What to do following a bereavement in Portugal

Next steps

During this challenging time, certain administrative tasks must be completed, and we are here to assist you through each step:

• Provide identification documentation such as the Residency Permit or passport of the deceased to the relevant authorities, whether they are the police, doctor, or the funeral director’s agent.
• The next of kin will need to provide specific details about the deceased, including parents’ names and place of birth. Signing essential authorisations for the funeral process is also necessary. A copy of the declarant’s ID will be required for these proceedings.
• The funeral director will manage the registration in the Civil Registry and will subsequently acquire the death certificates, both national and international, on your behalf.
• Please be aware that due to data protection laws, the cause of passing will not be disclosed in the death certificates.
• Notifying the UK authorities. You do not have to register the death of a British national that occurs overseas with the UK authorities. You may, however, apply for a consular death registration. This is not mandatory and cannot be used instead of a death certificate from the country where the person died. If you wish to do this, you can find more information on registering a death and apply online. If the person dies in Portugal and you need to notify UK organisations yourself, you can do that here: “What to do after someone dies“.

Different funeral customs

Funeral practices vary between different countries, and here are some notable differences in funeral customs between the UK and Portugal:

• In Europe, funeral directors may wear more casual clothing, or some funeral directors may have their own uniform.
• The time from notification to the collection of the deceased can take a little longer than in the UK.
• In the UK funerals typically occur within a few weeks after death. However, in Portugal, funerals often take place much sooner, sometimes within 48 hours after death.
• Unlike the UK, the hearse does not depart from the house in Portugal; instead, the family is expected to gather at the tanatorio or chapel.
• Obtaining death certificates in Portugal can vary in duration, but usually takes around 3 days.
• It may be necessary to inform the funeral director in Portugal if a civil ceremony is preferred over a religious one, and finding English-speaking celebrants or vicars may be challenging, especially in the North of Portugal or in areas with a limited expat community.
• If a family wishes to have a ceremony in a church – there is a strong likelihood that they may not be allowed to read their own eulogies – standard services tend to be religious-only.
• Catholic services in Portugal will often be conducted in Portuguese, however our funeral director does know English-speaking Catholic priests.
• Family members often car-share or arrange their transportation to the funeral in Portugal, as cars for family are not commonly used.

At Avalon, we extend our deepest condolences and are committed to assisting you in these difficult procedures. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or require further guidance.