Guidance

Bereavement information for Serbia

Updated 15 November 2019

1. Disclaimer

This information is not meant to be definitive, nor is it to be taken as a substitute for independent legal advice. Neither His Majesty’s Government nor its staff take any responsibility for the accuracy of the information, nor accept liability for any loss, costs, damage or expense that you might suffer as a result of relying on the information. Some of the information may not be relevant to your circumstances. The language used is intended to be general and factual and is not meant to cause offence.

2. Serbia: bereavement information

The death of a relative is always distressing but if it happens abroad it can be made worse by practical problems. Consular Directorate in the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office in London and the British Embassy in Belgrade are ready to help in any way that they can. The information below is to help you through the practical arrangements you will need to make. Please note that while care has been taken in compiling this information no legal liability for their contents is accepted by the British Embassy or HM Government.

You should be aware that procedures in Serbia may differ to those in the United Kingdom. While we understand your need to make arrangements as quickly as possible, this may not always be possible.

3. General information

Following the death of a British national in Serbia, their next-of-kin, or a formally appointed representative, must decide whether to repatriate the deceased to the UK or carry out a local burial or cremation. If the deceased was covered by travel insurance it is important for the next-of-kin to contact the insurance company immediately. If there is no insurance cover, the cost of repatriation or burial in Serbia will need to be met by the family. Neither the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office nor the British Embassy in Belgrade have budgets to meet these costs.

If the next-of-kin is in the UK our Consular staff in London will pass on to the Embassy in Belgrade the wishes regarding the disposal of the body together with details of who is taking responsibility for the costs involved. We will do our best to make sure that these wishes are carried out. However, post-mortems may be carried out by the local authorities without the permission of the next-of-kin. You should be aware that in Serbia organs may be removed and kept during these procedures without the next-of-kin being informed or consulted.

It is important to let the Embassy know if the person who died was travelling with a tour company. The company can be a valuable source of assistance and information.

All deaths must be registered locally in Serbia. Local and International death certificates are issued by the local General Registers Office at the place of death. Register Offices are located in all the main cities and towns. If a death occurs in a village the nearest town would issue the certificate required. The local authorities need to be told if the person suffered from an infectious condition (such as hepatitis or HIV) so that they can take precautions against infection.

4. Consular death and local death certificate

There is no legal obligation for the death overseas of a British national to be registered with the British Embassy. However, there are the advantages that a British style death certificate is then available and that a record of the death is afterwards held at the General Register Office in the UK.

To apply you should see the register a death information on our website

Alternatively you can contact:

Consular Overseas Residents Services Unit
Room K4.9
King Charles Street
LONDON
SW1A 2AH

or e-mail bmdenquiries@fco.gov.uk with specific enquiries.

A registration cannot, in any case, be made without presenting the death certificate issued by the local civil authorities. The death certificate issued by the local authorities will be sufficient for all purposes in the UK, but it will need to be translated into English. International versions of death certificates are available in Serbia. (A list of of translators can be found below). You can apply for a copy through the Funeral Director who can also obtain further copies of the standard or international death certificate on your behalf.

5. British passport cancellation

In order to avoid identity fraud a deceased person’s passport should be sent to the British Embassy Consular Section in Belgrade or passport office in the UK for cancellation along with form D01. Next of kin can request the passport to be returned. Likewise if the passport has been lost or mislaid, relatives should get in contact with either the Embassy or passport office for instructions on reporting the loss of the

5.1 Addresses/phone numbers

If you require any form of assistance or help, please contact the British Embassy Consular Section in Belgrade. The Consular staff will be ready to help you in any way they can. Contact address:

British Embassy Belgrade
Consular Section
Resavska 46
11000 Belgrade
Serbia

Telephone: +381 11 306 0900

Email: Belgrade.consular@fco.gov.uk

Local and International Undertakers are responsible for preparing the necessary local or international certificates to transport the body. While the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office or the Embassy cannot pay any burial, cremation or repatriation expenses we can offer help transfer money from relatives or friends in the UK to pay any necessary costs.

Local undertakers will obtain the necessary documents for transportation of the body to the UK:

• local/international death certificate
• doctor’s death certificate (indicating cause of death)
• certificate of embalming
• certificate of permission given to transfer the remains to the UK

6. Local undertaker service

Undertakers’ charges (which include the coffin) can vary from approximately £600 to £2500 all prices subject to exchange movements and change. In addition, if you wish to repatriate the body to the UK, you will need to take the additional expenditure listed below into account.

7. Transportation of a body to the UK

The price of repatriating a body to the UK can vary between approximately £1000 to £3500 (in addition to the costs levied by the local undertaker).

8. Cremation and transportation to the UK

Charges differ depending on which undertaker you use. However, cremation in Serbia with the ashes repatriated to the United Kingdom can cost between approximately £250 to £800. Cremation is now widely accepted in Serbia except in rural areas. If the next-of-kin choose local cremation they will need to instruct a local funeral director to arrange the necessary paperwork. If the ashes are to be taken back to the UK they can do so with the assistance of the local undertakers who will arrange the necessary paperwork and transportation.

9. Local burial

Prices of a local burial can vary between approximately £500 to £2000. If the next-of kin choose to proceed with a local burial they will need to instruct a local funeral director.

10. Repatriation

If the deceased was covered by travel insurance, the insurance company will normally have a standing agreement with an International funeral director in UK to arrange repatriations. If the deceased is not covered by insurance the next-of-kin will need to appoint an undertaker in Serbia or an International funeral director themselves.

11. Post-mortem

Whilst the procedures involved around a post-mortem can be harrowing for family and friends, the British Embassy has no powers to change procedures or challenge local laws, and is often not informed of the details surrounding each individual post-mortem. This document has been drawn up to help you understand under what circumstances a post-mortem would be carried out.

Under Serbian law, post-mortems will be mandatory in the following cases:

1. of the person who has died at a health institution in Serbia, and the exact cause of death has not been established
2. upon request of the medical doctor (MD) who has medically treated the deceased person
3. of the person brought to the health institution with an unknown cause of death
4. upon request of MD assigned to establish the cause of death
5. upon request of the family member of the deceased
6. if requested by the investigation authority on the basis of a suspicion that the death was caused by a criminal offence or related to a criminal offence
7. when it is of special relevance for the protection of health of citizens or when epidemiological and sanitary reasons call for it

The cost of the post-mortem will be borne by the state, except in situations 5 and 6, when the cost will be carried out by the person or the investigation authority which has requested the post-mortem.

If an individual dies in a medical institution, an agreement may be reached with the next of kin, that a post-mortem will not be carried out. However, this is only after consultations between senior hospital management and the next of kin, in co-ordination with the pathologist (if there is one at the medical institution).

Embalming is not an obligatory requirement but can be requested by the next of kin especially when repatriation is considered.

12. Visiting a mortuary

The police or the Public Prosecutor may ask a family member or friend of the deceased to view the body for identification purposes before a post-mortem takes place. Or, immediate family members may wish to see the deceased before burial or repatriation takes place. You may ask assistance from the consular officer to help you to arrange a visit to the mortuary.

The overall standard of the conditions in Serbia may differ from those in the UK.

13. UK coroners

When a deceased person is repatriated to England or Wales, a coroner will hold an inquest only if the death was violent or unnatural, or if the death was sudden and the cause unknown. In some countries the cause of death is not given on the death certificate, and coroners do not generally have access to judicial files from other countries. Consequently coroners may order a post-mortem as part of the inquest. Coroners can request copies of the post-mortem and police reports from the foreign authorities. However, these will only be provided once any judicial proceedings are completed. In some instances this can take many months.

In Scotland, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) deals with the investigation of all sudden, suspicious, accidental, unexpected and unexplained deaths which occur in Scotland. However, the COPFS does not have the jurisdiction to investigate deaths that occur outside of Scotland apart from a few limited circumstances. Broadly, those circumstances include terrorism, cases where the death may have been caused in Scotland but the person died outside Scotland and cases where the death was a result of murder or culpable homicide, caused by another British citizen or subject.

Coroners in Northern Ireland are not obliged to hold an inquest into cause of death. However, next of kin can apply for a judicial review if no inquest is held.

14. Legal Aid

British nationals without the available means to appoint legal representation can apply for legal aid in most European countries. The Legal Services Commission in London (Tel: 020 7759 0000, web site www.legalservices.gov.uk is responsible for legal aid applications overseas.

A list of local undertakers can be found here

A list of translators can be found here

14.1 Brake, government charity information

Brakecare provides services for people affected by road crashes, including information contained in a Bereavement Pack that is given to families following a death on the road. Brakecare also works to promote road safety through community campaigns including Road Safety Week, educational literature.

You can contact Brakecare about their Bereavement Pack or about their road safety work on 01484 559 909 or e-mail them at brake@brake.org.uk

14.2 SAMM - support after murder and manslaughter

SAMM is a national UK Charity supporting families bereaved by Murder and manslaughter. They also provide advice and training to many agencies on issues relevant to the traumatically bereaved.

Support After Murder and Manslaughter
Kings Norton Police Station 20
Wharf Road Kings
Norton B30 3LT

Email: info@samm.org.uk

SAMM’s helpline: 0121 451 1618 and 0845 872 3440

Further information can also be found on their website at www.samm.org.uk