If a British citizen dies abroad, local procedures should be followed and a death certificate obtained from the relevant authorities in the country concerned. The General Register Office for England and Wales (GRO) is not automatically notified or sent a copy of the certificate.
It is also possible to register the death with the local British authorities overseas. Contact the nearest British consulate. The benefit of doing this is that a record of the death will be sent to the GRO within 12 months. This means that further death certificates can be provided by the GRO to family members in the UK.
Below is a list of the countries where it is not possible to register with the British authorities because death certificates from these countries are accepted in the England and Wales for probate and other purposes:
Ascension Island; Australia
Canada; Christmas Island; Cayman Islands
Falkland Islands
Gibraltar
Nevis
St. Helena; South Africa
Turks and Caicos Islands
Virgin Island (UK)
Zimbabwe
If you would like to register an overseas death (in a country not named in the above list) with British authorities after a return to the UK, please contact the Foreign Commonwealth Development Office.
Registering with the local British authorities overseas or after returning to the UK is not mandatory.
Many people choose to get authorised translations of the foreign death certificates which may allow legal processes to begin earlier. The two processes are not mutually exclusive and you may choose to obtain a translated death certificate while waiting for one to be issued from the General Register Office.
Please note: The regulations in Scotland and Northern Ireland may be different