Reporting of death and repatriation of remains to the Philippines from the US  

Linda, a Filipino citizen, had spent many years living and working in the US. She had plans to retire and live in the Philippines, where her US pension would allow her and her husband to enjoy a comfortable life. Tragically, one evening on her way home from work, a drunk driver crashed into her car, resulting in her instant death. Now, her husband wishes to fulfill her desire to return to her homeland by transporting her body back to her town. There, her family, friends, and relatives can pay their final respects before she is laid to rest in the family mausoleum. To accomplish this, he would need to navigate the process of international repatriation of remains.

The death of a Filipino citizen must be reported and recorded with the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) through the Philippine embassy or consulate overseeing the region where the death occurred. It is essential to identify the Philippine consulate with jurisdiction over the state of the death. For example, the Philippine Consulate General in New York registers or reports deaths only if they occurred within Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont. For deaths in other U.S. states, one can use the Consulate Finder to locate the appropriate Philippine Embassy or Consulate, including their hours of operation and contact information.

Consular Mortuary Certificates are necessary for the transport of human or cremated remains of deceased individuals, Filipino or otherwise, to the Philippines. The requirements for shipping human remains vary based on whether the body is embalmed or cremated.

As an example, let's suppose that Linda's death was in New York. Here are the steps to follow:

1. Submit the application via email

Send one copy of each documentary requirement listed below to [email protected]. The Consulate will assess the completeness of the documents received via email. Here are the documents for Reporting Death.

a. Notarized Report of Death Form

b. Notarized Affidavit of Delayed Registration

c. Valid ID of the Informant

d. Death Certificate

e. Cremation Certificate for cremated remains

f. Proof of Filipino citizenship.

For Report of Death and Shipment of Remains, all of the above documents plus the following where applicable:

a. Burial Transit Permit ( for human remains )

b. Health Certificate of No Communicable Disease ( for human remains )

c. Embalmer's Certificate ( for human remains ) or the Cremation Certificate for cremated remains

d. Notarized Mortuary Certificate ( for both human and cremated remains )

e. Letter of Acceptance ( for human and cremated remains )

f. Information Sheet

g. Confirmed Flight Booking / Itinerary

There is also another set of documents to be submitted for shipment of remains only which are the same as the ones listed above.

2. Mail the Civil Registry Application packet

After the emailed documents are verified as complete and in order by the Consular Officer, the informant should mail the Report of Death (ROD) and/or Consular Mortuary Application packet to the Consulate. Please ensure to check the contents of the packet below and note the tracking number of the envelope. The mail should be addressed to:

Assistance-to-Nationals Section (Report of Death/Shipment of Remains)

Philippine Consulate General

556 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10036

3. Consulate Processes the Mailed Application

Processing typically requires up to three working days from the date the Consulate receives the fully completed packet.

For a Consular Mortuary Application, the documents should be submitted to the Consulate no less than seven working days before the intended departure date..

4. Consulate Mails Processed Application.

The Consulate returns the processed document and receipt to the applicant using the provided return envelope.

5. Get PSA-authenticated Death Certificate Online

You can request a PSA copy of the ROD 6 to 8 months after the reporting date at www.psaserbilis.com.ph. To finalize the online transaction, you will require transmittal details (Reference Number, Despatch Number, Despatch Date, and Transmittal Date), which are available from the DFA Manila's Consular Records Division via email at [email protected].

As a rule, ensure that you verify the current procedures for reporting a death and the repatriation of remains at the pertinent Philippine Consulate by visiting their official website.