Coping with death abroad

This page has key information and advice on how we can help you if a friend or relative dies whilst abroad.  There is also advice on what to do if death occurs in suspicious circumstances.

If you are living in the UK and a relative or friend dies when abroad, then you should contact us on 020 7008 1500. If you are abroad, you should contact the relevant Embassy, High Commission or Consulate.  You'll find a link to our 'Find an embassy' page to the right.

If the person who died was travelling with a tour company, the company will often contact you, as the next of kin themselves. If the death of a British national abroad is reported to us, we will ask the UK police to tell you as soon as possible. If you are not in the UK, we will ask our consular staff in the country where you are to do this.

We will do everything we can to make sure that, as next of kin, you do not hear about the death first from the media. In exceptional circumstances, this may mean having to tell you about the death over the phone. We do not release the name of someone who has died to the media before we have told the next of kin.

What you need to do

All deaths must be registered in the country where the person died. We can advise you how to do this.

You will need to provide documents about you and the person who has died, including, for example, the full name, date of birth and passport number of the person who has died.

The local authorities will need to be told if the person suffered from an infectious condition, such as hepatitis or HIV, so they take precautionss against infection.

You do not have to register the death at the British Embassy, High Commission or Consulate.  However in doing so, you can get a UK-style death registration document, and a permanent copy of it will always be available in English from the General Register Office in the UK. In Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland and South Africa, British Embassies, High Commissions or Consulates cannot currently register deaths but the local certificates are suitable for British purposes.

A consular death registration document is not a UK death certificate and should not be used as one. It should not take the place of the locally issued death certifcate. You'll need to register the death with the foreign civil authorities and obtain a full foreign death registration before you can apply for consular death registration.

What we can do to help:

• our consular staff in London can pass on to our staff overseas your wishes about dealing with the body. We will do our best to make sure that these wishes are carried out. However, post mortem examinations may be carried out without your permission. In some countries, organs may be removed and kept during these procedures without your being informed or consulted
• if you want us to, we can tell you about the cost of local burial and local cremation (where local authorities allow these for foreigners) or transporting the body and personal belongings back to the UK (known as 'repatriation')
• if you want us to, we can provide lists of local and international funeral directors. If an English speaking firm is not available our staff can help you with the arrangements

Please be aware that, in some countries a lack of suitable storage may make it impossible to get the necessary international certificates to transport the body.

In the case if a crisis or terrorist attack, local practices overseas may change, and there may be delays with bodies being returned to the UK due to identification procedures.

What we cannot do:

• while we cannot pay any burial, cremation or repatriation expenses ourselves or settle any debts, we can help to transfer money from friends or relatives in the UK to pay any necessary costs
  

Death of a British national abroad in suspicious circumstances

As well as the support we can offer if someone dies from natural causes, where there is evidence of suspicious circumstances we can suggest the best way to raise concerns with the local authorities. 

A coroner in England and Wales will normally hold an inquest if a person died a violent or unnatural death overseas and the body is returned to the coroner's district. Different procedures for investigating deaths apply in each part of the UK. What we can do:

• We can also offer basic information about the local police system and legal system, including any legal aid that is available.
• We can provide lists of local lawyers and local interpreters (although we do not pay for either) and, where possible, details of support groups.

In all cases where you, as next of kin, have concerns about the circumstances surrounding the death, we suggest you get professional legal advice.

Can't investigate ourselves

We cannot investigate deaths ourselves and, in many countries, investigating authorities and the courts may refuse to answer enquiries, including from British consular staff. If these circumstances, it is very important to consider appointing a local lawyer who can look after your interests in court and follow any trial for you.

We will consider making appropriate representations to the local authorities if there are concerns that the investigation is not being carried out in line with local procedures; if there are justified complaints about discrimination against the person who has died or their family; or where we judge that a local delay or decision creates significant distress for the bereaved, ensuring that we do not interfere in the investigation or judical processes in that country. We cannot interfere in another country's investigation or judicial processes.  You should be aware that the standard of investigative procedures and expertise varies greatly across the world.

Meeting family representatives

Consular staff in London are available to meet family representatives. They can contact you if the investigating authorities tell us about any new developments. Where possible, if you visit the country during the early stages of the investigation and initial court hearings relating to the death, our staff there may be able to meet you.

Where legal systems differ significantly from the UK, or proceedings are conducted in a language you do not understand, we may help to arrange, and attend, an initial round of meetings with the authorities. And we may accompany you to the first day of a trial and verdict.

Bereavement

There are a number of organisations in the UK that can help bereaved families and friends come to terms with their loss, whether the death was natural or otherwise.  Where  the death was a result of murder or manslaughter, if you wish, we will put you in touch with the Victims Support National Homicide Service, who will allocate a named caseworker to give you free and confidential help. Charities such as Support after murder and manslaughter (SAMM abroad) can help you face the problems and difficulties that arise from death overseas under suspicious circumstances. We have a leaflet called 'Guide for bereaved families'.