Guidance

Norway: bereavement information

Published 8 August 2016

Disclaimer

This information is not meant to be definitive, nor is it to be taken as a substitute for independent legal advice. Neither His Majesty’s Government nor its staff take any responsibility for the accuracy of the information, nor accept liability for any loss, costs, damage or expense that you might suffer as a result of relying on the information. Some of the information may not be relevant to your circumstances. The language used is intended to be general and factual and is not meant to cause offence.

Norway: bereavement information

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 Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (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 & Development Office

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 FCDO in London on 0207 008 1500.

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

The priority of the FCDO 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.

In Norway, there is also no legal definition of next of kin. If there is no next of kin chosen before death and there is uncertainty on who it should be then the Norwegian health authorities, will chose dependent on who has been most in contact.

Release of information to next of kin

The FCDO 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.

The police in Norway will usually keep the next of kin informed of any developments. The funeral parlour chosen will also help to keep the family updated.

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 FCDO produces a list of international funeral directors based in the UK.

If you decide to hold a funeral or cremation in Norway, see our list of funeral directors in Norway.

The family will usually contact the funeral home they wish to use for assistance. The funeral home will then agree upon a time to meet the family for further planning. This can also be done by telephone.

Most people contact a funeral director for help with formalities and planning. There are no laws, however, that state that the family must appoint a funeral director. Some families decide to plan and carry out the entire funeral service themselves and may request assistance from the funeral director with a coffin and transportation.

In the event that the next of kin (if any) or the funeral director do not claim responsibility for the deceased and make arrangements, the local municipality will be responsible for carrying out a municipal funeral service in a local chapel (kommunal gravferd). This is usually followed by cremation and interment of ashes in a public grave (minnelund).

Norwegian law states that burial or cremation must be carried out within 10 working days after death.

The funeral director can take care of all formalities without the next of kin being present.

If the family wish to carry out a cremation or burial in Norway, the next of kin will be required to sign a document authorizing this (begjæring om kremasjon/gravlegging). This document can be signed electronically/scanned by email.

Most funeral homes have experience with repatriation. Some smaller funeral homes may contact another company for assistance in carrying out the repatriation. The next of kin can also contact a repatriation company in the UK and they will coordinate the entire process with a local funeral director in Norway.

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. Sometimes a funeral director can do this for you. You will usually need documents about you and the person who has died, which include information such as full name, date of birth and passport number.

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.

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.

When a person dies in Norway (whether in hospital, at home, in the street) it is a medical doctor who certifies the bereavement by issuing a death report (dødsfalls attest).

The cause of death is stated on this certificate in Norwegian. If you require the document to be translated, please our list of translators.

The deceased is taken to a mortuary. The mortuaries in Norway meet European standards and provide refrigeration facilities. The death report includes the cause of death (in Norwegian) stated by a doctor or a medical examiner.

It is the Registry office in Norway (Tingrett) that issues a local death certificate. Please see its website for further information on offices in Norway.

In the case of a foreigner’s death, if organs are required for medical purposes like tests, transplantation etc, the family’s consent is required unless there is a donor’s card. A copy of the Norwegian death certificate (Legeerklæring om dødsfall) is sent to the British Embassy for our records by the Tingrett and to the funeral parlour when the deceased is travelling back to the UK.

Post mortem examinations (autopsies)

If a person dies of natural causes an autopsy is not carried out. In the case of sudden or unexpected death an autopsy is required and will be carried out by a forensic doctor (in such cases family’s consent for the autopsy is not needed as it is usually the police Prosecutor’s decision).

If an autopsy is necessary, there is a risk that organs may not be retained or returned to the next of kin.

Mortuary facilities

Norwegian mortuaries meet the European standards and provide refrigeration. However, a family member will see their family member in a very calm and relaxing chapel in the hospital grounds.

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.

If the deceased was covered by travel insurance, the insurance company should normally have an agreement with an International funeral director in Britain to arrange repatriations. If the deceased was not insured, a family member or an authorised person needs to contact the local undertaker, preferably experienced in international repatriation of the deceased. It is better to choose a larger local undertaker’s firm as the smaller ones in remote parts of Norway have no experience and no knowledge about international procedures. The local funeral parlours will help you through the whole process.

Whether you decide on a local traditional burial, a cremation or repatriation we advise you to seek the assistance of a professional, experienced undertaker who has contacts with international undertakers. The undertakers will take care of everything for you and will give you necessary advice. If you wish an undertaker to arrange all the formalities on your behalf, you must give a written authority (Power of Attorney).

Contact the International Pension Centre if the person was getting a UK pension or other benefits.

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.

Return of personal belongings

Ask your funeral director to help on returning personal belongings to the family.

Please note, the British Embassy 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 about what to do when someone dies.

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 [the form and instructions on where to send the passport is available online] (http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/what-to-do-with-a-passport-when-the-passport-holder-has-died)

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

The Social Services (barnevernet) will only be involved in specific circumstances.

Deaths in road traffic accidents

The UK charity Brake can offer support to people whose relatives have died in road traffic accidents.

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 can find more about how the FCDO can help with murder and manslaughter abroad.

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.

UK coroners and inquests

When a deceased is repatriated to England or Wales from Norway a coroner will hold an inquest only if the death was violent or unnatural, or if the death was sudden and the cause unknown.

Coroners can officially request copies of the post mortem, any police reports and the Prosecutor’s materials. The authorities are usually helpful and release the requested documentation to the Coroner via the Norwegian Ministry of Justice and the Embassy/FCDO/Home Office. It is usually a lengthy process.

Coroners in Northern Ireland are not obliged to hold an inquest into the cause of death, but next of kin can apply for a judicial review if an inquest has been decided against.

Coroners do not exist in Scotland. The Death Certification Review Service run by Healthcare Improvement Scotland will be responsible for checking relevant paperwork and authorising burial or cremation of people who have died outside the UK and have been returned to Scotland.

You shouldn’t have the person cremated abroad if you want a coroner at home to conduct an inquest into their death. You need a certificate from the coroner (form ‘Cremation 6’) if the person is to be cremated.

Legal Aid

If you need a lawyer or have legal questions, please see our list of English-speaking lawyers in Norway

Compensation

You can find information on UK compensation for victims of terrorism overseas

Translation and interpretation

English is widely used in Norway and assistance is provided to ensure you understand the procedures. A family member is also always welcome to visit the place of death. The police will call you and keep you updated and you are free to call them for updates.

Additional support

Local support organisations

Rådgivningskontorene for kriminalitetsofre (RKK) 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 (Voldsoffererstatning). RKK do not, however, take the place of a lawyer.

Contact details for RKK:

Kontoret for Voldsoffererstatning, Postboks 253, 9951 Vardøl, Norway. Email: post@voldsoffererstatning.no Telephone +47 78 98 95 00 (Mon to Friday 0800 - 1500).

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.