U.S. Embassy Information
U.S. Embassy Juba
Kololo Road, next to EU compoundTong Ping neighborhood
Juba, South Sudan
Consular appointment and advice phone: +211 (0)912 105 188
(Embassy Juba has no fax capability)
Profile of Religions of Host Country and Religious Services Available to Visitors
Christians, primarily Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Episcopalians and Presbyterians, account for approximately three-fifths of South Sudan’s population. Juba has various churches with services offered in English, Arabic and local South Sudanese dialects. Islam is also practiced in South Sudan and there are a number of active mosques.
[NOTE: The following list of places of worship in Juba is provided as a reference of available services. The Embassy in no way endorses any of the listed organizations. Interested individuals are encouraged to seek additional sources of assistance or references from friends and colleagues, rather than relying exclusively on this list. Few places of worship in Juba have posted service schedules. Listed service times are subject to change without notice. Interested individuals should inquire directly with establishments to determine service times. END NOTE].
Roman Catholic/Christian
- St Teresa Catholic Cathedral: The Cathedral is located on Unity Avenue. Services are offered in Barre at 8:00 am, Arabic at 10:00 am and English at 11:30am.
- St. Michael’s Catholic Church: St. Michael’s is located near Paradise Hotel. Sunday mass in English is offered at 10:00 am.
- St. Joseph’s Parish Church: St. Joseph’s is located on the compound of the Archdioceses of Juba.
- Juba Christian Center (JCC): The JCC is located in Bulluk, on the road that joins Ministries and Juba University behind the South Sudan Hotel.
- Seventh-Day Adventist Church (SDA): The SDA church is located in Munuki on Kuwait Estate Road (at the junction of the four main roads to Munuki, Gudele, Customs and Ministries).
- All Saints Cathedral – Episcopal Church of Sudan: All Saints Cathedral is located near the roundabout in Hai Cinema next to the Petronas Petrol Station on the road to Malakia.
- Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS): The LDS church is located on the hill near Rock City.
- Christian Fellowship: The Juba International Fellowship meets at the SIL compound, near the Juba University.
Islam
- Prayer times for the mosques listed below are as follows: Subhi–5:45am-6:05pm, Thuhur–12:30pm-1:30pm, Asir–3:30pm-4:30pm, Magrib–6:15pm-7:00pm, and Jshaa– 7:45pm-8:30pm
- Kuwait Mosque
- Hai Malakal Mosque
- Atlabara Jim Mosque
- Main Mosque
- Konyo Konyo Mosque
- Juba Market Mosque
Funeral Directors, Mortician and Related Services Available in the Host Country
The only morgue in Juba meeting basic health and sanitation requirements is operated by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), and offers service to non-official U.S. citizens on an ad hoc and as-available basis only. There are no mortuary facilities meeting basic health and sanitation requirements that offer a full suite of services.
To request the placement of remains in the UNMISS morgue contact the chief of staff at +211 (0) 912 177 134. Quality of service is rudimentary but acceptable; remains are kept in a refrigerated container. UNMISS will not charge for keeping remains in the morgue, but requests that remains be moved out of the morgue as quickly as possible – more than a week would likely be difficult to arrange.
UNMISS does not offer an embalming service, which is required prior to international shipment and should be done as soon as possible after death. For embalming, contact Juba Teaching Hospital at +211 (0)956 393 074. An embalmer will travel to the UNMISS morgue for the procedure and charges approximately $500. Embalming service is rudimentary and will help preserve the remains for around one additional week.
To purchase a military-grade body bag, contact Unity Clinic at +211 (0) 955 335-611. Body bags cost approximately $100. A coffin suitable for international air travel can be purchased from UNMISS for approximately $1,000, as long as one is available. If no coffin is available from UNMISS consult Embassy Juba’s Foreign Service Health Practitioner, who may have a coffin available at the Embassy. This should be used only if no other coffin is available. To purchase a coffin from UNMISS, call +211 (0) 926 632 055 (contact chief of staff first to obtain permission). Coffins cost around $1,000. [NOTE: To minimize intrusion to UNMISS, Embassy Juba suggests embalming the remains and placing them in a purchased coffin at the time of initial transport to the UNMISS morgue. END NOTE]
DISCLAIMER: U.S. Embassy Juba assumes no responsibility or liability for the professional ability or reputation of, or the quality of services provided by, the persons or firms referenced in this document. Professional credentials and areas of expertise are provided directly by the funeral directors, morticians and other service providers.
Part V – Profile of Services Available in the Host Country Regarding Preparation and Shipment of Remains
- Disposition of Remains: Availability of morgues and mortuary professionals is extremely limited, and the services necessary to prepare a body for international transport are generally only available in Juba. Remains from deaths occurring outside of Juba will often not be in a condition acceptable for international transport once they arrive in the capital. For breakdowns of mortuary options and costs, see Part IV.
- Requirements for Export: Airlines require that bodies be embalmed, conveyed in a leak-proof coffin designed for international travel (see Part IV), and accompanied by a consular mortuary report affixed to the coffin. South Sudanese export requirements are customary and subject to the personal preference of airport officials on duty at the time of export. The first step is to obtain a police report describing the circumstances of death, which can be used to obtain a death certificate from the Ministry of Health. Present the death certificate to the Ministry of the Interior, which will give written permission to export. Take this document to the Ministry of Customs, which will issue an export license. After embalming, ask the embalmer for a certificate of embalming. Airport authorities will often require the deceased’s original passport or at least a photocopy. Security officials will likely delay loading of the body onto the plane – ensure early arrival at the airport.
- Death in Special Circumstances: In the event of death caused by infectious disease, no special requirements exist and no particular authorities are notified. When a death occurs under suspicious circumstances, the South Sudanese Police are notified in order to carry out an investigation. While South Sudanese authorities do not require special documentation, ensure that Center for Disease Control (CDC) officials at the U.S. Embassy have provided documentation to ensure that U.S. customs requirements are met.
- Shipping: Options for In-Country Transportation: In-country transportation is difficult and expensive, particularly in the rainy season (April–October). Charter aircraft are often available, but costs commonly range between $5,000 and $20,000 for transportation to Juba. The only airline operating onward flights to the United States is Ethiopian Airlines, which flies to Washington, DC through Addis Ababa. Flights operate three times per week, and cost around $2,000 depending on the weight of the coffin and remains. To reach Ethiopian Airlines in Juba, call +211956 988408.
- Licensing: Currently, there are no licensing requirements for funeral directors and morticians in South Sudan.
- Local authorities: The Ministry of Health issues death certificates and determines cause of death. Refrigeration storage facilities are extremely limited thus prompt arrangements for burial are required soon after death.
Maximum Period before Burial: There is no South Sudanese law limiting the time in which a body must be buried, but the scarcity and expense of refrigerated storage facilities dictates that the disposition of remains be completed as quickly as possible.
Embalming: Embalming is rudimentary and will general preserve remains for three-to-five days in refrigeration.
Cremation: Cremation is generally not practiced in South Sudan.
Caskets and Containers: There are no national or local South Sudanese laws governing the size or material used for caskets and containers. Use of caskets and containers depends on a family’s ability to pay associated costs. Coffins for international shipping must be leak-proof.
Exportation of Human Remains: See Part V(b)
Exportation of Human Cremains/Ashes: Cremation is generally not practiced in South Sudan
Costs:
| Service | Dollars |
|---|---|
| Storage of remains in refrigerated container (at UNMISS morgue) | No charge |
| Embalming | $500 |
| Military-grade body bag | $100 |
| Coffin (suitable for international air travel) | $1,000 |
Exhumation and shipment: Exhumation is generally not practiced in South Sudan.
| Service | Dollars |
|---|---|
| Commercial shipment of remains to U.S. (base cost) | $2,000 |
| Private charter shipment of remains to U.S. | $5,000-$20,000 |
| Military-grade body bag | $100 |
| Coffin (suitable for international air travel) | $1,000 |
Local Customs Regarding Funerals, Disposition of Remains, Mourning, Memorial Services: Wakes in South Sudan last four days (for women) and three days (for men), followed by a funeral service. The family of the deceased is responsible for informing the local religious establishment where the deceased worshiped. The religious leader at the designated establishment then sanctions the funeral rite.
Last updated on December 28, 2015.
