When someone dies in Ecuador
Source: gov.uk (2025-04-13)

The process when a British national dies in Ecuador, including registering the death, funerals and cremations, and bringing the person’s body to the UK.

Contacting the insurance company

If the person who died had insurance, contact their insurance company as soon as possible. Read the general guidance on what to do when someone dies abroad (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/what-to-do-after-a-british-national-dies-abroad) if you’re not sure if they had insurance.

The insurance company should appoint a funeral director in Ecuador and the UK. They may also cover the cost of bringing the person’s body to the UK (repatriation) and help with any medical, legal, interpretation and translation fees. The British Embassy Quito can support the chosen funeral director with covering letters for local paperwork.

Next of kin in Ecuador

The next of kin of the person who died will usually need to make decisions and practical arrangements. The next of kin can appoint another person to act on their behalf, as well as a family liaison officer.

Ecuador considers the next of kin a partner, parent, child or sibling and if there is a dispute over the next of kin, the decision will be made in the order listed above.

Ecuadorean law recognises same-sex partners or spouses as next of kin.

Registering the death

The death must be registered at the Ecuadorean Civil Registry Office (https://www.registrocivil.gob.ec/). Your funeral director in Ecuador (https://find-a-professional-service-abroad.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/find/funeral-directors?country=Ecuador) can usually do this for you.

To register a death in Ecuador, you must submit a medical certificate known as an INEC form (‘Informe Estadístico de Defunción’), issued by a local legal doctor certifying the death. This certificate allows the cause of death to be added to the death certificate. Your funeral director can help you get this document.

If the person who died is still in a mortuary facility (‘medicina legal’), officials will provide the INEC form once they’ve completed the identification process.

Identification process in Ecuador

Ecuadorean law requires a formal identification of the person who died through fingerprints or dental records (something the UK does not always have on register).

If the person who died did not have an Ecuadorean ID card (which includes fingerprints), the next of kin must formally identify the family member who died in Ecuador. This can be done in person or through a video call with a forensic anthropologist . Recent photos and descriptions of body marks such as piercings, tattoos, scars or birthmarks may be requested before or during the video call.

The official carrying out the interview will not always speak English. You can check the list of local interpreters (https://find-a-professional-service-abroad.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/find/translators-interpreters?country=Ecuador).

Getting a death certificate

After registering the death, you will get a certified death certificate (‘Partida de Defunción’) in Spanish.

The certificate costs approximately 6 US dollars and states the date, place and cause of death.

It’s worth asking for extra copies of the death certificate, as you might need them to show to people later.

To get a copy, an immediate family member (usually spouse or parent) can go in person to the Ecuadorean Civil Registry Office (https://www.registrocivil.gob.ec/) and give the full name and date of birth of the person who died, and show ID.

If you are resident in Ecuador and next of kin, you can request a copy of the death certificate online (https://www.registrocivil.gob.ec/servicios-on-line/), using your Ecuadorean ID number.

Post mortems in Ecuador

A post mortem is a medical examination of the body. There will be one in Ecuador if the person dies in unknown, unnatural, sudden, suspicious or violent circumstances. This is a legal requirement to establish the cause of death.

If the person dies outside a hospital or medical facility, forensic police pathologists must carry out a post mortem.

Forensic police pathologists may not take cultural or religious sensitivities into account.

If the forensic pathologist requests additional tests, such as a toxicological or small tissue and organ samples, this will be done without the family’s consent but will be stated in the post mortem report.

Post mortem reports are given to the next of kin once the local authorities have confirmed the identification and cause of death, and when the investigation is closed.

If a person dies in hospital, or from an illness lasting more than 24 hours, a postmortem is not obligatory. However, the next of kin can request a post mortem to clarify the cause of death or for medical research. Large cities in Ecuador have good mortuary facilities. However, in rural areas (jungle and some coastal regions and the Galapagos Islands) there are very limited or no mortuary facilities. Given the lack of adequate refrigeration or limited space, local authorities may pressure next of kin to make decisions quickly.

Burying or cremating the body in Ecuador

You need a local funeral director (https://find-a-professional-service-abroad.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/find/funeral-directors?country=Ecuador) to arrange a burial or cremation in Ecuador. Cremation is not allowed in Ecuador if the death occurred in violent circumstances, such as a murder, overdose or suicide. Your funeral director can give you advice.

You should not have the person cremated abroad if you want a coroner in England and Wales to conduct an inquest into their death. In Scotland, a further investigation may still be possible.

Your local funeral director should advise you on the necessary paperwork.

Bringing the body to the UK

Ask your funeral director about options for bringing the person’s body to the UK from Ecuador.

When taking the person’s body to the UK from Ecuador, you will need to show the:

medical death certificate

registration of death certificate

certificate of removal of organs and embalming process (certifying the preservation of body organs)

permission certificate for the repatriation of the body, issued by the Epidemiology Department of the Ministry of Public Health to the airline and local funeral director, including a basic flight itinerary

passport of the person who died (or a certified copy, or other ID)

certificate from the funeral director stating that the coffin follows health regulations

air waybill (receipt for an item carried on a plane) issued by the airline

Under Ecuadorean law some organs must be removed, treated and returned to the body before being repatriated to another country. Local regulations state that funeral directors and pathologists will consider the requirements from the destination country.

However, there have been cases when organs have been removed all together. Please speak to the local/UK funeral director about organ removal/treatment.

Bringing the ashes to the UK

Ask your funeral director about the rules for bringing ashes to the UK. You will need to provide the:

death certificate

cremation permission issued by the Ministry of Public Health

cremation certificate issued by the funeral director

permission certificate for repatriation of ashes, issued by the Ministry of Public Health to the assigned airline and local undertaker, showing the flight itinerary

Bringing the ashes to the UK yourself

If you are taking the ashes with you when you leave Ecuador, you will need to:

show the death certificate

show the cremation certificate

show the permission certificate for repatriation of ashes

follow local health regulations about leaving Ecuador with ashes - your funeral director can give you more information

tell the airline in advance, and have all the above official documents with you

Ask your funeral director for advice if you cannot take the ashes yourself. You may not be able to send them by post or courier. Ashes can be shipped by air freight, although this can be expensive.

Getting the person’s belongings back

Belongings the person had with them when they died are normally given to you. In sudden, suspicious or violent death circumstances the Ecuadorean police will take them temporarily .

Police attending the location where the person died will be responsible for protecting the scene, issuing a police report, gathering forensic evidence, and taking witness statements. If required, they will confiscate some clothing and other belongings as part of evidence.

If you bring the person’s body to the UK, you can ask your local funeral director (https://find-a-professional-service-abroad.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/find/funeral-directors?country=Ecuador) to collect all the belongings and transport them together (or separately by courier).

If they were an Ecuadorean resident, you may not be able to take the belongings as they may be part of their estate. Get legal advice if this happens.

Confiscated belongings (such as personal documents, mobile phone and credit cards) may be taken into custody at the Judicial Police storage room. These will only be returned once the investigation is over.

In non-violent death cases, the appointed district prosecutor (‘Fiscal’) will be responsible for ordering the return of any belongings. This is done through an official declaration and authorisation from the next of kin. The British Embassy Quito will guide you on this matter, but the authorisation to collect confiscated belongings must be granted to the local funeral director’s representative.

Finding a Spanish translator

You may need a translator to help you understand Ecuadorean rules or get documents translated. Check official translators in Ecuador (https://find-a-professional-service-abroad.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/find/translators-interpreters?country=Ecuador). The embassy in Ecuador cannot provide translation services or pay for translation costs.

Finding an Ecuadorean lawyer

You may need a lawyer to help you understand the Ecuadorean legal system when someone has died. Check English-speaking lawyers in Ecuador (https://find-a-professional-service-abroad.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/find?serviceType=lawyers&country=Ecuador). The embassy in Ecuador cannot give you legal advice or pay for legal costs.

Telling the UK authorities

Although you do not have to register the death in the UK, when someone dies abroad you still need to tell the UK authorities. Read general guidance on what to do when someone dies abroad (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/what-to-do-after-a-british-national-dies-abroad) to find out what to do.

Contacting the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)

You can contact the FCDO if you still need advice:

in the UK call xx-xxxx-xxxx

see how to get help from the UK government abroad (https://www.contact.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/home)