Skip to main content
N I Direct government services

Main navigation

  • Home
  • News
  • Contacts
  • Help
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • RSS

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Government, citizens and rights
  3. Births, deaths, marriages and civil partnerships
  4. Death and bereavement

When someone dies abroad

When someone dies abroad, the death may seem more distressing because of the complications of being away from home and dealing with strangers. But, you can get help from the British authorities in the UK and overseas.

Finding out about the death

If the person dies abroad while you're at home and the death has been reported to the British Consulate in the country where the person died, they will ask the police to tell the next of kin.

If you hear of the death from anyone else, for example a tour operator, you should contact the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

Consular staff in London will keep in touch with the family and the Consulate abroad until burial or cremation overseas or until the deceased has been brought back to the UK. They'll also tell the British Consul of your wishes for the funeral and take details of who'll be responsible for paying the costs involved, such as bringing the body back to the UK.

If the person dies while you're abroad with them, the British Consul will support you by offering practical advice and help with funeral arrangements and other formalities, such as inquests.

If the person died while on a package holiday, the tour operator will be able to contact funeral directors and British Consular staff for you.

  • Find a British embassy, high commission or consulate

Registering the death where the person died

You will need to register the death according to local regulations and get a Death Certificate. The local police, British Consul or tour guide can advise you on how to do this.

You can also often register the death at the British Consulate as well. You don't have to do this, but if you do you can buy a UK-style death certificate, and the record will be sent to the General Register Office within 12 months. You will also be able to get a copy of the Death Certificate later from the General Register Office or from the British Consul in the country concerned.

If the person who died was a serving member of the British armed forces, their commanding officer can also request the registration.

It's not possible to register the death with the British authorities in a number of countries, including:

  • the Ascension Islands
  • Australia
  • Bermuda
  • Canada
  • Cayman Islands
  • Christmas Islands
  • Falkland Islands
  • Gibraltar
  • Irish Republic
  • Nevis
  • New Zealand
  • St Helena
  • South Africa
  • Turks and Cacos Islands
  • Virgin Islands

If the body is to be brought back to be cremated, this must be reported to the coroner since they need to issue a Certificate for Cremation.

Documents you'll need to register the death

When registering the death, you should take information about yourself and the deceased including:

  • full name
  • date of birth
  • passport number
  • where and when the passport was issued
  • details of the next of kin, if you're not their closest relative

Find out about registering a death in Northern Ireland at the following link:

  • Registering a death with the district registrar

Bringing the body home

If you wish to bring the body back to the UK, British Consular staff will help by putting you in touch with an international funeral director.

The body will need to be embalmed and placed in a zinc-lined coffin before it can be removed from the country. It may take some time to bring the body home, especially if a post-mortem examination is held.

Before you can bring the body home, you'll need the following documents:

  • a certified English translation of the foreign death certificate from the country in which the person died
  • authorisation to remove the deceased's body from the country
  • a certificate of embalming

The British Consul can help you to get the documents above. Advice on translation services can also be sought from relevant British Consulates.

  • Help and services around the world

Funeral costs

If the deceased's funeral costs are covered by travel insurance, you should contact the insurance company as soon as possible. They'll be able to contact the funeral directors for you and make the necessary arrangements.

If the deceased's funeral costs are not covered by insurance, you'll be expected to pay all the costs including hospital bills and repatriation (bringing home) of the body and belongings.

Arranging the funeral

You can arrange for the burial or cremation in the country the person where died. The British Consulate can give you advice about this.

  • Arranging a funeral

Deaths in disasters abroad

If the deceased has been killed in a disaster abroad, ask the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office for help. Its staff will give support and advice. 

  • Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

The deceased will need to be identified and you may be asked for information about them including a physical description, name and address of the person's UK doctor or dentist. The police may also need a photograph and/or fingerprint samples from the deceased's house.

Travelling on an Irish passport

If the person who has died was travelling on an Irish passport, you should contact the Irish consulate or embassy in the country where the death has happened.

  • Irish Embassies and Consulates Abroad
  • Death abroad 
Share this page Share on Facebook (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share on Twitter (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share by email (external link opens in a new window / tab)

Death and bereavement

  • Apply for probate
  • Arranging a funeral
  • Benefits, property and money
  • Bereavement Service - reporting a death
  • Coroners, post-mortems and inquests
  • Documents and information needed when someone dies
  • Financial help for the bereaved
  • Making a will
  • Order a death certificate online
  • Organ donation
  • Probate
  • Probate forms and guidance
  • Registering a death with the district registrar
  • Stopping a probate application (caveat)
  • What to do if there is no will
  • When someone dies abroad
  • When someone dies at home
  • When someone dies in hospital or a care home
  • Who to tell about a death

Translation help

How to translate this page

Help improve this page - send your feedback

What do you want to do?
Report a problem
Which problem did you find on this page? (Tick all that apply)

Messages

You will not receive a reply. We will consider your feedback to help improve the site.

Don't include any personal or financial information, for example National Insurance, credit card numbers, or phone numbers.

What is your question about?

What to do next

Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to anglingcorrespondence@daera-ni.gov.uk 

If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit.  Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

Carer's Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912
Email 
dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Discretionary support / Short-term benefit advance

Call 0800 587 2750 
Email 
customerservice.unit@communities-ni.gov.uk

Disability Living Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912 
Email dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Employment and Support Allowance

Call 0800 587 1377

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

Personal Independence Payment

Call 0800 587 0932

If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to bluebadges@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

For queries or advice about careers, contact the Careers Service.

For queries or advice about Child Maintenance, contact the Child Maintenance Service.

For queries or advice about claiming compensation due to a road problem, contact DFI Roads claim unit.

If you can’t find the information you’re looking for in the Coronavirus (COVID-19) section, then for queries about:

  • Restrictions or regulations — contact the Department of Health
  • Travel advice (including self-isolation) — contact the Department of Health
  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations — contact the Department of Health or Public Health Agency

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk and for queries about your certificate, email covidcertni@hscni.net.

For queries or advice about criminal record checks, email ani@accessni.gov.uk

Application and payment queries can be emailed to ema_ni@slc.co.uk

For queries or advice about employment rights, contact the Labour Relations Agency.

For queries or advice about birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates and research, contact the General Register Office Northern Ireland (GRONI) by email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk

For queries about the High Street Spend Local Scheme,  email HSSS.mail@economy-ni.gov.uk.

For queries about:

  • Car tax, vehicle registration and SORN
    contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Swansea
     
  • Driver licensing and tests, MOT and vehicle testing
    contact the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA), Northern Ireland

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk.

 

For queries or advice about passports, contact HM Passport Office.

For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, email dcu@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about pensions, contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre.

If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section.

If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads.

For queries or advice about historical, social or cultural records relating to Northern Ireland, use the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) enquiry service.

For queries or advice about rates, email LPSCustomerTeam@lpsni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about  60+ and Senior Citizen SmartPasses (which can be used to get concessionary travel on public transport), contact Smartpass - Translink.

If you have a question about a government service or policy, you should contact the relevant government organisation directly.  We don't have access to information about you.

Related sites

  • gov.uk
  • nibusinessinfo.co.uk

Links to supporting information

  • Accessibility statement
  • Crown copyright
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy
  • Cookies
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • RSS