permiso de traslado or Autorización sanitaria para el transporte fuera del territorio nacional de cadáveres, mortinatos, piezas anatómicas, osamentas y cenizas humanas”, issued by the Ministry of Health in Ecuador, and the American Citizen Services section will issue a Consular Mortuary Certificate.  The “Permiso de Traslado”, to take the remains to the United States, can be requested by your appointed funeral home or directly to the Ministry of Health in Ecuador (It may involved additional fees).

Please gather the documentation/information below and send it by e-mail:

• Death Certificate (Acta Registral de Defunción) from the Ecuadorian Civil Registry
  The document submitted needs to be verified so please make sure the issue date is no more than 60 days.
• Transit Permit from the Ecuadorian Ministry of Health
  Please make sure the “Permiso de traslado or Autorización sanitaria para el transporte fuera del territorio nacional de cadáveres, mortinatos, piezas anatómicas, osamentas y cenizas humanas” details that the remains will be transported to the United States/outside Ecuador.
• Flight information and itinerary, including name of airline, flight number(s), date of travel, departure and arrival times, and port of entry
• Certificate of remains handling (these are issued by the entity that performs the process, usually is the same funeral home):
  • Embalming Certificate or
  • Cremation Certificate

Please send the documentation by e-mail to the Consular Section of your preference:

U.S. Embassy in Quito – acsquito@state.gov
U.S. Consulate in Guayaquil – acsguayaquil@state.gov

Please keep in mind a that there is 2MB size limit on the e-mails we can receive.  If your e-mail is bigger than 2MB, you may need to send the files on separate e-mails.

Once the documentation has been received, you will be given an appointment to come to the Embassy or Consulate.  This is not a walk in service.

Once the documentation detailed above has been submitted, the person/entity that is requesting the Mortuary Certificate needs to contact the Funeral Home and request for them to approach the U.S. Embassy in Quito or the U.S. Consulate in Guayaquil to sign a mandatory affidavit.  Once the funeral home representative signs the affidavit, we will issue the Consular Mortuary Certificate that will facilitate the entry of the remains to the United States.  This affidavit cannot be signed by another person other than the funeral home representative.