The death of a relative or friend is always distressing. But if it happens abroad the distress can be made worse by practical problems. Consular Directorate in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and our Consular offices in Croatia are ready to help in any way that they can. You may be uncertain what to do next or who to contact for advice. These notes are designed to help you through the practical arrangements you will need to make. Please read in conjunction with "Death Overseas" leaflet which describes the generic functions of Consular staff overseas. While care has been taken in compiling these notes, no legal liability for their contents is accepted by the British Embassy, British Consulates or HM Government.

You should be aware that Croatian procedures may differ significantly to those in the United Kingdom. While we understand your need to make arrangements as quickly as possible, this may not always be possible.

Standard procedures

Following the death of a British national in Croatia, their next of kin, or a formally appointed representative, must decide whether to repatriate the deceased to the UK, or carry out a local burial or cremation. If the deceased was covered by travel insurance, it is important for the next of kin or friends to contact the insurance company without delay. If there is no insurance cover, the cost of repatriation or burial will need to be met by the family.  Neither the Foreign and Commonwealth Office nor our consular offices in Croatia have budgets to meet these costs.

Consular staff in London will pass on to the Consular offices in Croatia the wishes of the next of kin about disposal of the body, and details of who is taking responsibility for the costs involved. We will do our best to ensure these wishes are carried out.

It is important to remember that if the deceased was travelling with a tour operator, they can be a valuable source of assistance and advice.

Repatriation

If the deceased was covered by travel insurance, the insurance company will normally have a standing agreement with an international funeral director in the UK to arrange repatriations. If the deceased is not covered by insurance, next of kin will need to appoint an undertaker in Croatia or an international funeral director who will liase with a Croatian one themselves. A list of British companies can be found towards the back of this document. Croatian undertakers have links with international undertakers in the UK and they normally work well together to ensure that all the necessary requirements are met in Croatia and the UK.

Local undertakers in Croatia are equipped to carry out repatriation procedures and will provide the special caskets required for the international carriage of human remains. A local civil registry death certificate, plus the doctor's death certificate (including cause of death) and a certificate of embalming. This will be arranged by the Croatian undertaker.

Local burial

If next of kin choose to proceed with a local burial, they will need to instruct a local funeral director. A list of companies can be found at the back of this document.

Local cremation

If next of kin choose local cremation and wish to take the ashes back to the UK themselves, they can do so with minimal bureaucracy. If this is not possible, local undertakers will be able to arrange the necessary paperwork and transportation. Airline regulations stipulate that ashes must be placed in luggage for the hold or sent as cargo and cannot be transported as hand luggage.

Post-mortem/removal of organs

Whilst the procedures involved around a post-mortem can be harrowing for family and friends, the British Embassy has no powers to change procedures or challenge local laws and is often not informed of the details surrounding each individual post-mortem. This leaflet has been drawn up to help you understand under what circumstances a post-mortem would be carried out.

Under Croatian law, post-mortems are carried out in the following circumstances:
● when the death is sudden and the cause of death unknown;
● when there is a doubt or it is obvious that the death was caused by a criminal act or is connected with the execution of a criminal act;
● when it is necessary in order to protect the health of the population, or when it is demanded for epidemical, sanitary or other medical reasons;
● when the family of the deceased asks for an autopsy to be carried out;
● when a person has died in a medical institution (i.e. hospital).

If an individual does die in a medical institution, an agreement may be reached with the Next of Kin, that a post-mortem will not be carried out. However, this is only after consultations between senior management and the Next of Kin in co-ordination with the pathologist (if there is one at the institution).

If a post-mortem is carried out and the deceased had left no written objection, organs may be removed and used for scientific/instructional purposes under the supervision of the health institution’s ethical board. However, the organs of a child or mentally ill person may only be used with the consent of their parents/spouse, or guardian (in the case of a mentally ill person, any offspring over 18).

UK coroners

When a body is repatriated to England or Wales, a coroner will hold an inquest only if the death was violent or unnatural, or if the death was sudden and the cause unknown.  In some countries the cause of death is not given on the death certificate, and coroners do not generally have access to judicial files from other countries. Consequently coroners may order a post-mortem as part of the inquest.

Coroners can request copies of post-mortem and police reports from the Spanish authorities. However, these will only be provided once any judicial proceedings are completed. In some instances this can take many months.

In Scotland, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) deals with the investigation of all sudden, suspicious, accidental, unexpected and unexplained deaths which occur in Scotland. However, the COPFS does not have the jurisdiction to investigate deaths that occur outside Scotland apart from a few limited circumstances. Broadly, those circumstances include terrorism, cases where the death may been caused in Scotland but the person died outside Scotland and cases where the death was as a result of murder or culpable homicide caused by another British citizen or subject.

Coroners in Northern Ireland are not obliged to hold an inquest into cause of death. However, next of kin can apply for a judicial review if no inquest is held.

Release of information

Access to information concerning a death, other than post-mortem and police reports are restricted. The Croatian authorities will not provide this information directly to next of kin, or to a third party including Consular offices. Requests for this information should be made through legal representatives. Consular staff can provide lists of English speaking lawyers throughout Croatia. The release of any information can take many months and documents will be in Croatian.

Legal aid

British nationals without the available means to appoint legal representation can apply for legal aid in most European countries. The Legal Services Commission in London (Tel: 020 7759 0000, web site www.legalservices.gov.uk) is responsible for legal aid applications overseas.

Consular death registration

There is no obligation for the death overseas of a British national to be registered with the British Embassy. However, there are the advantages that a British form of death certificate is then available, and that a record of the death is afterwards held at the General Register Office in the UK.

To apply from within the UK, you should contact Nationality and Passports Section of Consular Directorate, Old Admiralty Building, London SW1A 2AF Tel: 020 7008 0186. If you are applying from Croatia, you should contact the British Embassy.


International Funeral Directors

Croatian undertakers - Zagreb district

Croatian undertakers - Dubrovnik district

 

Croatian undertakers - Split district

 

Please note that the listing of the companies above does not represent FCO endorsement of their services.