Death abroad 

Do the following

1. Get the required document to prove the death that occurred abroad

   • Death certificate issued by an authority
   • Death certificate issued by a doctor
   • Another official document indicating the death (e.g., a population register extract)
      

2. Check if the original document must be legalised and/or translated

   We require the original document or a certified copy for registration. 

   Do the following if you submit a copy:

   1. First request legalisation for the original document, if necessary.
   2. Request a certified copy of the document. A certified copy can be issued either by a notary public or by the same authority that issued the original document.
   3. Legalise the certified copy as well. 

   Read more

   Legalisation of foreign documents

3. Fill out the online form

   Use this form to report a death that occurred abroad to the Finnish Population Information System.

   Death abroad

   Filling out the form does not require authentication

   If you are not able to use the online form, fill in and print out the paper form and deliver it together with your documents.

   Paper form: Notification of death abroad

4. Deliver the documents as follows

   A) By post

   • Send the documents to the address Digital and Population Data Services Agency, PL 1003, 00531 Helsinki, Finland. 

   B)    By bringing the documents to our service location

   • You can leave documents at the Agency´s lobby service or mailbox. 
   • Book an appointment in advance, if you want personal customer service.

   See more detailed instructions for submitting documents.

   If we do not receive the required documents within the time limit, we cannot register the information provided in the form in the Population Information System. In such a case, you will receive a negative decision.

    

   Are you submitting an electronic document?

   In many countries, authorities issue electronic documents without a handwritten signature or stamp. We can accept such a document only if we can verify its authenticity electronically, for example with a QR code, or a link in the document.

   Note that a scanned copy or photo of a certificate is not the same as an electronic document. 

   Electronic documents must also be legalised if required. 

   You can submit an electronic document by attaching it to the online form.