What you need to do

It is essential that the death is registered in the country where the person died. We can advise you how to do this. You will need to provide documents from yourself and the person who died, which show your names, dates of birth and passport details.

You will also have to inform the local authorities if the person suffered from an infectious condition such as hepatitis or HIV, so they are prepared when dealing with the body.

You don’t have to register the death with the British Embassy but if you do, you will get a UK death certificate. In Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa and Zimbabwe local death certificates are suitable for British purposes.

What we can do to help:

• we can tell you about the cost of local burial or cremation
• we can advise you about bringing the body and personal belongings back to the UK
• we can provide details of local funeral directors

We will do everything we can to ensure that you do not hear about the death of close relative through the media.

On rare occasions, where we have to act quickly, we may have to inform you about the death over the phone. We never release the name of someone who has died to the media before we have told the next of kin.

If the person who has died was travelling with a tour company, the company will usually contact their next of kin themselves.

If the death of a British national abroad is reported to us we will ask the UK police to inform the next of kin as soon as possible. Alternatively we will ask our staff in the relevant country to do this if the next of kin are abroad themselves.

What we can’t do:

• we cannot pay burial, cremation or repatriation costs, but we can help to transfer money from friends or relatives in the UK

Death abroad in suspicious circumstances

In addition to the above support, where there is evidence of suspicious circumstances we can:
offer some basic information on the local police and legal systems.

• offer some basic information on the local police and legal systems
• provide lists of local lawyers

In many cases the authorities and courts will refuse to answer questions from British consular staff so we highly recommend you appoint a local lawyer to help you. Please note that we cannot :

• investigate deaths ourselves
• offer financial assistance with legal costs.

Death Certificate

A Singapore death certificate is sufficient for most purposes. You don’t have to register the death with the British Embassy but if you do, you will get a UK death certificate. A permanent and accessible record of the death registration is also maintained at the General Register Office (GRO) in Southport and, where appropriate, at the GROs in Edinburgh and Belfast.

We aim to process an application for registration of a death within three working days.

The following documentation should be provided:
1) a completed application form, available from Consular Section or for download here(see below)
2) the local death certificate.
3) the British passport.

There is a charge for this service-please refer to our Consular Fees page for more information.

Death Registration (DOC, 36K)
* Please note that consular fees, once paid and receipted, are non-refundable.