Registration of Death

For more information please visit – https://www.rgd.gov.lk/web/index.php/en/services/civil-registration/death-registration.html#registration-of-death-occurred-at-a-foreign-country

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.