Dealing with a Death Abroad in Croatia

Dealing with a death abroad, here a death in Croatia (also the death of a relative abroad, repatriation of remains or what to do when someone dies in Croatia; in Croatian the death certificate is the smrtni list and the transport of the deceased is prijevoz pokojnika), means handling practical and legal steps from another country, often in a language the family does not speak. Some older lists and lawyer pages call this service “Managing the Death Abroad of a Loved one”.

The first days

• A doctor confirms the death; a sudden or unexplained death, or one after an accident, also involves the police and may involve an autopsy.
• The death is registered with the local registry office, usually through the funeral director, and the smrtni list is issued. A multilingual extract helps when the certificate is used abroad.
• The embassy or consulate of the deceased’s country is informed and can guide the family, but it does not pay costs or act as a lawyer.
• If the person had travel or life insurance, the insurer is contacted early, as it may organise and pay for repatriation.

Bringing the person home or a funeral in Croatia

Repatriation is arranged by a funeral director with an international service; moving a body across borders requires a special permit (laissez-passer) and medical documents. Cremation in Croatia and transport of the urn are generally simpler. The family chooses with the funeral director, while disputes over costs or with an insurer become a legal matter.

Afterwards: the estate in Croatia

A home, a car, a boat or a bank account in Croatia passes through Croatian probate (ostavinski postupak). The heirs need documents from home, apostilled and translated, and often appoint a lawyer by power of attorney instead of travelling. Leases, contracts and accounts also have to be closed: see closing a bank account.

What a lawyer does

A lawyer speaks to the registry office, the police, the hospital and the funeral director, obtains the death certificate and other records, deals with the insurer, the landlord and the bank, and represents the heirs in the probate proceedings described under inheritance in Croatia.

Questions and answers

Who registers a death in Croatia?

The local registry office, normally on the basis of the documents passed on by the funeral director or the hospital; the family supplies the deceased’s identity papers.

Is a Croatian death certificate accepted at home?

Often with an apostille, or as a multilingual EU extract, depending on the country; a translation may also be asked for.

Does the family have to travel to Croatia?

Not always. Much can be done by a lawyer and a funeral director, and a representative can attend the probate hearing.

What if the death followed an accident?

The police and, where relevant, the state attorney investigate. The family can follow the case through a lawyer and claim compensation where someone else was at fault.