If you are dealing with the death of a child, multiple deaths, a suspicious death or a case of murder or murder, or have read the guide below and feel you need more support, call +1 868 350 0444.
If the person who died had insurance, contact their insurance company as soon as possible. Insurance providers can help cover the cost of repatriation. Repatriation is the process of bringing the body home. Insurance providers can also help with medical, legal, translation and interpretation fees.
If the person who died had insurance, the insurance company will appoint a funeral director both locally and in the UK.
What to do if the person who died had no insurance
If you’re not sure if the person who died had insurance, check with their bank, credit card company or employer.
If the person who died had no insurance, a relative or an officially appointed representative must usually appoint a funeral director and be responsible for all expenses. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides a list of UK-based international funeral directors.
FCDO cannot help at any cost. In some cases, funeral directors and attorneys may provide services on a pro bono basis. Pro bono work is done for free or at a reduced cost, depending on your circumstances. This is decided on a case by case basis.
Charities and organizations that provide support
Some UK-based charities and organizations may be able to provide help and information to people affected by a death abroad. FCDO provides a list of UK-based charities and organisations.
Death registration and obtaining a death certificate
You must register the death in the place where the person died. In Trinidad and Tobago, deaths are recorded in the local District Registry.
The death certificate is usually issued within a week. All documents are issued in English. If the police are investigating the death, then the death certificate will be delayed.
Apply at the civil registry office to obtain copies of the death certificate. Copies are $25 TTD. You will also have to pay a delivery fee. You must disclose the total number of copies you require before ordering.
If you appoint a local funeral director to register the death on your behalf, you will also need to give them a ‘power of attorney’ stating that you authorize them to act on your behalf. The funeral director will tell you what the letter should include and what documents they need.
To register the death, the funeral director will need:
- the passport of the person who died
- medical certificate of cause of death, completed and signed by an attending physician, county medical officer or pathologist
You do not need to register the death in the UK. The local death certificate can usually be used in the UK for most purposes, including probate.
If you wish, you can register the death at the Overseas Registration Unit (ORU). You can buy a UK-style death certificate, known as a consular death registration certificate. ORU will send a record to the General Registry Office within 12 months.
If the person who died suffered from an infectious condition, such as hepatitis or HIV, you should tell the local authorities so they can take precautions against infection.
The closest
The family members of the deceased person must complete these legal procedures. In Trinidad and Tobago, their next of kin is defined as their married partner or nearest blood relative.
Same-sex partners, whether married or not, are not recognized as relatives in Trinidad or Tobago.
If you are not the next of kin, you may need authorization from that person to identify the body, register the death or carry out other legal procedures.
Mortuary objects
Most large funeral directors in Trinidad and Tobago maintain adequate cold storage facilities.
Mortuary facilities are available in the main public hospitals:
- Port of Spain General Hospital
- San Fernando General Hospital
- Eric Williams Science Complex
- Scarborough General Hospital (Tobago)
- Complex of Forensic Sciences
Public mortuaries do not charge a fee for the preservation of the body. However, a daily storage fee is charged for remains stored at a private funeral home.
Dealing with a local post-mortem
Postmortems are usually performed when the cause of death is unknown, unnatural, sudden, or violent. A certified pathologist will perform the post-mortem, usually within 2 to 3 days of the body’s arrival at the morgue. Cultural or religious sensitivities cannot be taken into account. The FCDO cannot stop or interfere with the process.
During a post-mortem, small tissue samples and organs can be removed and kept for testing without the family’s consent. You will not be automatically told if this happens.
You can ask the British High Commission to request a copy of the postmortem report on your behalf. It may take 12 to 18 months to receive the report. You may be able to receive a preliminary report until the full report is released. Documents are issued in English.
If you bring the body back to the UK, you can request a copy of the report by contacting your local UK GP.
Bringing the body home
If the person who died had insurance, find out if their insurance provider can help cover the cost of repatriation. Repatriation is the process of bringing the body home. If so, they will take all necessary measures.
If the person who has died is not covered by insurance, you will need to appoint an international funeral director yourself.
Finding an international funeral director
A relative or an officially appointed representative must nominate a UK-based international funeral director for the person who has died to be repatriated to the UK. FCDO provides a list of UK-based international funeral directors.
Local funeral directors will work with international funeral directors based in the UK to meet all the necessary requirements both locally and in the UK. This includes providing documents such as a death certificate from the local civil registry, an embalming certificate and a certificate giving permission to transfer the remains to the UK.
Advice and financial assistance for repatriation
There are organizations and charities in the UK that may be able to provide repatriation assistance.
Postmortem in the UK
If you wish to have a post-mortem in the UK after the body has been repatriated, you can request one from a UK coroner. The coroner will then decide if a postmortem is needed. If you want the person who has died to be cremated, you must apply for a certificate from the coroner (Cremation 6 form).
Bringing grace home
You don’t have to have the person cremated abroad if you want a UK coroner to carry out an inquest into their death.
If you choose local cremation and wish to take the ashes to the UK yourself, you can usually do so.
Check with your airline for specific restrictions or requirements, such as whether you can carry ashes as hand luggage. To leave Trinidad and Tobago with grace, you will need:
- a letter from the District Medical Office
- a letter of authorization signed by next of kin (if you are not next of kin)
- the medical certificate with the cause of death, signed by the doctor who attended the person who died
- transit papers
- death certificate
- certificate of burning
You will also need to fill in a standard customs form when you arrive in the UK
If it is not possible for you to transport the ashes yourself, a funeral director will be able to make the necessary arrangements. FCDO provides a list of UK-based international funeral directors.
Burial or cremation of the body on site
To conduct a local burial or cremation, a relative or an officially appointed representative must appoint a local funeral director.
FCDO provides a list of English speaking funeral directors in Trinidad and Tobago.
The funeral director will be able to explain the local process.
There are facilities in Trinidad and Tobago that can provide Christian, Muslim, Hindu and Jewish burials. There are cremation facilities only in Trinidad. You must obtain a cremation permit from the government authorities if the body is to be cremated.
If a local burial or cremation takes place, there will not be a coroner’s inquest in the UK.
Picking up items
Personal items found on the person who died at the time of death are given to the police if the family is not present.
If you decide to repatriate the body, instruct the local funeral director to collect all personal effects from the police or court and send them with the body.
If there is an inquest into the death, the clothing may be held as evidence and will not be returned until the court case is over.
FCDO cannot help with the cost of returning personal items to the family.
Finding a lawyer
You can apply to appoint a lawyer in certain circumstances, such as a suspicious death. FCDO provides a list of English speaking lawyers in Trinidad and Tobago.
Cancellation of a passport
To avoid identity fraud, the passport of the person who has died must be canceled at Her Majesty’s Passport Office (HMPO). To do this, you must complete a D1 form.
If you plan to repatriate the person who died in the UK, you can ask for their passport to do this. In these circumstances, you must cancel the passport after repatriation.
Check that you have done everything you need to do in the UK
Check this step-by-step guide when someone dies to make sure you’ve done everything you need to do in the UK after someone has died. You can find information on how to tell the government about a death, UK pensions and benefits and dealing with the estate of the person who died.
