Registration of Death

Registration of Death

Death of a Sri Lankan national in France, Spain, Portugal or Monaco can be registered at the Embassy under Consular Functions Act.

PROCEDURE FOR REGISTRATION OF DEATH
Application for Registration of Death should be made to the Embassy within three months of the death.

When an application is made for Registration of Death after 03 months (within one year of the death) an explanation should be made providing satisfactory evidence as to why the application for Registration of Death was not made within three months.

When an application is made after one year, an explanation will be forwarded to the Registrar General in Colombo before such a death is registered at the Embassy. In case of doubt about the registration of death, it may be referred to the Registrar General's Department and under the instructions given by the Registrar General, the registration would be performed.

If the Diplomatic/Consular officer of the Embassy is satisfied with the particulars given by the applicant for Registration of a Death, the death shall be registered, and the Death Certificate shall be issued to the applicant.

Parties that may apply for registration of a Death;

•  A relative of the deceased who resides in France , Spain , Portugal or Monaco where the death occurred.
•  If there is no such relative, any person who was present at the death
• The doctor in charge of the hospital or public institute where the death occurred
•  The chief occupant of the house where the death occurred
•  The nearest relative of the deceased who was an eyewitness to the death or in attendance during the last illness of the deceased
•  If there are no such persons, persons who take action to dispose of the body of the deceased by burial, cremation on by other means.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:  (All documents in foreign languages should be submitted with an official translation in English.)

1)    The duly filled application form “B 11” for registration of Death
2)    Certificate issued by the hospital/town council
3)    Death report by the Doctor
a.    Other related documents of the death issued by the competent authority of the government concerned
4)    Passport, Birth Certificate and other identification documents of the deceased
5)    Passport of the deceased or if the deceased is a minor, the passport of the parents valid at the time of the death

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DESPATCH OF HUMAN REMAINS IN SRI LANKA
A Human corpse shall land in Sri Lanka only under the following condition;
Embalmed and enclosed in a coffin of hard wood with lead of zinc lining; or packed in a coffin of hard wood with hermetically sealed lead or zinc lining with suitable disinfectants (such as chloride or zinc sulphate mixed with sawdust, filling the empty spaces within the coffin.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:
1.    Certificate from the health authority where the death occurred stating that the corpse has been embalmed or packed accordingly
2.    A certified copy of the certificate of registration of death issued by the registering authority of the place where the death occurred, stating the date and cause of death
3.    A certificate from the relevant authority of the place where the death occurred stating that the removal of the corpse from the place of death has been sanctioned by the said authorities (Burial/Transit Permit)
4.    A certificate from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or diplomatic representative of the Government from where such corpse has been dispatched, stating that the coffin in which such corpse is encased contains only the body of the deceased
5.    Where no diplomatic representative of the Government concerned is stationed at such place, proof to the satisfaction of the proper local authority that the coffin in which such corpse is encased contains only the body of the deceased
6.    A certificate from the local health authority stating that the deceased did not die of quarantinable disease
7.    Coroner's certificate (if the death was not due to natural reasons)
8.    Police Report (if the death was not due to natural reasons)

Where a vessel / aircraft arrives in Sri Lanka with the corpse of a person who has died during the voyage, or during the period that the vessel or aircraft remains in a port / airport in Sri Lanka, the master of the vessel / pilot shall,

• Inform the proper authority of such fact
• Carry out all instructions given by the proper authority for the disposal of the body and for the cleansing and disinfection of the vessel or aircraft

In order to bring human ashes to Sri Lanka,

• Permission of the proper authorities should be obtained.
• The ashes should be sealed in a metal container which is air-tight and water-tight.