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

1. 1

   Obtain Medical Certification of Death

   • Deaths at the Republic of Nauru Hospital: When a person dies at the Republic of Nauru Hospital (RONH) under the Ministry of Health and Medical Services of the Government of the Republic of Nauru, the attending medical practitioner examines the deceased and issues the official Medical Certificate of Cause of Death [1] [2] [4]. Under the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 2017, the certifying doctor provides the medical certificate and notifies the civil registrar within 24 to 48 hours of the death [1] [3].
   • Deaths at home from natural causes: If your family member died at home in one of Nauru's districts from a known medical condition, contact the Republic of Nauru Hospital emergency medical team immediately so a registered medical officer can verify the death, transport the remains to the hospital mortuary, and issue the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death [1] [4] [6].
   • Sudden, accidental, or unexplained deaths: If the death occurred unexpectedly, outside medical supervision, or under accidental or unexplained circumstances, you must notify the Nauru Police Force (emergency number 110) immediately [2] [6]. Under the Coroners Act, the police report the death to the Coroner (the Resident Magistrate of the District Court), who conducts a coronial inquiry and orders a post-mortem examination if necessary before issuing the Coroner's certificate authorizing burial and civil death registration [1] [3].
2. 2

   Register the Death with the Civil Registry

   • Statutory registration deadline: Under the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 2017, a death occurring in Nauru must be officially registered with the Office of the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages (within the Department of Justice and Border Control at the Government Offices in Yaren District) within 14 days of the date of death (and in practice alongside funeral notifications within 7 days of burial) [1] [2] [3].
   • Who must register and required documents: The next of kin, a close adult relative present at the death, or the person organizing the funeral submits the official Death Registration Form together with the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (or Coroner's Certificate), the deceased's passport or Nauruan birth certificate, and the informant's identification [1] [2].
   • Obtaining official Death Certificates: Once the entry is recorded in the National Register of Deaths, the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages issues certified copies of the official Death Certificate [1] [2]. We suggest requesting several certified extracts at the time of registration, as original certificates are required by banks, the Nauru Superannuation Board, the Supreme Court of Nauru, and the Nauru Lands Committee [1] [3].
3. 3

   Arrange Burial, Cremation, or International Repatriation

   • Domestic burial procedures in Nauru: Burials in Nauru are predominantly conducted at designated district or community cemeteries after the Republic of Nauru Hospital issues the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (or the Coroner issues a release order) and the death notification is lodged with the Office of the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages [1] [2] [4]. Hospital mortuary services and community funeral organizers assist families with mortuary storage, coffin preparation, and transport [2] [4].
   • International repatriation of remains: If your family member was a foreign national whose remains must be repatriated abroad - or if a Nauruan citizen died overseas while on an Overseas Medical Referral (OMR) in Australia, Fiji, or another country - repatriation requires an official Death Certificate, a public health non-infectious disease and embalming certificate from the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, customs and border clearance from the Department of Justice and Border Control, and air cargo coordination with Nauru Airlines [2] [4] [5] [6].
   • Document authentication and consular legalization: Nauru is not a party to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention [3] [5]. Consequently, for a Nauruan Death Certificate or court grant to be recognized in a foreign jurisdiction, it must be certified by a Notary Public or Commissioner for Oaths under the Supreme Court of Nauru, authenticated by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Government of the Republic of Nauru, and legalized by the relevant foreign diplomatic mission (such as the Australian High Commission in Nauru) [2] [3] [5].
4. 4

   Notify Social Welfare, Superannuation, Tax, and Banking Authorities

   • Government bereavement assistance and social welfare: The Government of the Republic of Nauru (through the Ministry of Finance and community welfare administration) operates a statutory funeral and bereavement assistance scheme to help eligible Nauruan families meet burial and wake costs, and also administers elderly and survivor welfare adjustments [2] [5]. Notify the Ministry of Finance social payments office with the certified Death Certificate so any ongoing individual elderly or disability stipends are updated and funeral assistance can be processed [2].
   • Nauru Superannuation Board and overseas funds: If the deceased was an employee contributing to the Nauru Superannuation Board (or held an Australian or regional superannuation account), the surviving spouse, nominated beneficiary, or estate administrator should submit a death-benefit claim supported by the certified Death Certificate and proof of identity [2] [5].
   • Banking and financial notifications: Present the certified Death Certificate to the Bendigo Bank Agency in Nauru (and any overseas bank in Australia or elsewhere where the deceased held accounts) to freeze sole-name accounts, stop automatic debits, and confirm the balance as of the date of death for estate administration [2] [5].
5. 5

   Administer the Estate, Probate, and Customary Land Succession

   • Dual succession framework in Nauru: As documented by the Pacific Islands Legal Information Institute (PacLII), estate administration in Nauru is divided between personal property (governed by statutory probate and administration rules before the Supreme Court of Nauru) and Nauruan customary land (governed by Nauruan custom before the Nauru Lands Committee) [3].
   • Probate, Letters of Administration, and the Curator of Intestate Estates: For bank accounts, personal chattels, superannuation payouts paid to the estate, and non-customary assets, succession is administered under the Administration of Estates Act and the Custom and Adopted Laws Act 1971 [3]. If the deceased left a valid written will covering personal estate, the named executor petitions the Supreme Court of Nauru (Probate Jurisdiction) in Yaren District for a Grant of Probate; if there is no will, the next of kin or the Curator of Intestate Estates (within the Department of Justice and Border Control) applies for Letters of Administration to collect debts and distribute personal property according to statutory intestacy rules [2] [3].
   • Nauru Lands Committee for customary land and royalties: Under the Nauru Lands Committee Act, ownership of Nauruan land, housing allotments on customary land, and associated phosphate royalty or landowner trust entitlements cannot be disposed of outside Nauruan custom [3]. Surviving family members must notify the Nauru Lands Committee, which investigates family lineage, holds a determination meeting, and publishes the succession determination in the Republic of Nauru Government Gazette (subject to a statutory 21-day appeal window to the Supreme Court of Nauru) [2] [3]. Nauru does not levy an inheritance tax or estate duty, and heirs residing abroad may participate via a notarized and authenticated Power of Attorney [2] [3] [5].

   Step	Deadline	Authority
   1. Obtain Medical Certificate of Cause of Death	Within 24 to 48 hours of death	Republic of Nauru Hospital (Ministry of Health and Medical Services) or Coroner
   2. Register the death and obtain Death Certificates	Within 14 days of death	Office of the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages (Department of Justice and Border Control)
   3. Arrange burial or international repatriation clearance	Before burial or air transit	Ministry of Health and Medical Services & Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
   4. Claim bereavement assistance and superannuation	Promptly after death registration	Government of the Republic of Nauru (Ministry of Finance) & Nauru Superannuation Board
   5. Complete probate and customary land determination	After Death Certificate issuance (21-day land appeal window)	Supreme Court of Nauru (or Curator of Intestate Estates) & Nauru Lands Committee

Official Authorities & Verified Contacts

Official Sources Checked by Clarvia

1. [1]
   Nauru Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) Country Profile - Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration — UNICEF Data / Office of the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages of Nauru
2. [2]
   Government of the Republic of Nauru - Official Portal and Public Administration Directory — Government of the Republic of Nauru (nauru.gov.nr)
3. [3]
   Nauru Legislation and Courts System - Administration of Estates, Custom and Adopted Laws, and Supreme Court of Nauru — Pacific Islands Legal Information Institute (PacLII)
4. [4]
   WHO Nauru Country Health Profile - Ministry of Health and Medical Services Framework — World Health Organization (who.int)
5. [5]
   Nauru Country Brief - Governance, Bilateral Relations and Institutional Overview — Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (dfat.gov.au)
6. [6]
   Nauru Foreign Travel Advice - Healthcare, Emergency Services and Local Laws — Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (GOV.UK)