Death of a foreign national in Italy
If a relative or friend has died in Italy, we help you with the first steps, the Italian authorities and the consulate, and we organise the burial in Italy or the repatriation.
What to do immediately
If the death occurs in hospital, the hospital notifies the municipality. In other cases a doctor must certify the death and, if it was sudden or violent, the police or carabinieri are involved.
The death must be registered within 24 hours, and Italian law provides an observation period before the coffin is closed. Contact a funeral director straight away: we handle the registration and the next steps.
Do you need help now?
We answer 24 hours a day and give you the first instructions straight away.
Authorities, consulate and family
Italian authorities
The municipality registers the death. In case of a violent or unclear death, the judicial authority must give its clearance before the body is released.
Consulate
The Italian authorities inform the consulate of the deceased’s country. The consulate can register the death and assist the family, but does not normally pay for repatriation.
Family
The family decides between burial in Italy, cremation or repatriation, and signs the necessary authorisations.
Italian death certificate
The death certificate is issued by the municipality where the death occurred. It can be requested in the multilingual format, which includes English and other languages.
The Italian certificate does not state the cause of death, which appears in separate medical documents.
Burial in Italy or repatriation
Burial or cremation in Italy
We organise the funeral, the burial or the cremation in Italy. For cremation, the written consent of the next of kin is needed if the deceased did not leave instructions.
Repatriation
We prepare the deceased for the journey, obtain the documents and arrange the transport to the home country.
Timing, insurance and costs
Timing
The formalities can take up to two weeks, and longer if the judicial authority is involved.
Insurance
Check whether the deceased had travel insurance: it often covers repatriation.
Costs
The cost depends on the choice between burial in Italy and repatriation, and on the destination.
Request a quote
Tell us where the death occurred and where the body or the urn needs to go. We will call you back as soon as possible to explain timing, documents and costs.
If it is urgent, call us now, at any time:
Frequently asked questions
Answers to the questions families ask us most often. For your specific situation, call us: we answer at any time.
Related guides
Can you assist us in English?
Yes. We can explain every step in English and keep you updated by phone, email or message.
Which documents do you need from the family?
A copy of the identity document of the deceased, the contact details of the next of kin and, if there is one, the insurance policy.
How quickly should we act?
As soon as possible. The death must be registered within 24 hours: the funeral director usually takes care of it.
Do we need to come to Italy?
No. We can handle all the formalities remotely, in contact with the consulate and the Italian offices.
Who informs the consulate?
The Italian authorities inform the consulate of the deceased’s country. We also contact it for the repatriation documents.