Guidance

Latvia: bereavement information

Published 9 July 2021

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.

Introduction

When a relative or friend dies abroad, the different procedures, laws or language can cause additional distress. You may be uncertain about what to do or who to contact.

This country specific information is designed to help you through some of the practical arrangements you may need to make. It supplements the general information on death abroad produced by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, which applies to all countries.

Please note, as each country has its own laws and customs when a death occurs, it may not be possible to make the arrangements that you prefer, or at the time you would like.

How to contact the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

There is a lot of information below, but you may have questions. You can speak to someone by phone 24/7, any day of the year by contacting the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office in London on 0207 008 1500.

If you are not in the UK, you can find the contact details of the nearest British embassy, high commission or consulate online.

The priority of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office is to provide assistance to British nationals overseas who need the most help. The level and type of assistance they can offer is tailored to the individual circumstances of each case.

Next of kin

The next of kin of the person who died will usually need to make decisions and practical arrangements. The next of kin can sometimes appoint another person to act on their behalf.

If you are not the next of kin, they will need to be informed. If required, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office can help you do this.

There is no legal definition of next of kin in the UK. Please note that if there is a disagreement over who is the next of kin, or the person who died did not choose a next of kin, this can cause additional complications.

According to Latvian law next of kin is a fiancée, husband/wife, blood relative or a person with whom deceased has been living together in a household (it could include same sex partners, although same sex marriages or partnerships are not legally recognised or regulated in any way in Latvia).

Release of information to next of kin

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office will try to obtain as much information as possible after your relative or friend has died abroad. Some of this may be only available to next of kin. Consular officers may be able to obtain this themselves, or they may put you in touch directly with the authorities overseas. They may be able to provide you with details of others who can advocate on your behalf such as lawyers, charities, or other organisations.

According to local Latvian law, if a patient dies in a medical facility, this institution will inform the relatives about the death. The body of the deceased person is taken to the mortuary of the pathology department of the medical institution.

If the identity of the deceased person is known and their relatives are at the scene, the head of the Ambulance team will record the fact of biological death in the medical records and issue a notification of death (pavadlapa), for the deceased to be taken to the mortuary facility.

Officers from the Latvian police will identify the deceased, therefore family members will not normally need to take part in the identification process. If in doubt, the officers will invite next of kin to assist with the identification by viewing a photograph of the deceased on paper or computer screen.

If the identity of the deceased person is unknown at the scene or the deceased’s relatives do not indicate the funeral service provider, the State Police officers shall report the transfer of the deceased to the National Centre of Forensic Medicine (NCFM).

If a foreign national dies in Latvia, unaccompanied, local authorities do not normally inform next of kin, but notify the respective Embassy to contact next of kin.

Insurance

It is very important to check if the person who died had insurance. If they had insurance, contact the insurance company as soon as possible. They may have a list of approved funeral directors to help you make arrangements or be able to cover some of the costs.

If the person who died did not have insurance, the next of kin will usually have to appoint a funeral director and will usually be responsible for all costs. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office cannot help with these costs.

Appointing a funeral director

If you decide to bring the deceased to the UK for the funeral or cremation, you may only need to appoint an international funeral director. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office produces a list of international funeral directors based in the UK.

If you decide to hold a funeral or cremation in Latvia, you can find a list of funeral directors in Latvia on our website.

It is advisable to identify a number of funeral service providers operating in a convenient location with a clear description of the services and to understand the full cost of funeral services. There is no need to feel obliged to use a provider given by the hospital, the police or medical staff.

Funeral service prices may vary depending on the funeral service provider. You should request a list of services and the cost. If the total cost of the service is unknown or cannot be stated in advance, you should request confirmation of how the cost will be calculated. It is recommended that you request a written contract detailing the services ordered.

Relatives are advised to make sure that the funeral service provider has access to a low-temperature chamber. This is not standard in Latvia and there is usually an extra charge for this service. Alternatively, the hospital mortuary will have this facility but again may incur a charge.

Registering the death and obtaining a death certificate

You will need to register the death with the local authorities in the country where the person died. Sometimes a funeral director can do this for you. You will usually need documents about you and the person who has died, which include information such as full name, date of birth and passport number.

The local authorities will need to be told if the person suffered from an infectious condition such as hepatitis or HIV so they can take precautions against infection.

You do not need to register the death with the UK authorities. The local death certificate can usually be used in the UK for most purposes, including probate. If it is not in English, you will need to obtain and pay for an official translation.

If there is an investigation into the death, then the Latvian authorities will register the death otherwise you will need to notify the Registry Office (Dzimtsarakstu nodala). You can find details of how to register the death on Latvia’s state services website.

The death needs to be registered within six working days of the death or from when the deceased is found.

Registration of the fact of death of a foreign national requires a deceased person’s passport, and for temporary or permanent residents, a residence permit.

If it is not possible to find the identity documents of the deceased, the registry office can obtain the necessary information.

The Registry Office records the death record and issues a death certificate free of charge to the authority or person that has registered the death.

If the Latvian authorities have registered the death, then next of kin should request a copy of the death certificate from the relevant authority, GP, hospital, social care institution.

The death certificate is required to make funeral arrangements and to deal with the deceased Estate and personal belongings.

Prison death

If a death occurs in prison, the Latvian Prison Administration shall arrange and pay for the transportation of the deceased to a medical institution in order to conduct an autopsy. A medical certificate on the cause of death will be issued to the prison.

The Prison authority will notify the Registry Office (Dzimtsarakstu nodala) of the death. The prison authority will notify next of kin if known and provide a death certificate.

Consular death registration

You do not have to register the death of a British national that occurs overseas with the UK authorities. The local death certificate can usually be used in the UK for most purposes, including probate.

You can also apply to register the death with the UK authorities. You do not have to do this, but it means:

• the death will be recorded with the General Register Offices (for England, Wales and Northern Ireland) and the National Records Office of Scotland;
• you can order a consular death registration certificate.

If you wish to do this, you can find more information on registering a death and apply online.

Post mortem examinations (autopsies)

Autopsies are conducted for deaths in Latvia at the request of the Latvian State Police. Typically the Police would require an autopsy in case of violent, suspicious or traumatic deaths, or if they believe that death is a result of intoxication.

If a need for a forensic medical examination has been established, the deceased shall be transferred to the National Centre of Forensic Medicine Expertise (Valsts tiesu medicinas ekspertizes centrs) or the nearest Regional Department of the State Forensic Science Expertise Centre.

During the autopsy samples of organs can be removed for testing, including toxicological studies, at the discretion of the doctor without the consent of next of kin. Sample removal is done using methods recommended by the EU guidelines. Organs removed during an autopsy will be replaced in the body once testing is completed.

Next of kin may also ask for an autopsy to be carried out; however, the Latvian authorities will make the final decision. When an autopsy is requested for purposes of inheritance matters, the requesting party may be asked to cover charges associated with this service.

Once the Latvian authorities conclude that no further examinations needs to be made, funeral or cremation can take place in Latvia or the body be returned to the UK before tests on removed organ samples are completed. Any samples removed are retained for the duration of the tests, and then destroyed. Samples of organs or organs themselves will not be removed for any purpose other than testing without prior consent of the deceased (for research) or next of kin (transplants).

In Latvia it may take 30 days from the date of autopsy for the full autopsy report to be published. In more complex cases this deadline may be extended. The autopsy report will be sent to the Latvian Police and will have to be requested by next of kin from them. You will need to organise and pay for the translation of the report into English. Your contact at the FCDO can provide you with a list of translation companies. You should be aware that an autopsy report is a factual, clinical document and as such you may find the contents distressing.

Mortuary facilities

Every regional hospital in Latvia has a pathology department with appropriate facilities and equipment for storing of bodies of the deceased. The standards applied, for example in relation to viewing rooms, vary from hospital to hospital. Although the Embassy will do everything it can to ensure the deceased is placed in appropriate storage, the Embassy cannot guarantee the condition of the body.

If officers from the Latvian police can identify the deceased, family members will not normally need to take part in the identification process. If in doubt, the officers will invite next of kin to assist with the identification – but even then it is done by viewing a photograph of the deceased on paper or computer screen.

The first 72 hours, during the autopsy, the mortuary is free of charge. Every 24 hours after costs at least 10 Euros.

Burial, cremation, repatriation

The next of kin of the person who has died will usually need to decide between a local burial, cremation or bringing the person home, which is known as repatriation. Your funeral director will usually be able to explain the options available, the costs, and help you make arrangements.

In Latvia, the deceased is traditionally buried following a memorial ceremony in the cemetery. It is not common to have a memorial service in a church in Latvia; instead the priest would normally perform the ritual at the cemetery. Christianity is the predominant religion in Latvia and Christian rituals are typical in funerals in Latvia. However, with the increasing diversity within the population other religions are also becoming more widespread. The funeral directors or the Embassy may be able assist the family of the deceased to get in touch with local faith groups.

Cremation is also relatively common in Latvia, however the only crematorium is situated in Riga (costs start from 350 Euros). Funeral directors should be able assist family members with arrangements for the cremation. If the next of kin choose to have a local cremation and wish to take the ashes back to the UK the local funeral director will be able to assist in paperwork for the return of the ashes to the UK.

Next of kin will need to decide between a local burial, cremation or bringing the person home, which is known as repatriation. Your funeral director will usually be able to explain the options available, the costs, and help you make arrangements.

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 on your behalf. If the deceased is not covered by insurance, the next of kin will need to appoint an international undertaker in the UK.

Please see Compensation chapter below regarding available Latvian funeral benefit.

Return of personal belongings

The funeral director will usually help to return personal belongings.

Please note, the British Embassy, High Commission or Consulate cannot take responsibility for the personal belongings of the person who died.

Steps to take in the UK

You can find more information on the steps to take in the UK online. This includes information on arranging the funeral, telling the government about the death, UK pensions and benefits, and dealing with the estate of the person who died. There is a step-by-step guide on gov.uk.

British passport cancellation

In order to avoid identity fraud, the passport of the person who died should be cancelled with HM Passport Office (HMPO). To do this, you will need to complete a “D1 form”.

The form and instructions on where to send it is available online.

If you plan to repatriate the person who died to the UK, you may require their passport to do this. In these circumstances, you should cancel the passport after they have been repatriated.

Child deaths

If the child was stillborn or died in childbirth, the health care facility is obliged to notify the registry office within three days or at the latest on the next working day if death occurred on a weekend.

When registering a child as stillborn, they are assigned a personal identification number in the birth register and shall be marked “child birth”. No death shall be recorded in such cases. When registering the birth of a stillborn child, no birth certificate is issued. Parents of the child are given an extract from the register of the registration of the stillborn child.

All stillborn children are sent for an autopsy if the mother gave birth later than the 22nd week of pregnancy. Parents do not have the right to opt out, but usually they have no objection as well, because they want to know the reasons why.

If the child has lived for a short time after birth (a few minutes), both their birth and death are recorded. When registering the birth, a medical certificate is issued by a medical institution or a doctor. The birth register, if the parents wish, issues a birth certificate stating that the child is dead.

If the baby dies for some reason a few days or even minutes after birth, an autopsy is optional. Parents may choose to do it or not. If the child has lived at least for few minutes, the parents have to carry out the cremation themselves, but taxpayers may receive a special benefit.

If the lost baby is over 500 grams, parents can choose whether to bury or entrust the cremation process to a hospital or state.

You can get support from the Pathology Office of the Children’s Clinical University Hospital (Bernu Kliniska Universitates slimnica). A caseworker helps parents deal with funeral arrangements. They will also help to organise baby burials.

If the emotion of the circumstances makes it impossible for the parents to bury the child, the child is cremated and later buried with the other children in the Soul Garden (Dveselu darzs) of St. Albert Roman Catholic Church, Liepajas Street 38, Riga.

Deaths in road traffic accidents

There are no specific local procedures for deaths in road traffic accidents. Regarding compensations see Compensation section.

Deaths investigated as murder or manslaughter

If the local police have confirmed that they are investigating the death as a murder or manslaughter a dedicated team within the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office will be available to provide support, including by referring you to a specialised organisation. You can find more about what they can do online.

You should note that if the deceased is repatriated to parts of the UK a coroner or procurator fiscal may decide to hold an inquest. See the section on UK Coroners and inquests below.

UK coroners and inquests

If you repatriate the person who died to England and Wales, there may be an inquest. The decision on when to hold an inquest is made by His Majesty’s Coroner. Please note, an inquest will usually only happen in certain situations, for example, when someone has died in suspicious, unnatural, and violent circumstances or whilst in detention. If the person who died is cremated and only their ashes are brought home, there will not be an inquest.

If you repatriate the person who died to Scotland, the Procurator Fiscal may decide to call for a Fatal Accidents or Injuries Inquiry.

If you repatriate the person who died to Northern Ireland, there will be no coronial inquest or further inquiry.

Please note, Procurators Fiscal and Coroners do not have jurisdiction in another country, nor do they seek to apportion blame to a named individual.

You can find more information on Coroners and the Procurator Fiscal in the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office guide on Death Abroad.

Legal Aid

Legal Aid is only available for legal representation of the defendant in Latvia. Under certain circumstances, such as a suspicious death, you may wish to engage the services of a local lawyer to represent your interests should a trial be necessary. In some cases you may be able to act as co-plaintiffs and play a more active role in the court proceedings. Should you wish to act as a co-plaintiff, or have detailed feedback from court proceedings, you may wish to engage a lawyer. Please see the list of English speaking lawyers.

There is a possibility to seek assistance from the Latvian Legal Aid Administration. Please see the section on Local Support Organisations.

Compensation and benefits

You can find information on UK compensation for victims of terrorism overseas online.

In the case of manslaughter/murder, damages can be claimed from the accused, and a decision will be made by the Judge(s) when the case is heard.

Foreign nationals can claim benefits within 6 months of the date of death. You can check eligibility at the Latvian State Social Insurance Agency.

Translation and Interpretation

Latvian is the only state language and all documents are issued in Latvian only. You are responsible to for translation of documents into English. If you require help with translation or interpretation please consult our list of translators and interpreters for British nationals in Latvia.

Additional support

Local support organisations

Legal Aid Administration (state institution)

Pils laukums 4, Riga, LV-1050

Phone: +371 67514208 E-mail: jpa@jpa.gov.lv. Ensure access to just legal protection for the low-income persons; providing state compensation for victims who have suffered intentional violent crimes (bodily injury, death, sexual offences); provision of victims of crime with informative support.

Riga Stradins University (RSU) Clinic of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy

Kristapa Street 30, Riga, LV-1046

Phone: +371 67625655, E-mail: info@psihosomatika.lv

Crisis and Counselling Centre Skalbes

Terbatas street 69, Riga, LV1001

Working hours: 9am to 5pm

Phone: +371 24551700

Email: skalbes@skalbes.lv
http://www.skalbes.lv/en/konsultacijas
Services (Not free of charge. You have to look to web-page to see how much each consultation coasts). For private entities: Psychologist, Psycho-therapist consultations ; Couples consultations; Meetings with psychologist’s mediation; Psychological profiling; Free of charge legal consultations in human rights matters available.

Support organisations in the UK

In the UK, there are many organisations that can help bereaved families. Some of these are listed in the guide coping with death abroad.