What to do if…
you learn a loved one has died abroad and you do not know who to contact first

What to do now

1. Write down the basic facts you have.
   Note the person’s full name as shown on their passport, date of birth, nationality, where they were thought to be, who told you, when they told you, and any phone numbers, emails, case numbers, hospital names, police names, hotel details, employer details, or tour operator details you have been given.

2. Make one official consular contact.
   If you are in the UK, or you cannot quickly find the right overseas post, call the FCDO 24/7 on +44 (0)20 7008 5000 and select “Consular services for British nationals.”
   Say: “I have been told my loved one has died abroad. I do not know who to contact first. Please help me check what is known and who the official local contact is.”
   Ask for a case reference if one is opened.

3. If you are already in the country where the death happened, contact the nearest British embassy, high commission or consulate.
   Ask for consular assistance with a death abroad. Ask which local authority, such as a hospital, police service, coroner, prosecutor, registrar, or equivalent office, is the official point of contact.

4. Ask what has and has not been confirmed.
   Ask whether the person has been formally identified, which local authority reported the death, where the person is now, and what information is still unconfirmed. If you are a relative or close contact, ask what they need to record or confirm your family relationship or contact role.

5. If a tour operator, employer, hotel, hospital, police officer, or friend contacts you, slow the call down.
   Write down their name, role, organisation, country, phone number, email address, and any case reference. Say you will call back after speaking to consular staff or another official contact. If it was a package holiday, the tour operator may have a welfare team, but still check any urgent request through an official route before agreeing to arrangements.

6. Prepare the minimum information that may help consular staff.
   Have ready what you can: the person’s full name, date of birth, passport number if known, last known address, travel dates, travel insurance details if known, and names and contact details of close family. A recent photo may help with identification questions in some situations. If you do not have these details, still make the call.

7. Ask what needs to happen locally before any body, ashes, belongings, or documents can be moved.
   Ask about local death registration, when a local death certificate may be available, whether a post mortem or investigation is involved, and whether personal belongings are being held by local authorities, a hospital, a hotel, or another organisation.

8. Ask which decisions can safely wait.
   Ask whether you need to do anything today about a local funeral director, an international funeral director, burial or cremation abroad, repatriation to the UK, travel to the country, or insurance. Unless there is a verified official reason to act now, keep the first call focused on confirmation and official contacts.

9. Use a call-back rule if anything feels pressured or fake.
   End the call, then call the FCDO number or the embassy, high commission or consulate using contact details you found yourself on GOV.UK. Treat urgency, secrecy, payment pressure, and requests for passport or bank details as reasons to re-check before acting.