Registration of Death


How to have a death registered in Hungary?

The relative of a deceased Hungarian citizen shall have the death registered. The application may be submitted at the representation in whose consular district you reside and during extramural consular days.

 

How much is the fee?

Death registration is free of charge. However, we charge a service fee for applications submitted during extramural consular days; also consular assistance fee is applicable in certain cases. You'll find more information about consular fees HERE. All fees are payable only by debit or credit cards (VISA, MasterCard, Discover).

 

Which form should I fill out?

When filling out the form, please follow these guidelines:

  • Please fill the form out with a computer or by a blue ink pen, with block capitals.
  • Please use full names, e.g. John Thomas Smith instead of John Smith or John T. Smith.

When asked about the mailing of the death certificate please ask that it is forwarded to the Embassy in Washington. We will mail your certificate to the US address you specify.

 

What documents should I submit with the application?

  • A document proving the Hungarian citizenship of the deceased person. Please send the original valid passport and/or ID card for invalidation. If the deceased does not have a valid Hungarian document, his or her citizenship will have to be verified first.
  • The original death certificate. (If you do not have an extra copy, you may request one here.)
  • Photocopy of the birth certificate of the deceased.
  • Documents proving the family status at the time of death (marriage certificate, divorce decree, or death certificate of the deceased spouse), except if the deceased had never married.
  • Proof of your relationship to the deceased (e.g. with a vital statistics certificate)

 

How can I schedule an appointment?

To book an appointment, please contact us at the following email address with your request and a short explanation of your case: appointment.was@mfa.gov.hu

Please note that you should reserve one slot per application.

 

 

What Hungarian governmental authority is responsible and where can I get more information?

The Budapest Főváros Kormányhivatala (Budapest Metropolitan Government Office) is responsible for the registration of vital statistics events that happened abroad.

 

Forms

 

Permission for transportation of the body

 

Non-cremated remains

The deceased must be placed in a double casket. The inner one must be firm and entirely airtight, and made of sheet metal (lead or zinc). Absorbent material, such as sawdust, must be placed on the bottom of the inner casket. The body must be soaked in a sublimate solution of 1% strength.

The casket must be packed in a wooden coffin, which may again be packed to be protected from eventual damage, or maybe covered with canvas or tarpaulin so that the nature of its contents are not revealed. Strong handles must be bolted on the outer packaging. The funeral director should provide a certificate attesting that the above procedure has been followed. Transporting objects or flowers with human remains is strongly prohibited.

 

In order to receive the permission of the Consulate for the transportation of the body of the deceased, the following documents are required:

  • Certificate of the funeral director (containing information on the preparation of the body and the casket)
  • Confirmation from the Hungarian cemetery of the receipt of the body
  • Itinerary, means of transportation, name of the entry point into Hungary
  • Name and address of contact person in Hungary
  • Letter from the medical examiner on the cause of death, stating that is was not from a contagious disease
  • Death certificate

 

The issuance of the permit is subject to a fee, which you can find HERE.

 

Those applying through the mail should enclose a money order made out to the name of the competent foreign mission of Hungary in the United States, and a self-addressed and stamped envelope for certified mail.

 

Cremated remains

There are no special requirements for the shipment of cremated remains into Hungary, however, the funeral urns must be sealed. If the cremated remains are sent by mail, the package containing the urn should be addressed to the recipient or to the cemetery. It is recommended that a copy of the certificate of death be enclosed with the shipment.

Urns can also be brought into Hungary as carry-on luggage. No additional permits or licenses are required from the diplomatic or consular missions of Hungary, but we strongly advise you to contact the airlines in advance to clarify the possible requirements.