When someone dies in Russia
The process when a British national dies in Russia, 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.
The insurance company should appoint a funeral director in Russia 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 at the Russian registry office. When the person’s body is transported to the mortuary, a medical death certificate stating the cause of death is issued within one day. You will then need to exchange it for the official death certificate at a local registry office (ЗАГС) or a Multi-Functional State Services Centre (МФЦ). Your funeral director can normally do this for you.
You will need information and documents about the person who has died, including their
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official identity document (for example their British passport)
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religion
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residential address in Russia
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next of kin details, including a documentary proof of their relation to the person who died
If you are not the next of kin, you will need to present a proof of your relationship to the person who died or a notarised power of attorney from the next of kin authorising you to collect the person’s body and their belongings from the mortuary, obtain the death certificate and make funeral, cremation or repatriation arrangements.
Getting a death certificate
After registering the death, you will get a death certificate (Свидетельство о смерти). Russian death certificates do not give the cause of death. The death certificate will be issued in Russian within three days from the date of submission of the medical death certificate to a local registry office (ЗАГС) or a Multi-Functional State Services Centre. You need to have it legalised (apostilled) by the issuing authority and obtain a certified translation into English.
Russian registry offices issue copies of death certificates to the next of kin or an authorised person. British embassy or consulate cannot obtain a copy of the death certificate on your behalf.
Post mortems in Russia
A post mortem is a medical examination of the body. The decision to carry out a post mortem in Russia depends on the circumstances of death, prior wishes of the person who died and those of the next of kin. There might be one in Russia if the cause of death is unknown, unnatural, sudden or violent. Normally it is not required if the person who died had a prior health issue, and a local hospital can provide documentary evidence of that.
A post mortem is performed by a hospital pathologist or a forensic expert appointed by the investigating authority within 3 to 8 days.
Cultural or religious sensitivities may not be taken into account. Small tissue samples and organs may be removed for testing without the family’s permission. You will not automatically be told if this happens.
If organs are removed for further forensic investigation, they will normally be returned before the person’s body is released for burial. In exceptional circumstances body parts may be kept without permission. This might happen if further investigation is needed. The next of kin will be told if this happens.
In Russia, there is a partial presumption of approval for organ donation. If a person, prior to their death, or their next of kin have not objected to organ donation, the healthy organs may be removed and donated to patients in need.
Post mortem reports are not usually given to the next of kin. If you have a local lawyer they can apply for a copy. A post mortem report is normally completed in Russian within thirty days from the date of the post mortem.
Burying or cremating the body in Russia
You need a local funeral director to arrange a burial or cremation in Russia. The exact rules on burials and cremations may vary depending on where you are in Russia. Your funeral director can give you advice.
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 Russia.
When taking the person’s body to the UK from Russia your funeral director will need to show
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the medical death certificate
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the death certificate
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the passport of the person who died
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your passport or the passport of the authorised representative
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documents confirming family relationship or a notarised power of attorney
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
If you are taking the ashes with you when you leave Russia, you will need to show
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the death certificate
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the cremation certificate
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the sanitary certificate
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the certificate confirming the absence of foreign objects
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the permit to export ashes
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notarised translation of all documents into English
You will need to follow the local regulations for leaving Russia with ashes. Ask your funeral director for more information.
Arranging for the ashes to be taken to the UK
Ask your funeral director for advice if you cannot take the ashes yourself. You may not be able to send them by post or courier. Ashes can be shipped by air freight, although this can be expensive.
Getting the person’s belongings back
Belongings the person had with them when they died are normally given to you or the Russian police.
If the person died in hospital, you can collect their personal belongings from there. If the person’s body is in a morgue, you or the funeral director can collect their belongings when you take the person’s body to be buried, cremated or brought to the UK.
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 they were a Russian passport holder you may not be able to take the belongings as they may be part of their estate. Get legal advice if this happens.
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.
British embassy and consulate cannot collect, store or transport personal belongings of the person who died.
Finding a Russian translator
You may need a translator to help you understand Russian rules or get documents translated. Check official translators in Russia. The embassy or consulate in Russia cannot provide translation services or pay your translation costs.
Finding a Russian lawyer
You may need a lawyer to help you understand the Russia legal system when someone has died. Check English-speaking lawyers in Russia. The embassy or consulate in Russia cannot give you legal advice or pay your 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:
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in the UK call +44 (0)20 7008 5000