Registration of Death

About Registration of Death with Consular services to the public are provided under the terms of the Consular Functions Act No. 4 of 1981.

Registration of Birth and Citizenship

Other services

Important Notice

The deceased should be a Sri Lankan citizen/dual citizen at the time of death.

Registration of death occurred to Sri Lankan passport holder/ dual citizenship holder in Thailand or Lao PDR can be registered at this Embassy.

The Declaration of Death should be submitted within three (3) months of such death to the Embassy.

If the death is not registered, after three (3) months and within one year, the Diplomatic/Consular officer should record the reason for the delay and affect the registration.

If the registration of death has not been done even after one year, it should get the consent of the Registrar General Department to register the death.

Declaration of Death

Declaration of Death has to be made by a family member, close relative, friend or any other person who was with the deceased at the time of death.

Who eligible to apply for registration of a death:

The nearest relative of the deceased who was present at the time of the death or the person in attendance to the last illness of the deceased.

A relative of the deceased who resides in the country where the death occurred.

If there is no such relative or any other person who was present at the death, the main occupant of the house where the death occurred.

The officer in charge of the hospital or public institution where the death occurred.

If there are no such persons, the person who takes action to dispose the body of the deceased by burial, cremation or any other means.

Required Documents

The following documents are required for registering the death

a. Declaration form filled by the declarant.
Download the relevant form here:

Declaration for normal-sudden death – From CR2
Declaration of Death –within 3 months –Form B11
Declaration of Death –after 3 months –Form B15

b. Documents to prove the identification of the declarant.

c. Document to prove the deceased is a citizen of Sri Lanka. (e.g.- Valid Sri Lanka Passport together with current visa, If a dual citizen, Sri Lanka Dual Citizenship certificate etc)

d. Original Death Certificate issued by the relevant country /Hospital records of deceased. (English translation of the Death Certificate attested by the Foreign Ministry of the issued country must attached if the document issued in a language other than Sinhala, Tamil or English)

e. If the cause of the death is not included in Death certificate issued by the relevant country, it should be proved by supporting documents.

Coroner’s certificate (if death was not due to natural reasons)
Police Report (if death was not due to natural reasons)

f. Birth certificate of the deceased.

g. Cargo receipts will be needed, if the death is been registered in Sri Lanka

h. If Applicable: Cargo receipt/Certification of cremation/Burial documentation.

Registration Process

Submission of Application

It is required to submit the relevant documents along with the originals to the Embassy and the originals will be return after verification.

Consular Division of the Embassy is open from Monday to Friday except holidays:

Submission of applications/documents from 09.00 hrs –12.30 hrs
Collecting documents from 13.00 hrs – 16.15 hrs

Applicants are kindly requested to get an online appointment prior to visit to the Embassy by accessing the Embassy website. (click here)
However, if you are unable to visit Embassy, please contact Embassy officials for advice/instructions on case by case basis.
Embassy Address and Contact details
With regard to deaths occurred in Lao PDR, all the original documents / applications must attach and applicant must sign in front of the Honorary Consul in Lao PDR appointed by the Government of Sri Lanka.

NOTE

This Embassy is not responsible for any document lost in the post.
Submission of forged documents and making false declarations relating to citizenship is a punishable offence.
Fees will not be refunded in the above circumstances.
Incomplete applications will be rejected.

Register the Death at Central Record Room

If the death has not been registered and if the declarant is living in Sri Lanka, declaration for registration of a death should be forwarded to the Central Record Room of the Registrar General’s Department, Maligawatte, Colombo 10. (Prior to visit to the Central Record Room, applicants are advised to visit to the Consular Affairs Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka located at 2nd Floor of the Ceylinco Building, Colombo 01, to pay the fee.

Central record room and Consular Division is open from 9.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. Except for Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays)

Applicable Fees

Registration of Death – 429 THB
Issue of Death Certificate or each additional copy– 429THB

Fees should be paid by Cash (when application is hand delivered).

The Money Orders or Certified Cheques made in favour of “Embassy of Sri Lanka“. Please note that personal cheques will not be accepted.

For further details, please contact the Consular Division of this Embassy.

Repatriation of Human Remains to Sri Lanka/Ashes

If the deceased person was a Sri Lankan National or ex-Sri Lankan following documents should be certified from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country that the death occurred and needed to send to the Embassy for obtain approval from Sri Lankan authorities in order to obtain approval for repatriation of Human Remains/Ashes

Measures to be followed regarding human remain repatriated from overseas during the pandemic of Coronavirus disease 2019 ( COVID-19) – Click Here

Required Documents:

a) Request from the applicant (Who must be an immediate family member of the deceased. If any immediate family member not available at the country of residence, immediate family member in Sri Lanka should forward the request letter through the Consular Affairs Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs appointing an authorized person to attend the repatriation process)

b) Passport of the applicant who is accompanying the coffin/ashes.

c) Document to prove the relationship to the person accompanied the coffin/ashes to the deceased person (birth/marriage certificate. If the person accompanied the coffin/ashes is not a relative of deceased, an immediate family member should issue an authorization letter or an affidavit to the person who accompanied the coffin/ashes)

d) Sri Lankan Passport of the deceased person.

e) Sri Lankan birth certificate of the deceased person

f) Death certificate issued by the respective authority in the country of residence. (with English translation)

g) Extract from the population register issued for the deceased from the respective country.

h) Certificate from the health authority where the death occurred stating that the corpse has been embalmed or packed as required below:

Note: No Human corpse shall be landed in Sri Lanka unless such corpse has been embalmed and enclosed in a coffin of hard wood with a lead of zinc lining.

Packed in a coffin of hard wood with hermetically sealed lead or zinc lining with suitable disinfectants (such as chloride or line or zinc sulphate mixed with sawdust, filling the empty spaces within the coffin.

In order to bring human ashes to Sri Lanka, permission of the proper authorities should be obtained.

Such permission shall be granted only if the ashes are sealed in a metal container which is air-tight and water-tight.

i) A certified copy of the certificate of registration of death issued by the registering authority of the placed where the death occurred, stating the date and cause of death.

j) A certificate from the relevant authorities of the place where the death occurred stating that the removal of the corpse from the place of death has been sanctioned by the said authorities. (Burial/Transit Permit)

k) A certificate from the diplomatic representative of the Government of Sri Lanka of the place from which such corpse has been dispatched, stating that the coffin in which such corpse is encased contains only the body of the deceased.

l) Where no diplomatic representative of the Government of Sri Lanka is stationed at such place, proof to the satisfaction of the proper authority that the coffin in which such corpse is encased contains only the body of the deceased.

m) A certificate from the local health authority stating that the deceased did not die of quarantinable disease.

n) Certificate of cremation (if applicable)

o) Freight certificate issued by the company who is responsible for transportation of coffin/ashes

p) Flight details (If available)

Note:

Where a vessel/aircraft arrives in Sri Lanka with the corpse of a person who has died during the voyage, or during the period that the vessel or aircraft remains in a port/airport in Sri Lanka, the master of the vessel/pilot shall,(a) Inform the proper authority of such fact.

Carry out all instructions given by the proper authority for the disposal of the body and for the cleansing and disinfection of the vessel or aircraft.

Appointment to Visit Embassy

Please obtain an online appointment through the Embassy website prior to visit to the Embassy to ensure the priority service.