What to Do When Someone Dies in Chile: 5-Step Official Checklist

1. 1

   Obtaining the Medical Certificate of Death

   • Death in a hospital or clinic: When a death occurs in a public or private healthcare facility supervised by the Ministry of Health of Chile (MINSAL), the attending physician who verifies the death issues the Medical Certificate of Death (Certificado Médico de Defunción - CMD) free of charge in an original and statistical copy, confirming the deceased person's identity via their Chilean Identity Card (RUN) [1] [4].
   • Death at home from a diagnosed illness: If your family member dies at home while under medical supervision or enrolled in a home hospitalization or palliative care program, the treating physician or healthcare professional from the local Family Health Centre (CESFAM) must attend to verify the death and issue the Medical Certificate of Death [1] [4].
   • Unattended, sudden, or external-cause death: If no physician can certify a natural cause of death or if there is any suspicion of an accident, trauma, or third-party involvement, the body must not be moved. Immediate notification must be made to Carabineros de Chile or the Investigative Police (PDI), who notify the on-duty Public Prosecutor (Fiscalía) to order removal of the body to the Legal Medical Service (Servicio Médico Legal - SML) for a forensic autopsy and issuance of the medico-legal certificate required for registration [1].
2. 2

   Registering the Death with the Civil Registry and Death Certificate

   • Statutory timeframe and competent office: The death must be registered at the office of the Civil Registry and Identification Service (Registro Civil) corresponding to the municipality (comuna) where the death occurred (or where burial will take place), ideally within 72 hours of medical certification in order to obtain the burial permit [1] [2].
   • Documents required from the declarant: The person requesting registration (a direct relative or an authorized funeral home representative) must present the original Medical Certificate of Death, the deceased person's Identity Card, and the declarant's valid Identity Card [1]. In remote areas without immediate medical attendance, civil registry rules provide alternative verification mechanisms [1].
   • Issuance of official Death Certificates: Once the death is recorded, the Civil Registry and Identification Service (Registro Civil) and the ChileAtiende service network issue the Death Certificate (Certificado de Defunción) in three official formats: for general procedures (para todo trámite), with cause of death (con causa de muerte, required for life insurance claims), and for family allowances [1].
3. 3

   Funeral Services, Burial or Cremation Permit, and Apostille

   • Burial permit and sanitary authorization for cremation: Upon registering the death, the Civil Registry and Identification Service (Registro Civil) issues the Burial Permit (Pase de Sepultación), which is mandatory for burial or cremation at any authorized cemetery or crematorium in Chile (typically carried out between 24 and 48 hours after death) [1] [4]. For cremation, the Sanitary Code enforced by the Regional Ministerial Secretariat (SEREMI) of the Ministry of Health of Chile (MINSAL) requires prior written consent expressed by the deceased or a notarized sworn statement from the surviving spouse or direct next of kin, as well as prosecutorial authorization if the Public Prosecutor intervened [4].
   • Interregional transfer or international repatriation: If mortal remains or ashes must be transported outside the region or repatriated abroad, the funeral provider obtains a sanitary transit or international repatriation resolution from the regional SEREMI of Health [4].
   • Hague Apostille for cross-border use: When heirs or assets are located outside Chile, civil registry certificates issued with an advanced electronic signature by the Civil Registry and Identification Service (Registro Civil) can be apostilled free of charge online or in person under the Hague Convention [1] [2].
4. 4

   Notifying Pension Bodies (AFP / IPS), Funeral Grant, Banks, and Insurers

   • Funeral grant (Cuota Mortuoria or Asignación por Muerte): To help cover funeral expenses, if the deceased person was affiliated with a Pension Fund Administrator (AFP) or received the Universal Guaranteed Pension (PGU), the person who paid for the funeral (or the funeral home by assignment) may claim the Cuota Mortuoria of 15 Unidades de Fomento (UF) [3]. If the deceased belonged to the former pay-as-you-go pension system without AFP affiliation, the Funeral Allowance (Asignación por Muerte) is claimed through the Social Prevision Institute (IPS) [3].
   • Survivor pensions and pension inheritance: Eligible statutory beneficiaries (surviving spouse or civil partner, children under 18 or up to 24 if full-time students, children with certified disability, and parents in the absence of other qualifying beneficiaries) should apply for a Survivor Pension (Pensión de Sobrevivencia) with the respective AFP or before the Social Prevision Institute (IPS) via ChileAtiende channels [3]. If an AFP member dies without leaving eligible survivor pension beneficiaries, the balance accumulated in their individual capitalization account forms part of the hereditary estate [2] [3].
   • Banks, CMF, and life or credit insurance: Families should request a debt, bank account, and active insurance policy report for the deceased from the Financial Market Commission (CMF), and notify banks and insurance companies to activate mortgage credit life insurance (seguro de desgravamen) or life insurance policies and freeze bank cards [3] [5].
5. 5

   Effective Possession of the Estate (Posesión Efectiva) and Inheritance Tax

   • Will search and intestate Effective Possession (without a will): The Civil Registry and Identification Service (Registro Civil) maintains the National Registry of Wills and the National Registry of Effective Possessions [2]. If the deceased person left no will (intestate succession) and had their last domicile in Chile, any legal heir may apply for Effective Possession (Posesión Efectiva) online (using ClaveÚnica for exempt or lower-value estates) or in person at offices of the Civil Registry and Identification Service (Registro Civil) without needing a lawyer, paying the tiered statutory fee based on the inventory value of the estate (exempt up to 15 UTA) [2].
   • Testate Effective Possession (with a will): If the deceased left an open or closed will executed in Chile or abroad, Effective Possession must be petitioned through the competent Civil Court (Juzgado de Letras en lo Civil) of the deceased's last domicile, represented by a licensed attorney [2].
   • Inheritance Tax before the SII and property registration: Once the administrative resolution or judicial decree of Effective Possession is granted, heirs must file the valued inventory and pay (or obtain a certificate of exemption for) the Inheritance Tax (Form 4423) before the Internal Revenue Service (SII) [5]. With the certificate issued by the Internal Revenue Service (SII), heirs register real estate with the relevant Real Estate Conservator (Conservador de Bienes Raíces - CBR) and vehicles with the Motor Vehicle Registry, enabling final release of bank and pension funds [2] [5]. Heirs residing abroad may act through a special power of attorney granted before a Chilean consulate or legalized by Apostille [2].

Official Authorities & Verified Contacts

Official Sources Checked by Clarvia

1. [1]
   Death Certificate and Civil Registration of Death — ChileAtiende / Servicio de Registro Civil e Identificación
2. [2]
   Intestate Effective Possession of the Estate (Posesión Efectiva) — Servicio de Registro Civil e Identificación de Chile
3. [3]
   Survivor Pensions and Social Security Death Benefits — ChileAtiende / Instituto de Previsión Social (IPS)
4. [4]
   Sanitary Regulations, Medical Certification, and Cemetery Authorizations — Ministerio de Salud de Chile (MINSAL)
5. [5]
   Filing and Payment of Inheritance Tax (Impuesto a las Herencias) — Servicio de Impuestos Internos (SII)