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

1. 1

   Obtain the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death

   • Hospital or inpatient care facility deaths: When your family member passes away in a Latvian hospital or inpatient facility, the treating physician or hospital pathology unit examines the deceased and issues the official medical certificate of the cause of death (medicīniskā apliecība par nāves cēloni), transmitting the record via the national e-health system [1].
   • Deaths at home under medical supervision: If the death occurs at home and resulted from a known illness, contact the deceased's family doctor (ģimenes ārsts), who will verify the death and issue the medical certificate of cause of death based on prior clinical records [1]. Outside consulting hours, call the emergency medical service at 113 [1].
   • Unexpected, sudden, or unexplained deaths: If the death happens suddenly outside a medical facility or involves any suspicion of external causes, immediately notify the State Police at 110 or 112 [1]. Police officers will arrange transport to the State Centre for Forensic Medical Examination for a mandatory forensic autopsy before issuing the medical death certificate [1].
2. 2

   Register the Death with the Civil Registry Office

   • Six-working-day statutory deadline: Under Latvian civil status registration rules detailed on the State Administration Services Portal Latvija.gov.lv, a death must be declared to any municipal Civil Registry Office (Dzimtsarakstu nodaļa) in Latvia no later than six working days after the death occurred or the body was found [1].
   • Required registration documents: The informant must present the medical certificate of cause of death, the deceased's Latvian passport or electronic identity card (eID), and the informant's own valid identity document [1].
   • Issuance of the official Death Certificate: Civil registration of a death is free of charge, and the municipal Civil Registry Office immediately updates the Population Register and issues the official paper or electronic Death Certificate (miršanas apliecība), which is required for burial, benefit claims, and probate [1].
3. 3

   Arrange Burial, Cremation, or International Repatriation

   • Contracting a funeral service provider: With the medical certificate and official Death Certificate, you can engage a licensed funeral provider in Latvia to handle mortuary preparation, cemetery plot allocation with the municipal cemetery administration, or cremation at a licensed crematorium [1].
   • Cemetery and cremation permits: Municipal cemetery administrations in Latvia require the official Death Certificate before granting a burial permit, while cremation requires verifying that no forensic hold applies [1].
   • International repatriation and document legalization: If your family member was a foreign citizen or if remains or cremated ashes must be transported across borders, the funeral director coordinates the international mortuary laissez-passer and sanitary sealing requirements [1]. When Latvian civil status certificates must be presented abroad outside EU multilingual extract exemptions, an Apostille can be obtained electronically or in person through any sworn notary via the Council of Sworn Notaries of Latvia [5].
4. 4

   Notify Authorities and Claim Funeral and Survivor Benefits

   • Automatic population register updates and bank notifications: Once the municipal Civil Registry Office registers the death, the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs and the State Social Insurance Agency receive electronic notification [1][2]. You should notify commercial banks, insurers, and utility providers directly by presenting the Death Certificate [1].
   • Claiming the state funeral allowance: Under rules overseen by the Ministry of Welfare and administered by the State Social Insurance Agency, the person who undertakes the funeral of a socially insured employee, pensioner, unemployed benefit recipient, or state social security beneficiary can claim a state funeral allowance (apbedīšanas pabalsts) within six months of the death via the State Administration Services Portal Latvija.gov.lv [1][2][3]. Local municipalities also provide supplementary municipal funeral allowances for qualifying residents [1].
   • Survivor's pension and surviving spouse allowance: Dependent children under 18 (or full-time students up to 24) can claim a survivor's pension (apgādnieka zaudējuma pensija) from the State Social Insurance Agency [4]. In addition, if the deceased received a Latvian old-age or disability pension, a surviving spouse who also receives a Latvian pension may claim a temporary twelve-month allowance equal to 50 percent of the deceased's pension within six months of death [2][4].
5. 5

   Administer the Estate and Notarial Succession Proceedings

   • Opening an inheritance case with a sworn notary: In Latvia, probate and estate succession are conducted exclusively by sworn notaries operating under the Council of Sworn Notaries of Latvia [5]. Heirs must submit a succession application to a sworn notary practicing in the regional court district covering the deceased's last declared place of residence in Latvia [1][5].
   • Public notice and inventory rights: The sworn notary announces the opening of the succession in the official gazette Latvijas Vēstnesis and sets a statutory deadline (typically at least three months) for heirs and creditors to come forward [5]. To avoid personal liability for the deceased's debts beyond the value of the estate, heirs must explicitly request to accept the inheritance with inventory right (ar inventāra tiesību) within two months of learning of the opening of succession [5].
   • Notarial inheritance certificate and cross-border heirs: Latvia does not levy a separate national inheritance tax on estates, though statutory notary fees and Land Register state duties apply when registering inherited real estate after the sworn notary issues the Inheritance Certificate (mantojuma apliecība) [1][5]. Heirs living abroad can participate via remote video consultation on the portal of the Council of Sworn Notaries of Latvia or apply for a European Certificate of Succession for cross-border EU assets [5].

Official Authorities & Verified Contacts

Official Sources Checked by Clarvia

1. [1]
   Life situations: Death of a loved one and funeral procedures — State Administration Services Portal Latvija.gov.lv
2. [2]
   Granting and disbursement of funeral benefit — State Social Insurance Agency (VSAA)
3. [3]
   Funeral benefit policy and eligibility — Ministry of Welfare of the Republic of Latvia
4. [4]
   Survivor's pension in Latvia — Ministry of Welfare of the Republic of Latvia
5. [5]
   Features of the portal of the Latvian Sworn Notaries — Council of Sworn Notaries of Latvia