Death Registration

Shall be informed to the Grama Niladhari within 05 days of the death occurred.

A report prepared as per Form B24 relevant to each death to be forwarded to relevant Births and Deaths Registrar by the Grama Niladhari.

Death is registered by the Births and Deaths Registrar who is relevant to the place which the death occurred.

Form CR02 for the registration of deaths can be obtained by the Registrar. 

The persons eligible for inform a death

• The next of kin who was present at the time of death
• The next of kin who wasgiven attendance care at last at the time of sick
• When there is no such relation existed
  • A relation of the deceased person who is resided within the registrar division of which the deceased person resided.
• When there is no such relation existed
  • A person who was present there at the moment of death
  • The resident of the building who was present at the time of death
• When there is no such person existed mentioned above
  •  The person who is engaged in burial, cremate the dead body or doing funeral arrangement in an other manner.

The death can be registered free of charge within 03 days of the death occurred.

There is an ability to register the death after 03 months elapsed from the death and see the details on registration of past deaths for further information.

A death certificate is issued free of charge to the informer.

** When you received the death certificate, please be kind enough to acknowledge it after going through and checking it.

(Provisions of the Births and Deaths Registration Ordinance No.17 of 1951 is applicable)

If the death was occurred in a hospital, it should be informed to the Births and Deaths Registrar relevant to that hospital to register the death.

The declaration required to inform the death (Registration CR02 Form) should be obtained from the Births and Deaths Registrar.

Eligible persons to inform for registration of the death

• A relation of the deceased person
• A person who was at the place in which the death occurred
• Medical Officer In Charge of the hospital

Documents to be submitted

• Duly filled Registration CR02 Form
• The report issued by the hospital to confirm the death

A death can be registered free of charge within the period of 03 months

** When you received the death certificate, please be kind enough to acknowledge it after going through and checking it.

(Provisions of the Births and Deaths Registration Ordinance No.17 of 1951 is applicable)

The death should be informed by the following eligible persons to the Superintendent of the estate within 24 hours of the death occurred

Eligible persons to inform

• A relation of the deceased person
• A person who was at the place in which the death occurred
• The resident of the building in which the death occurred
• The person who is carrying out the funeral arrangement

The documents to be forwarded

• Medical reports of the deceased person if available
• Clinical reports of the deceased persons if available
• The death report is recorded by the Superintendant of the estate and forwarded to the Additional District Registrar of the Divisional Secretariat through the District Medical Officer with the certified death report of the superintendant of the estate (Registration CR02 Form) by the Superintendant of the estate.
• After registration of the death by the Additional District Registrar ,the death certificate is forwarded to the relevant superintendant of the estate.
• The applicant can obtain death certificate free of charge from the office of the superintendant of the estate.

The death of a Sri Lankan or dual citizen at his death, can be registered in a foreign country

The death is registered by the Sri Lankan Embassy/ High Commissioner office of the country which the death occurred.

The declaration required to inform the death can be obtained from the Sri Lankan Ambassador/ High Commissioner office

Eligible persons to inform the death for the registration

• A relation of the deceased person
• A person who was at the place in which the death occurred
• The resident of the building in which the death occurred

Documents to be forwarded( Should be forwarded the set of original copies and photocopied copies)

• Required documents to proof as a citizen of Sri Lanka or a dual citizen (Visa /certificate on dual citizenship)
• Passport of the deceased person (valid as at the occasion of death)
• Death certificate issued by the same country
• Hospital record which the cause of death mentioned
• Certified copy of the birth certificate of the deceased person
• A document to proof the relationship of the declarant (Birth or marriage certificate as required)

The fees prescribed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as government charges should be paid by the valid currency of the relevant country.

If unable to register the death within the period of one year by paying government fees to the Embassy/ High Commissioner office of the relevant country , for registration as a past death after elapse of one year, the following documents can be submitted to the Embassy/ High Commissioner office of the country which the death occurred. It shall be forwarded to the central record room at Maligawatta by the relevant embassy for approval.

As such the death has not been registered by the Embassy/ High Commissioner office situated in a foreign country , the death can be registered by submitting documents to the central record room at Maligawatta.

The declaration required to inform the death shall be obtained from the Consular division of the central record room at Maligawatta.

The deceased person should be a Sri Lankan or a holder of dual citizenship.

If the spouse, mother , father ,sibling ,child or any of them of the deceased person are not available, the party which is enthusiastic on that matter can be presented as the declarant for the registration of the death.

Documents to be forwarded( Should be forwarded the set of original copies and photocopied copies)

• Duly filled declaration
• Foreign death certificate
• If the cause of death was not mentioned in the death certificate, the report which was the cause of death mentioned.
• Birth certificate of the deceased person
• Passport of the deceased person
• If the dead body has brought to this country, the cargo receipt
• A document to proof the relationship of the declarant( birth certificate ,marriage certificate as required)
• If the funeral take place in Sri Lanka, the transport bills
• The letter issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (If the funeral take place in Sri Lanka)
• Photocopied copy of the National Identity Card of the declarant
• An envelope of 9x4 size with the address of the declarant and prescribed stamps fixed.
• The receipt which was obtained from the Consular division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by paying Rs.8180/- as registration fees.
• Translations of the documents which are in other languages except Sihala, English and Tamil languages.

Should be forwarded

The required information can be obtained from the Assistant Registrar General, Consular division, Registrar General's Department, 15th floor, "Suhurupaya", Battaramulla. Telephone No.: +94 112 796 127 or /0714425143