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

1. 1

   Medical verification of death and issuance of the medical death certificate

   • Death occurring in a hospital facility: When a death occurs in a public healthcare facility (such as the Simão Mendes National Hospital in Bissau or a regional hospital) or in a private clinic, the attending physician performs the clinical verification and issues the medical declaration or medical certificate of death (certificado médico de óbito) free of charge, recording the identity of the deceased person, the date, the time, and the cause of death [1].
   • Death occurring at home: If the deceased person died at home under known medical care, the family must contact the attending physician or the local health center for the residential area so that a clinician can verify the death and issue the medical death certificate. Temporary placement in a hospital mortuary requires this initial medical document [1].
   • Unattended death or suspicious circumstances: If the death occurred without prior medical attendance, in a public place, or from a violent or unknown cause, the family must report the death immediately to the Judicial Police (Polícia Judiciária) or the local police station and the Public Prosecutor's Office (Ministério Público) so that a forensic examination can be completed before the body is released [1].
2. 2

   Official death registration at the civil registry office

   • Where to declare and legal deadlines: The death must be declared in person at the Civil Registry Office (Conservatória do Registo Civil) for the area where the death occurred, supervised by the Directorate-General of Civil Identification, Civil Registry and National Archives (Direção-Geral de Identificação Civil, Registo e Arquivo Nacional) under the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, ideally within the statutory 48-hour period following death or medical certification [1] [2].
   • Who may declare and required documents: The declaration is made by the closest present relative, a family representative, or an authorized funeral director. You must present the original medical death certificate, the National Identity Card (Bilhete de Identidade) or passport of the deceased person, and the declarant's identification document [1] [2].
   • Issuance of the death certificate: Once the death entry (assento de óbito) is recorded in the Integrated Citizen Registration and Statistics System (SIREC), the registry issues the burial permit (guia de enterramento) and certified copies of the death certificate (certidão de óbito). It is advisable to request multiple certified copies immediately for banks, social security, and notarial offices [1] [2].
3. 3

   Funeral arrangements, burial, and international repatriation

   • Burial permit and municipal cemetery rules: No burial may take place in a municipal cemetery without the burial permit issued by the civil registry office and payment of the applicable municipal fees (for example, to the Bissau City Council or the relevant sector administration). Cremation is neither standard practice nor supported by general infrastructure in Guinea-Bissau, so burial is the standard procedure [1].
   • International repatriation of mortal remains: If the family wishes to repatriate the body abroad or bring home the mortal remains of a Bissau-Guinean citizen who died abroad, it is necessary to obtain a public health permit, embalming certificate, hermetically sealed zinc-lined coffin, mortuary laissez-passer (livre-trânsito mortuário), and consular coordination through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Communities (Ministério dos Negócios Estrangeiros, da Cooperação Internacional e das Comunidades) [5].
   • Cross-border document legalization: Public documents issued in Guinea-Bissau that must produce legal effect in another country require authentication by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Communities and legalization by the relevant foreign embassy or consulate [5].
4. 4

   Notifying social security, banks, and insurance companies

   • Funeral grant and survivor pension: If the deceased person was an insured worker or pensioner under the general social security scheme, the family should notify the National Social Security Institute (Instituto Nacional de Segurança Social) to claim the funeral grant (subsídio de funeral, which reimburses documented burial expenses) and the survivor pension (pensão de sobrevivência) for the surviving spouse and eligible dependent children [3] [4].
   • Supporting documents for benefit claims: Claims submitted to the National Social Security Institute must include the certified death certificate, the deceased person's beneficiary card or registration number, the marriage certificate or proof of recognized union, birth certificates of minor children, and receipts for funeral expenses [3] [4].
   • Bank accounts and insurance policies: Heirs must notify commercial banks where the deceased person held accounts by presenting the death certificate so individual withdrawals are frozen and date-of-death balances are certified, and should also notify insurers to claim under any life or personal accident policy [1] [3].
5. 5

   Declaration of heirs, estate inventory, and inheritance division

   • Notarial declaration of heirs: To establish legally who the statutory or testamentary heirs of the deceased person are, the head of the estate (cabeça-de-casal) must request a notarial deed of declaration of heirs (escritura de habilitação de herdeiros) at a Notarial Office under the Directorate-General of Civil Identification, Civil Registry and National Archives, presenting the death certificate, birth and marriage certificates of the heirs, and a check for any registered will [1] [2].
   • Amicable division or court inventory: When all heirs are adults with full legal capacity and agree on how to divide the movable and immovable assets, the division is executed by public notarial deed; if there are minor heirs, incapacitated beneficiaries, or disputes among heirs, a mandatory judicial inventory (processo de inventário) must be filed before the competent Regional Court [1].
   • Tax obligations and foreign heirs: Following the declaration of heirs, the head of the estate must report the estate transmission to the Directorate-General of Contributions and Taxes (Direção-Geral das Contribuições e Impostos) and update land registry records. Heirs residing abroad may appoint a local representative by executing a public power of attorney legalized through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Communities [5].

Official Authorities & Verified Contacts

Official Sources Checked by Clarvia

1. [1]
   Public Services Portal of Guinea-Bissau - Civil Registry and Notary Services (DGICRAN) — Governo da Guiné-Bissau (GOV-GB)
2. [2]
   Civil Identification and Official Documents - Directorate-General of Civil Identification, Civil Registry and National Archives — Governo da Guiné-Bissau (GOV-GB)
3. [3]
   Social Security Benefits and Allowances - Funeral Grant and Survivor Pension — Instituto Nacional de Segurança Social da Guiné-Bissau (INSS)
4. [4]
   Pension Application - Survivor, Disability and Old-Age Pensions — Instituto Nacional de Segurança Social da Guiné-Bissau (INSS)
5. [5]
   Consular Acts Performed - Civil Registration, Death Records and Document Legalization — Ministério dos Negócios Estrangeiros da Guiné-Bissau