When someone dies in Hong Kong
The process when a British national dies in Hong Kong, including registering the death, funerals and cremations, and bringing the person’s body to the UK.
Contacting the insurance company
If the person who died had insurance, contact their insurance company as soon as possible. Read the general guidance on what to do when someone dies abroad if you’re not sure if they had insurance. See what to do after a British national dies abroad.
The insurance company should appoint a funeral director in Hong Kong and the UK. They may also cover the cost of bringing the person’s body to the UK (repatriation) and help with any medical, legal, interpretation and translation fees.
Registering the death
The death must be registered with the Hong Kong Birth and Death Registry office. Your funeral director can normally do this for you. They will most likely require your passport and an authorisation letter from you to act on your behalf.
For information regarding the supporting documents required for death registration, whether registering online or in person, visit the Immigration Department’s website.
When a death is reported to the Coroner, registration with the Death Registrar and the issuing of the death certificate will take place only once the Coroner has finished the inquiry. The Death Registrar will inform the next of kin to apply for a death certificate. If the next of kin requires formal confirmation of the death before the death certificate is available, they may apply directly to the Coroner’s Court for a ‘Certificate of the Fact of Death’. See Court facilities and services for more information.
Getting a death certificate
After registering the death, you may apply for a death certificate through the Immigration Department’s website.
Post mortems in Hong Kong
Autopsies are generally not required when a death results from natural causes. If a death appears to involve unnatural circumstances, such as poisoning or violence, it will be referred to the Coroner for further investigation and an autopsy. These examinations are conducted by pathologists from the Forensic Pathology Service of the Hong Kong Department of Health once the body has been formally identified.
Police conduct their investigation under the direction of the Coroner, a process which typically takes between six and 12 months. Once the autopsy is completed, the body is generally released for burial, cremation, or repatriation. The Coroner’s Court will then issue a Certificate of Order Authorising Burial or Cremation. For more information, visit the Hong Kong Judiciary’s website.
If a pathologist recommends an autopsy but the family requests a waiver, the Coroner will meet with them before deciding whether to proceed. Waivers are not granted when the medical cause of death is unknown.
Pathologists are empowered by law to remove organs for further examination if necessary and no consent is needed from the person’s relatives. In practice, however, the removal of organs for preservation and further examination usually only takes place if necessary, and relatives would be informed of the procedures.
Families may request a copy of the autopsy report, though it may take several months. In some cases, a further autopsy in the UK may be required, and an inquest is likely if the body is repatriated to England or Wales. No UK inquest will be conducted if the burial or cremation takes place locally.
Burying or cremating the body in Hong Kong
You need a local funeral director to arrange a burial or cremation in Hong Kong. Note that purchasing or renting a burial place in Hong Kong can be costly. See our list of local funeral directors.
You should not have the person cremated abroad if you want a coroner in England and Wales to conduct an inquest into their death. In Scotland, a further investigation may still be possible.
Bringing the body to the UK
Ask your funeral director about options for bringing the person’s body to the UK from Hong Kong.
When taking the person’s body to the UK from Hong Kong you will need to apply for a “Permit for removal of dead body from Hong Kong”. Read more information, including supporting documents required to apply for a permit on the Immigration Department’s website.
Bringing the ashes to the UK
Ask your funeral director about the rules for bringing ashes to the UK.
Bringing the ashes to the UK yourself
Under current practice, importing or exporting cremated ashes to and from Hong Kong does not require an application to the Hong Kong government. However, some countries may require a “Certificate of cremation” and an “Authorisation to remove cremated ashes” for the import of cremated remains. If needed, applicants may obtain these documents from the Cemeteries and Crematoria Office of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, provided that the cremation took place at a department-managed crematorium. You should inform the airline that you are planning to bring ashes on the plane and bring along the original cremation certificate issued by Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) in Hong Kong.
Arranging for the ashes to be taken to the UK
Ask your funeral director for advice if you cannot take the ashes yourself.
Getting the person’s belongings back
Belongings the person had with them when they died are normally given to you or the Hong Kong police.
If you bring the person’s body to the UK, you can ask your local funeral director to collect all the belongings and transport them together.
If the personal belongings are worth HK$5000 or less, they can be released to the next of kin or an authorised representative without formalities. For items over HK$5000, an application must be made through the Probate Registry of the High Court.
Belongings may be kept as evidence if there is an investigation into the death. This will only be returned when the court case is over.
Finding a lawyer in Hong Kong
You may need a lawyer to help you understand the Hong Kong legal system when someone has died. Check our list of English-speaking lawyers in Hong Kong. The British Consulate in Hong Kong cannot give you legal advice or pay for legal costs.
Telling the UK authorities
Although you do not have to register the death in the UK when someone dies abroad, you still need to tell the UK authorities. Read general guidance on what to do when someone dies abroad to find out what to do.
Contacting the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)
You can contact the FCDO if you still need advice:
- in the UK call +44 (0)20 7008 5000
- see how to get help from the UK government abroad.