UK national dies in Spain - registering the death

[Jool]

Was watching heir hunters and it got me thinking. If you are a UK national who dies in Spain then do the spanish Authorities tell the UK Authorities or do you need to do so? If so what documents do you need?

[BENIDORM]

Jool,
From my experience the Spanish police are informed of any deaths and they in turn contact the British Consul who then contact the relevant authorities.
Hope that helps.

Regards,
Gordon

[El Cid]

There is no obligation to register the death with the consulate or in the UK for that matter.

http://ukinspain.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for ... gistration

Sid

[Jool]

Thank you both, strange its not an obligation, will make heir hunting difficult if its needed unless the UK Treasuryt is in favour of that!!!

[El Cid]

Of course it begs the question, if you keep drawing the deceased persons pension/benefits does the UK ever find out?

I know that every few years the DWP send you a letter which you have to return to prove that you are still alive but is that the only check they do?

Sid

[BENIDORM]

Like I said, I was quoting from my own personal experience, which I don't wish to discuss further.

Believe me...there is very little that the British Consul doesn't know about UK residents in Spain......


Regards,
Gordon..

[katy]

The Consulate knows nothing anymore. The ones in Europe are glorified foreigners Citizen Advice bureaux and many, including málaga don't have career Diplomats anymore. Most of the staff are locally employed and the málaga Consul was previously a Holiday rep in the Canaries! Their main job is sorting and advising Tourists who have been robbed, registering births and marriages etc. The days of "our man in Havana" have gone.

[gerryh]

SNIP
registering births and marriages etc.
SNIP

Aren't deaths included in the "etc"?
Cheers
Gerry

[biribiri]

My own personal experience in sorting out the death of a UK national in Spain was that the guy from the Spanish funeral directors asked for the deceased persons passport, in order to send it to the British consul in Madrid and report the death to the British authorities.
To register the death in Spain I had to take the surviving spouse to the local court/registry office for a "certificado de defuncion"

[Laslomas]

From my own very recent experience I can confirm that the post from Biribiri described exactly what happened. I now have the deceased passport back from the Consulate and it is stamped as cancelled and the corners cut off.

[ValL]

My late jusband had lived in Spain for some years when he died. The info from biribiri was about the same for me less than 2 years ago. I sent my late husbands passport away with clear instruction that I wanted it back. I am sure there was an option for them to keep and destroy, I did not want to have a passport that could be used fraudulently if ever stolen or lost. I was told I did not need to notify them of the death.

[Jool]

Thank you everyone