RIYADH, Jan 9: Relatives of expatriates who die in the kingdom will have to decide within two months of expatriates death whether they want to bury them here or to take their body to their home country for burial.

At times due to the procedure involved, it may take quite some time before a decision about the burial of the expatriate's body is taken, burdening the kingdom's hospitals and morgues. This happens especially with blue-collar workers who stay here alone, as some one needs to follow-up on the case to complete the formalities. Hence some bodies keep lying for months at the local morgues.

As per the new measures to speed up the process, a committee comprising representatives from the ministries of interior, foreign affairs and health, would inform the embassies concerned, as soon as they receive the information about the death of an expatriate.

The Governorates would also provide monthly statistics on cadavers stored at area hospitals and morgues, which the foreign ministry would in turn provide to the embassies and the respective consulates.

The sponsor of the deceased person would now be held responsible for dealing with the last remains of their employees. Police in every region have been made responsible for all the procedures in case of the death of any expatriate in the kingdom.