Guidance

Philippines: bereavement guide

Updated 1 March 2024

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 information about the Philippines is designed to help you through some of the decisions and practical arrangements you may need to make. It supplements the general information on death abroad produced by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), which applies to all countries.

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 (FCDO)

There is a lot of information below and you may have questions. You can speak to someone by phone 24/7, any day of the year by contacting the FCDO in London on +44 207 008 5000.

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

British Embassy Manila

• Address: 120 Upper McKinley Road, McKinley Hill, Taguig City, Philippines 1634
• Telephone: +63 2 8858 2200
• Web Form: contact us online

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

The information contained in this document is not meant to be a definitive statement of the law, nor is it to be taken as a substitute for independent legal advice.

Next of Kin

The next of kin of the person who died will usually need to decide between local burial, cremation, or bringing the person home to the UK, which is known as repatriation.

There is no legal definition of next of kin in the UK. Further complexities may arise if there is a dispute about who is the next of kin, or if the person who died did not designate a next of kin.

In the Philippines, the death of a British national is usually reported to the embassy by the local police, hospitals, undertakers, family or friends of the person who died.

Local undertakers require the next of kin to make decisions, and hospitals normally require a family member to sign as the ‘informant’ on the local death certificate.

The next of kin may appoint someone else to act on their behalf and to deal with the local authorities using a written agreement or Special Power of Attorney (SPA). You can share a copy of your SPA with our staff. If no next of kin can be identified, the FCDO and the British Embassy will try to trace them to ensure they are informed of the death.

Release of information to next of kin

The FCDO will try to obtain as much information as possible after your relative or friend has died abroad. Some of this information may only be available to the next of kin.

Access to information concerning a death, other than post-mortem and police reports can be difficult. Our staff may be able to obtain information themselves, or they may put you in touch directly with the local authorities in the Philippines. They can also provide you with details of others who may be able to help you, including lawyers, charities, or other organisations.

Registering the death and obtaining a death certificate

Death certificates in the Philippines are produced in English. Following a death in the Philippines, a local municipal health officer will validate the death and issue a municipal death certificate. This can usually be obtained within one week.  All deaths must then be registered with the local civil registrar within 30 days.  A certified copy of the civil death registration can be obtained from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) within one to two months for deaths registered in Metro Manila and after two to three months for deaths registered elsewhere.  In cases where there is only a presumption of death, it can take several years for the death to be registered and for a death certificate to be issued.

The following information appears on a Philippines civil death certificate:

• Name (first, middle, last)
• Sex
• Date of death
• Date of birth
• Age at the time of death
• Place of death
• Civil status
• Religion
• Citizenship
• Residence
• Occupation
• Father’s name
• Mother’s maiden name
• Medical certificate (if deceased was 0-7 years old)
• Causes of death
• Death by non-natural causes
• Death by external causes
• Autopsy
• Attendant
• Certification of death
• Corpse of disposal
• Burial / Cremation permit, Transfer permit
• Name and address of cemetery of crematory
• Certification of informant
• Prepared by (details usually of local undertaker)
• Received at the office of (details of local civil registrar)
• Registration date and details of the local civil registrar

How to request a copy of the civil death certificate online:

Certified copies of civil death certificates are available from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and they can also arrange delivery of death certificates to the United Kingdom. You must pay for the cost of requesting a death certificate yourself.

Website: PSA Serbilis

The PSA usually will not issue a civil death certificate unless hospital and funeral home fees have been paid in full.

Consular death registration

You do not have to register the death of a British national that occurs overseas with the UK authorities and deaths overseas are not automatically recorded at the General Register Office in the UK. You can sometimes apply for a consular death registration. This is not mandatory and cannot be used in place of a death certificate from the country where the person died.

You do not have to do this, but if you do:

• the death will be recorded with the General Register Offices or the National Records Office of Scotland
• the death record will be held in the UK
• you can order a consular death registration certificate - this is an optional document that says you’ve registered a death abroad with the UK authorities

You do not need to register the death with the UK authorities in order to use the Tell Us Once service.

You can find more information and apply online.

Post-mortem examinations (Autopsies)

An autopsy is mandatory for any foreign national whose cause of death cannot be readily determined.  Authority to perform an autopsy is normally required from the next of kin.  Autopsies may, however, be performed without authority if someone died a violent death. Autopsies are carried out in a funeral home.  A medico-legal doctor from the Philippine National Police (PNP), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), provincial, municipal, city health officers and members of the medical staff of accredited hospitals conduct the autopsy.  Tissue samples of internal organs are taken and brought to PNP Crime Laboratory in Camp Crame in Manila for examination. 

When the autopsy is completed, the funeral home will embalm the body (after fluids and blood are drained) and then inject formalin.  The autopsy results are usually available after 2-3 weeks.  A body can normally be released for burial, cremation or repatriation once the autopsy is complete. There may be fees associated with and autopsy being carried out.

Mortuary facilities

Mortuary facilities are available in most cities and towns throughout the Philippines.  Crematoriums are located in Metro Manila and a small number of other cities, including Bacolod, Baguio, Cebu, Davao, and San Fernando La Union.  The standards applied in Philippine mortuaries are not always equivalent to those in the UK.  Although we will do everything we can to ensure appropriate storage, we cannot guarantee the conditions. For instance, relatively few mortuaries have refrigeration facilities.  For this reason, public health concerns compel funeral homes to immediately apply formalin/embalm to the body; alternatively, the body may be placed in a steel coffin.

Many mortuaries only accept payment in Philippines pesos.  If you pay for a coffin prior to a cremation, you should check whether you have paid for it outright or only on loan, in which case it will have to be returned to the mortuary after the cremation. Some crematoriums have a limited range in size of urns.   

Mortuaries also have limited size range of coffins, and often use imported or custom-made coffins for foreigners if a larger size is needed. These can be much more expensive.

There are many reputable funeral homes in the Philippines, and they offer a range of packages that include the costs for embalming, viewing, flowers, food for visitors, etc. Sometimes an e-vigil (viewing the funeral service live electronically) is also offered at little or no additional expense. You should check directly with the funeral home about a package that meets your needs.

A small number of funeral homes are less scrupulous and can charge unreasonable fees. Ask for a full breakdown of what you are paying for.

Hospital facilities

If someone dies in hospital, their body is usually taken to a funeral parlour for embalming very quickly. This is because most hospitals and funeral homes do not have cold storage facilities.

You should coordinate with hospital administration staff about the transfer of someone who has died to a funeral home; you should expect to cover the transport costs.

Burial, Cremation and Repatriation

Following the death of a British national in the Philippines, the next of kin, or their formally appointed representative, must decide whether to -

• have a local burial or cremation;
• repatriate the person who died to the UK, or;
• have a local cremation and repatriate the ashes back to the UK.

Our staff in London will pass on to the British Embassy Manila your wishes about the funeral or cremation, together with the details of who is taking responsibility for the costs incurred.  We recommend that you make a decision about the funeral and cremation as soon as possible.

It is traditional in the Philippines for a wake to take place while awaiting the burial or funeral of the person who died. It is also traditional for the body of the person who has died to be displayed for viewing by family and friends. You should discuss the duration and cost of the wake with the funeral parlour.

A body can normally be released for burial, cremation or repatriation once the autopsy is complete.  Burial in a public plot in the Philippines usually includes a 5-year contract.  If the contract is not renewed, the remains are exhumed and placed in a communal grave and the space is declared vacant for reoccupation.

The repatriation of a body to the UK or elsewhere can be expensive. The cheapest option is usually local cremation and repatriation of the ashes.   A straightforward cremation and repatriation will usually take 2-3 working days to arrange.  It may be necessary for you to appoint an international undertaker in the UK (see Annex G).

If you choose local cremation and wish to take the ashes back to the UK yourself, you can usually do so. Check directly with your airline or funeral director what documents you need to provide, restrictions, requirements and whether you can carry the ashes as hand luggage as airlines’ policies vary.

If the person who died had travel insurance, it is important that you contact their insurance company immediately. If there is no insurance cover, all of the funeral costs must be met by family and/or friends.

The FCDO and British Embassy Manila are unable to pay for any funeral or repatriation costs.

The normal requirements for the repatriation of a body or ashes is as follows.  The British Embassy Manila has no involvement in this process -

Requirements:

• Certified copy of Death Certificate
• Passport (copy will suffice)
• Municipal Transfer Permit
• Quarantine permit issued by the Bureau of Quarantine, acquired at the BoQ Main Office, Port Area Manila, or the nearest BoQ Station where the remains is coming from
• Embalming certificate (for body)
• Cremation certificate (for ashes)
• Exhumation (for bones)
• Body must be in a hermetically sealed container/urn (following international standards) protected by fumigated wooden crate for shipment
• Fumigation certificate

Please note that for COVID-19 related deaths, the body must be cremated. Also, you need to submit/present the documents above to the Bureau of Quarantine office. No appointment implemented on this service.

Optional requirements:

• Autopsy or Post-mortem reports, if the deceased died of mysterious circumstances or communicable disease
• Hospital report
• Police report

Consular Mortuary Certificate, Letter of No Objection or Embassy Clearance

The British Embassy confirms that the Department in the United Kingdom that deals with customs (His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs) does not require either a consular certificate, or the translation of documents from the Philippines into English, for the repatriation of a body or ashes to the United Kingdom.

The British Embassy does not issue any documents for the repatriation of a body or ashes to the United Kingdom.

Return of Personal belongings

If the person who died had insurance, check with their insurance company if this covers the return of their personal belongings. Personal effects are normally returned to you, or to your authorised representative, without any formalities.  If personal effects need to be returned to the UK and you are not in Philippines, you can assign a local representative to facilitate the return of the belongings by commercial means. Our staff cannot assist with making these arrangements.

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 about what to do when someone dies

British passport cancellation

The passport of the person who died must be cancelled so that it cannot be used illegally. In the Philippines, you may also opt to send the original passport along with the following documents to the British Embassy Manila or report this via our webform: contact us online.

• D1 Form
• Original death certificate
• LS01 Form in case passport was declared lost or stolen
• NOK valid ID
• Marriage certificate (if applicable)

Immigration card

You should notify the Bureau of Immigration when someone has died so they can update their records and prevent potential fraudulent use of visa or I-card. You should contact the Bureau of Immigration for the complete set of requirements and procedures:

• By phone: +63 2 8465 2400
• By email: [email protected]
• Through their website: Bureau of Immigration

Pension/UK bank accounts

If the person who died had a UK pension and/or bank accounts, it is up to you to notify the authorities directly.

You should contact the International Pension Centre For advice on whether you may be eligible for bereavement support payment.

If abroad:

International Pension Centre

• Telephone: +44 191 218 7608 (Monday to Friday, 9:30am to 3:30pm)
• Web form: contact the International Pension Centre

From the UK:

Bereavement Service helpline

• Telephone: 0800 151 2012
• Welsh language: 0800 731 0453
• Textphone: 0800 731 0464
• Welsh language: 0800 731 0456

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 specialised organisations. You can find more information online: Support after murder or manslaughter abroad.

UK coroners and inquests

If you repatriate the person who died to England or Wales, a coroner may decide to hold 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, 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

If the deceased died under violent circumstances and a trial ensues, you must work closely with the prosecutor. You may wish to appoint a local lawyer who will work for your interests. Our staff can enquire about hearings, but we cannot intervene in the local legal process.

Compensation

There is a Philippine compensation scheme for dependents of murder victims although the maximum payment is limited is £100. Applications should be made to the Department of Justice.

Support Organisations in the UK

There are a number of organisations in the UK that can offer assistance, support and information to those affected by a death abroad. Some of these organisations are listed in our online guide coping with death abroad.

As independent organisations, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office cannot be held responsible in any way for their advice and/or any decisions and outcomes that result from this.

International funeral directors in the UK

Funeral directors who can help you to arrange the repatriation of the person who died to the UK. List of UK-based funeral directors