Guidance

Russia: bereavement information

Updated 14 February 2024

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. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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 and in Russia. 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 or expressed their wishes on the burial, this can cause additional complications.

Russian law differentiates between close (blood) relatives (children, adopted children, parents, adoptive parents, grandparents, grandchildren and siblings) and family members (a spouse). Nevertheless, both groups have equal rights. Any disagreement has to be pursued in court.

When someone dies in Russia and the next of kin is in the UK or abroad, Russian authorities normally notify British Embassy Moscow. The British Embassy will do whatever they can to trace the next of kin as soon as possible and would ask the UK police to pass on the sad news. However, you might also be notified about the death directly by someone else, for example, a doctor, a social worker or a police officer.

Same-sex marriages registered outside Russia may not be recognised by local authorities. Russian law neither officially permits/acknowledges such a marriage nor bans it.

5. 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 only be available to the next of kin. Consular officers may be able to obtain this information themselves, or they may put you in direct contact with the authorities overseas. They may be able to provide you with details of those who can advocate on your behalf such as lawyers, charities, or other organisations.

The next of kin can be admitted to the investigative proceedings in the status of “affected person”. In such case, they will be entitled to get more information.

Medical organisations in Russia may disclose the medical history of the deceased upon the next of kin’s request unless the person prior to his death has instructed otherwise. To obtain such information, the next of kin needs to submit a written request to the head of the medical facility.

6. 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 bear all respective costs. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office cannot help with these costs.

7. Appointing a funeral director

If you decide to bring the deceased to the UK for the funeral or cremation, you may 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 Russia, you can find a list of funeral directors in Russia.

A relative or a formally appointed representative needs to instruct a local funeral director in Russia or an international funeral director in the UK for a body to be repatriated to the UK or buried or cremated in Russia. The funeral agency prepares all the necessary paperwork and obtains permissions. However, if the deceased was insured, you should immediately contact the insurance company to establish if they are able to cover the expenses and make the necessary arrangements. You may need the insurance policy number (travel/life/international health insurance) and the associated 24-hour medical emergency contact number to do this. If the insurance company can cover the costs, you should not appoint your own funeral director or be pressured by local funeral agencies to do so. The insurance company will appoint the funeral director both locally and in the UK.

In Russia, it may be required for the deceased to be identified by the next of kin or any other individual who knew them personally.

8. Registering the death and obtaining a death certificate

When the deceased is transported to the mortuary, a medical death certificate stating the cause of death is to be issued within one day. You will then need to exchange it for a death certificate in Russian issued within three days at a local registrar (ZAGS or MFTS). The death certificate needs to be legalized (apostilled) and translated into English.

Burial and cremation are available only after obtaining the death certificate and only with the next of kin’s consent. A Russian death certificate does not state the cause of death, in contrast to a British certificate.

It should be noted that if death occurred in suspicious circumstances or in a road traffic accident, and the body is released for local burial/cremation, it will not be possible to carry out an inquest in the UK.

Local undertakers can register the death with the relevant state authorities and arrange for a Russian death certificate to accompany the remains. You are likely to be asked for the following information: full name of the deceased, gender, date of birth, date and place of death, residential address, passport number, and proof of your relation to the deceased.

The local authorities will need to know if the person suffered from an infectious disease like hepatitis or HIV so they could take precautions.

You do not need to register the death with the UK authorities. The local death certificate is normally valid in the UK for most purposes, including probate. A Russian death certificate is always issued in the Russian language. In order to use it in the UK, you will need to arrange for an apostille and official translation. The funeral director can normally assist with this.

If you are arranging for the burial without involving a funeral director, you may find this list of local interpreters/translators useful.

9. Post mortem examinations (autopsies)

The decision to carry out a post mortem examination depends on the circumstances of death, prior wishes of the deceased and those of the next of kin.

A post mortem normally takes place unless relatives object for moral, religious or other reasons. The next of kin or the funeral director can usually submit a written refusal within three days. However, if the relatives object the post mortem, it may take some time for Russian authorities to consider this. There is no guarantee that they will allow for repatriation without the post mortem performed.

If the deceased has been treated for cancer or any other disease, and the diagnosis has been documented, a post mortem may not be needed. In addition, a post mortem is not normally conducted if the deceased had a prior health issue, and either a local or a foreign hospital can provide documentary evidence of that.

A post mortem examination is performed within three to eight days in a morgue, by a hospital pathologist or a forensic expert appointed by investigating authority or court. A post mortem report is normally completed within thirty days.

During a post mortem examination, small tissue samples and organs may be removed and retained for testing, including toxicology tests. This is done in order to establish the cause of death. Establishing a cause of death is crucial for launching subsequent criminal investigation or civil procedures. There is no charge for a post mortem examination to the next of kin.

Post mortem reports are not normally released to the family members. The next of kin can apply for a special court order to have the report released, but there is no guarantee for the outcome. In Russia, post mortem reports are completed in the Russian language.

In some cases, it may be necessary to have a further post mortem in the UK even though one has already been performed overseas. When repatriation is to England or Wales, it is likely that the Coroner would hold an inquest.

10. Mortuary facilities

Mortuary facilities are available in most Russian cities. The deceased is usually transported by an ambulance to the nearest mortuary. While not every hospital has these facilities, there is a unified system of assigning hospitals to morgues.

When the cause of death has been established, the deceased can be kept at a state morgue free of charge for up to seven days. If the next of kin is not located, or they are having difficulties with the funeral arrangements, the period may be extended up to fourteen days. The next of kin will normally be charged for any further extension past the fourteen-day period.

The police or the Public Prosecutor may request the next of kin, a family member or a friend of the deceased to view the body for identification purposes prior to post-mortem examination. Alternatively, immediate family members may wish to see the deceased before burial or repatriation takes place. You may ask a consular officer for assistance with arranging a visit to the mortuary.

11. Burial, cremation, repatriation

The next of kin of the deceased 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.

On the territory of the Russian Federation, every person is guaranteed a burial in accordance with their wishes and a free burial site for either the body/remains or their ashes at a public cemetery. The administration of the cemetery provides a burial site.

Burial and cremation are available only after obtaining the death certificate and only with the next of kin’s consent. Cremation usually costs less than burial. If the death was of criminal nature, cremation may be prohibited. The Christian Orthodox church does not encourage cremation but performs a funeral service. You can make specific arrangements with your funeral director based on your cultural preferences and/or religious beliefs.

There are no regulations to the local scattering of ashes.

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 organ donation, the healthy organs will be donated to the patients in need.

It is possible to donate one’s body for medical science purposes, if the deceased has registered their prior intention in writing with a notary public, or in case the body has not been claimed.

Please note if a local burial or cremation takes place, then an inquest in the UK will not be possible. For more details on inquest, please see the section on UK coroners below.

12. Return of personal belongings

Personal belongings found on the deceased at the time of death are either handed over to the relatives, if they are present, or taken by police. If personal belongings become evidence in a criminal case, they may be kept by the authorities until the moment the verdict becomes final.

If the person died in hospital, their personal belongings can usually be collected in the same unit. If the body is in a morgue, personal belongings are returned together with body to the relatives of the deceased.

If the identity of the deceased has been established but neither the relatives have been found nor they have expressed the will to collect the body, after determining the cause of death (usually within 3 days), the morgue lists the body as unclaimed in 14 days and a state-appointed undertaker arranges for the burial.

If the person who died had insurance, check with the insurance company if this covers the return of their personal belongings to the UK.

Please note, that British Embassy, High Commission or Consulate cannot take responsibility for the personal belongings of the deceased.

13. 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.

14. 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 are available online.

If you have not chosen to keep the passport of the deceased, you will need to return it to British Embassy Moscow or to HMPO in the UK.

If you plan to repatriate the person who died to the UK, you may require their passport to do this. The passport may have to accompany the body to the UK. You still need to cancel it with HMPO by completing the above form as soon as the person has died.

15. Child deaths

There are no separate procedures for deaths of children in Russia. Post mortem is always performed in case of a child death, unless the child died from a long-term disease in hospital.

Stillbirth in Russia is defined as the birth of a baby who dies at any time from 22 weeks into the pregnancy through to the due date of birth with the weight no less than 500 g or with the length no less than 25 cm. The neonatal period is from birth to 28 days old. Deaths of babies that have taken breath are reported to law enforcement authorities.

16. Deaths in road traffic accidents

Police in Russia will hold a full investigation into any death. There are no separate procedures for deaths caused by road traffic accidents.

If your relative has died in a road traffic accident and you are resident in the UK, we can notify the UK road safety charity “Brake”.

Brake is a road safety charity that provides dedicated support for people bereaved or seriously injured in road crashes. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office is working in partnership with Brake to ensure British people bereaved through road crashes abroad can access specialist support. The Brake helpline (tel. 0808 8000 401 or email [email protected]) can offer a range of support, including:

• providing advice on how to cope with the terrible shock and trauma
• helping you understand procedures, such as how to seek legal help and court cases
• liaising with officials on your behalf if you’re finding it difficult to get answers or don’t have the energy to speak for yourself
• helping you access face-to-face support and counselling from experts

17. Deaths investigated as murder or manslaughter

If the local police has 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 specialist organisations. 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.

If a death is regarded as suspicious, police will investigate it in full. If the offender is identified and charged, they will be prosecuted by the relevant Department of Public Prosecutions. Based on the results of the post mortem, which establishes the cause of death, an investigating officer may decide to open a criminal case. Only a prosecutor, interrogator, investigator and a judge can initiate a criminal case.

An investigating officer conducts case investigations, interviews witnesses and gathers evidence. Having completed the investigation, the investigator submits the case to the prosecution service. A prosecutor may either agree with the results of the preliminary investigation and send the case to a court for trial, or return it to the investigating authorities for taking additional investigative measures. The case is then tried in court. The next of kin may take part in the criminal proceedings (during the preliminary investigation and the court proceedings) in the “affected person” status. Some important rights of the “affected person ” are as follows:

• to have access and study the case materials and documents
• receive documents
• testify in the native language (the interpreter will be provided free of charge)
• lodge complaints and appeals

These rights can be exercised only in person. The communication between the authorities and the “affected person” may be facilitated by a lawyer.

It should also be noted that in addition to rights, the “affected person” will have obligations, such as to appear before the court. But in case of a valid reason, the absence can be excused. The affected person may be able to testify in court via videolink.

If the next of kin is based in Russia, they will be informed by post of:

• where and when the trial will take place
• what the defendant is charged with and whether they are in custody
• the outcome of the trial

If the next of kin is outside Russia, the relevant authority will communicate this to British Embassy Moscow. Hiring a bi-lingual lawyer will help the family of the victim gain insight into the ongoing case, ensure representation of their interests and rights in court, and timely and proper appeals. The Russian law does not define the maximum period for a criminal case investigation, unless the offender pleads guilty, which significantly expedites the investigation.

The preliminary hearing is scheduled within thirty days after a competent judge receives the case materials. If the suspect is already in detention, the maximum period is fourteen days. Based on the results of the preliminary hearing, the judge may return the case to the prosecutor.

Depending on a criminal case, an unlimited number of trial sessions may take place, before the court reaches a verdict. The verdict becomes final if no appeals have been lodged. An appeal can be lodged during 10 days after the verdict is read. The length of the judicial process also depends on the availability of parties and the number of appeals.

The suspect can be detained and then released several times. At the same time, the investigation can continue, or be suspended and then resumed. The same is applicable to the trial: an accused person can be released in the middle of the trial, then if a court arrives to a “guilty” verdict, the accused can be detained again. Or, the first instance court might arrive to an acquittal but then an appeal court may quash this judgment, deliver the “guilty” verdict and order for the perpetraitor to be taken in custody.

We will consider making appropriate representations to local authorities if there are concerns that the investigation is not proceeding in line with local procedures or if there are justified complaints about discrimination against the victim or their family. The standard of investigative procedures and expertise in Russia may greatly differ from those in the UK.

18. 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 and Development Office guide on Death Abroad.

19. Legal Aid

Under certain circumstances, such as death in suspicious circumstances, you may wish to engage the services of a local lawyer to represent your interests should a trial be necessary.

Trials in criminal cases in Russia are usually public. In order to have access to the investigation and obtain information from the court, interested parties need to apply through a lawyer to the court to become civil parties to the proceedings. A list of English speaking lawyers in Russia is available on this website. Consular staff do not have access to legal expertise and cannot give legal advice.

20. Compensation

The Russian Federation offers no compensation or benefits for the burial of a foreign national. However, there are ways of receiving some financial help:

• if the deceased foreign national was officially employed in Russia, they should have been enrolled in the local national insurance program as set by Russian law, so the next of kin can receive financial compensation. However, there will be no coverage if the death was a suicide, or the person died while committing a crime.

• If the deceased was a pensioner, had Russian permanent residency and received the pension in Russia, their next of kin has a right to apply for the burial allowance with the Russian Pension Fund. If the deceased lived in Russia under a temporary residence permit and received their pension from a different country, the alternative benefits can be received from the social welfare authority.

In case of a terrorist attack and other incidents with mass casualties, Russian authorities may provide compensation and support to affected individuals and entities.

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

21. Translation and interpretation

Russian is the official language of the Russian Federation. English is not widely spoken especially by local authorities. You may find this list of local translators and interpreters useful.

22. Additional information

The Tell Us Once service allows you to inform all the relevant government departments of the death. The Tell Us Once service may not work if the person died when they were living abroad. You can contact the relevant organisations through our website yourself. You will also need to tell banks, utility companies, and landlords or housing associations yourself.

23. Local support organisations

Victim Support Foundation Russia provides psychological and legal support to victims of crime and their families. Legal support, including representation in court, may be provided in English. To contact the organisation for support in the English language, please email [email protected].

24. Support organisations in the UK

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