Guidance

Netherlands: bereavement information

Updated 25 October 2024

Introduction

When a relative or friend dies abroad, the different procedures, laws or language can cause additional distress. You may be uncertain about what to do or who to contact. This country specific information is designed to help you through some of the practical arrangements you may need to make. It supplements the general information on death abroad produced by the FCDO, which applies to all countries.

Please note, as each country has its own laws and customs when a death occurs, it may not be possible to make the arrangements that you prefer, or at the time you would like.

How to contact the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)

There is a lot of information below, but you may have questions. You can speak to someone by phone 24/7, any day of the year by contacting the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in London on 0207 008 5000.

If you are not in the UK, you can find the contact details of the nearest British embassy, high commission or consulate online

The priority of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office is to provide assistance to British nationals overseas who need the most help. The level and type of assistance they can offer is tailored to the individual circumstances of each case.

Next of kin

The next of kin of the person who died will usually need to make decisions and practical arrangements. The next of kin can sometimes appoint another person to act on their behalf.

If you are not the next of kin, they will need to be informed. If required, the FCDO can help you do this.

There is no legal definition of next of kin in the UK. Please note that if there is a disagreement over who is the next of kin, or the person who died did not choose a next of kin, this can cause additional complications.

When someone dies in the Netherlands and the next of kin is in the UK or abroad, Dutch Authorities normally notify the British Consulate General. The British Consulate General will do whatever they can to try and trace the next of kin as soon as possible and would ask the UK police to pass on the sad news. However, you may be notified of the death by someone else, for example, a local friend of the deceased, a social worker, a Dutch doctor or a Dutch Police Officer.

In the Netherlands, anyone can be nominated as next of kin, including same sex partners. If there is a dispute over next of kin then a judge will decide who should be nominated as next of kin.

Release of information to next of kin

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office will try to obtain as much information as possible after your relative or friend has died abroad. Some of this may be only available to next of kin. Consular officers may be able to obtain this themselves, or they may put you in touch directly with the authorities overseas. They may be able to provide you with details of others who can advocate on your behalf such as lawyers, charities, or other organisations.

Local authorities such as the police and medical professionals will be able to keep you informed of any developments. The local authorities have the ability to make international calls so if family are in the UK, they will be able to contact them.

Insurance

It is very important to check if the person who died had insurance. If they had insurance, contact the insurance company as soon as possible. They may have a list of approved funeral directors to help you make arrangements, or be able to cover some of the costs.

If the person who died did not have insurance, the next of kin will usually have to appoint a funeral director and will usually be responsible for all costs. The FCDO cannot help with these costs.

Appointing a funeral director

If you decide to bring the deceased to the UK for the funeral or cremation, you may only need to appoint an international funeral director. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office produces a list of international funeral directors based in the UK.

If you decide to hold a funeral or cremation in the Netherlands, you can find a list of funeral directors in the Netherlands.

Friends or relatives can call a funeral director to appoint them. If family are in the UK then correspondence with the funeral director can be over the phone and via email. If family or friends are in the Netherlands, an appointment can be arranged for the family to attend the funeral home.

If the deceased is to be buried or cremated, a funeral director must be appointed within the first 6 days following the death.

If family or friends are not in the Netherlands, the funeral director can help with organising paperwork. They can register the death at the Gemeente (Town Hall) and can provide the family with an international death certificate.

Registering the death and obtaining a death certificate

You will need to register the death with the local authorities in the country where the person died. Normally, the funeral director will register the death on behalf of the next of kin, especially if next of kin are not in the Netherlands. If next of kin wish to register the death themselves, this has to be done in person. If all necessary details are provided then the death certificate should be issued immediately.

You do not need to register the death with the UK authorities. The local death certificate can usually be used in the UK for most purposes, including probate. If it is not in English, you will need to obtain and pay for an official translation.

In order to register the death and obtain a copy of the death certificate, deaths must be registered at the Gemeente (Town Hall) in the municipality where the death occurred. This must be done within six days of the date of death.

You will need to take with you the following documents:

• medical certificate issued by a local doctor which certifies the death
• a valid proof of identification (passport)

Local death certificates are issued in Dutch. Please note you will also need an International Version of the Death Certificate. This can be requested from the Gemeente and there is a fee for this at the time of registering the death.

If you wish to obtain more copies, you can either request them from the Gemeente at the time, or they can be requested online on the Gemeente website.

Death certificates in the Netherlands do not state the cause of death.

The local authorities will need to be told if the person suffered from an infectious condition such as hepatitis or HIV so they can take precautions against infection.

Post mortem examinations (autopsies)

In the Netherlands, post mortems, also known as autopsies, are only carried out in deaths which appear to be either non-natural or suspicious.

The post mortem is carried out by a Forensic Pathologist from the Netherlands Forensic Institute. The family will not be charged for a post mortem examination under these circumstances.

Occasionally, small tissue samples from organs may be retained for further testing to better understand the cause of death during a post mortem, however the organ itself is usually not retained.

It may be possible for the family to obtain a copy of the post mortem report. The family can make contact with the mortuary who would be able to provide more information on this. The post mortem report will be in Dutch and therefore will need translating by a certified translator.

Mortuary facilities

In the Netherlands, mortuaries are of a similar standard to the UK. It may be possible for family members to visit the mortuary to see the person who died.

If a funeral director has not been appointed, then there may be a cost for the family to keep the body at the mortuary.

Burial, cremation, repatriation

The next of kin of the person who has died will usually need to decide between a local burial, cremation or bringing the person home, which is known as repatriation. Your funeral director will usually be able to explain the options available, the costs, and help you make arrangements.

A permit will be given before either a cremation or burial can take place. This can be obtained from the Gemeente (Town Hall) at the time of registering the death.

If there is an inquest or investigation following the death, a burial, cremation or repatriation can only take place once the body is released.

Local burial

If you choose to proceed with a local burial in the Netherlands, you will need to instruct a Dutch funeral director. The British Consulate General is able to provide a list of local and international funeral directors upon request. The funeral directors on the list we provide speak English.

Cremation

If you choose to proceed with a local cremation in the Netherlands, you will need to instruct a local funeral director. the Netherlands has a number of modern and well-equipped crematoria.

It is standard practice in the Netherlands to wait a month before the ashes are released, however this can depend if the ashes are to be repatriated to the UK. They do this to allow family time to consider what they would like to do with the ashes.

You should check with the airline about specific restrictions or requirements for transporting ashes. If it is not possible to transport the ashes yourself, make contact with your funeral director who will be able to arrange all the necessary paperwork and transportation.

There are strict regulations about the local scattering of ashes in the Netherlands. Your funeral director will be able to give you more information on scattering of ashes.

Repatriation

If you decide on a repatriation and the person who died is covered by travel insurance, you should immediately contact the insurance company to establish if they are able to assist with the organisation of the repatriation.

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office does not cover the costs of repatriations.

You may need to make contact with [an international funeral director]((https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/international-funeral-directors-in-the-uk/list-of-uk-based-international-funeral-directors–2) to arrange repatriation.

The mortuary, alongside the funeral director will organise any relevant paperwork and documents for the repatriation.

Municipal burial

If family are unable to pay for funeral arrangements and there are no other relatives, the local municipality where the person died will arrange a funeral.

Please note if a local burial or cremation takes place, then an inquest in the UK will not be possible. For more information on inquests, see the information on UK coroners and inquests.

Donation of bodies to medical science

A body can be donated to medical science in the Netherlands, however this is only available to residents in the Netherlands who have given their consent to this prior to their death.

Return of personal belongings

The police will usually take any personal belongings to the funeral director who can hold them and can organise any belongings of the person who died to be returned to the family. If there is an investigation into the death, certain personal belongings may be retained as evidence.

If family or friends do not want the personal belongings to be returned, then they will be destroyed. Please note, the British Embassy, High Commission or Consulate cannot take responsibility for the personal belongings of the person who died.

Steps to take in the UK

You can find more information on the steps to take in the UK online. This includes information on arranging the funeral, telling the government about the death, UK pensions and benefits, and dealing with the estate of the person who died. There is a step-by-step guide on gov.uk.

British passport cancellation

In order to avoid identity fraud, the passport of the person who died should be cancelled with HM Passport Office (HMPO). To do this, you will need to complete a “D1 form”.

The form and instructions on where to send it is available online.

If you plan to repatriate the person who died to the UK, you may require their passport to do this. In these circumstances, you should cancel the passport after they have been repatriated.

Child deaths

There are no separate procedures for the death of a child in the Netherlands.

In the Netherlands, if a baby is born after 24 weeks then the normal procedure will follow and family will need to make arrangements for a funeral through a funeral director.

Deaths investigated as murder or manslaughter

If the local police have confirmed that they are investigating the death as a murder or manslaughter a dedicated team within the FCDO will be available to provide support, including by referring you to a specialised organisation.

You should note that, if the deceased is repatriated to parts of the UK, a coroner or procurator fiscal may decide to hold an inquest. See the section on UK Coroners and inquests below.

In the Netherlands, if the death is regarded as suspicious then the Dutch Police will investigate. The family can expect to be kept up to date by the local authorities.

UK coroners and inquests

If you repatriate the person who died to England and Wales, there may be an inquest. The decision on when to hold an inquest is made by His Majesty’s Coroner. Please note, an inquest will usually only happen in certain situations, for example, when someone has died in suspicious, unnatural, and violent circumstances or whilst in detention. If the person who died is cremated and only their ashes are brought home, there will not be an inquest.

If you repatriate the person who died to Scotland, the Procurator Fiscal may decide to call for a Fatal Accidents or Injuries Inquiry.

If you repatriate the person who died to Northern Ireland, there will be no coronial inquest or further inquiry. Please note, Procurators Fiscal and Coroners do not have jurisdiction in another country, nor do they seek to apportion blame to a named individual.

You can find more information on Coroners and the Procurator Fiscal in the FCDO guide on death abroad

Legal aid

British Nationals who have court cases in the Netherlands, and are unable to engage the services of a lawyer privately may be entitled to apply for legal aid.

British Nationals are advised to refer to the Public Prosecutor (Officer van Justitie) regarding whether or not they are entitled to apply for legal aid.

You can find a link to a list of English speaking lawyers in the Netherlands.

Translation and interpretation

English is widely spoken in the Netherlands, however if you need any documents translating please be advised that consular staff are not certified translators.

You can find a link to a list of local translators and interpreters.

Additional support

Local support organisations

Slachtofferhulp Nederland (Victim Support in the Netherlands) is a similar organisation to Victim Support in the United Kingdom. They can advise and help victims and/or their close relatives and guide them through some aspects of the judicial process. They can also help with claims for compensation. They do not, however, take the place of a lawyer as they do not have access to the judicial file. Police in the Netherlands can advise at how such support may be obtained.

Support organisations in the UK

In the UK, there are many organisations that can help bereaved families. Some of these are listed in the guide coping with death abroad.