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

1. 1

   Obtain Medical Certification of Death

   • Hospital or clinic deaths: When a person dies in a hospital or licensed healthcare facility overseen by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the attending physician confirms the death and generates an electronic medical certificate of death (tibbiy o'lim haqidagi ma'lumotnoma) through the national automated health information system [1] [5]. The medical certificate is assigned a unique identification number and QR code and is transmitted electronically to the civil registry system [1].
   • Deaths at home from natural causes: If your family member died at home from a documented natural illness, contact the local family polyclinic or emergency medical service (103) immediately so an authorized physician can examine the body, verify prior clinical records, and issue the electronic medical certificate of death via the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan system [5].
   • Unexpected, sudden, or non-natural deaths: If the death occurred unexpectedly, outside medical supervision, or under accidental or unexplained circumstances, you must notify the territorial Internal Affairs department (police, 102) [1] [5]. The police and forensic medical examination bureau conduct an inquiry and, where required, an autopsy before issuing the forensic medical death certificate clearing the remains for release [5].
2. 2

   Register the Death with the Civil Registry (FHDYO / ZAGS)

   • Statutory deadline and automated filing: Under the Family Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan and civil status regulations administered by the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Uzbekistan, a death declaration must be submitted within three days of the death or the discovery of the body [1] [4]. Through Uzbekistan's composite electronic system, the medical institution transmits the electronic death record directly to the Civil Status Acts Registration Department (FHDYO / ZAGS) [1] [4].
   • Issuance of the official death certificate: Once the FHDYO office registers the death act record, it issues an official extract and QR-coded certificate confirming registration, which can also be accessed through the Unified Portal of Interactive Public Services (my.gov.uz) [1]. Family members or authorized representatives may request stamped paper death certificates in person at any Public Services Center or FHDYO branch on an extraterritorial basis [1] [4].
   • Required identification documents: When collecting physical certificates or completing manual registration, bring the deceased's national ID card or biometric passport (including the 14-digit personal identification number, JShShIR / PINFL), the informant's passport or ID card, and the medical or forensic certificate number [1] [4].
3. 3

   Arrange Burial, Cremation, or International Repatriation

   • Local burial and cemetery permits: Burials in Uzbekistan are coordinated with municipal cemetery administrations or local self-governing community bodies (mahalla committees) upon presentation of the medical death certificate or QR-coded FHDYO death registration extract [1] [5]. Traditional burials normally take place promptly once medical and civil clearances are issued.
   • Licensed mortuary preparation for international repatriation: If your family member's remains must be transported out of Uzbekistan, engage a licensed funeral and repatriation director to coordinate embalming, zinc-lined hermetically sealed coffin preparation, and a sanitary-epidemiological clearance certificate from the Committee for Sanitary and Epidemiological Welfare and Public Health under the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan [5].
   • Apostille and consular documentation: Uzbekistan is a party to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention. For foreign nationals or cross-border estate use, obtain an official FHDYO death certificate, have it affixed with an Apostille through the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Uzbekistan or the Unified Portal of Interactive Public Services (my.gov.uz), and notify the relevant foreign embassy in Tashkent to issue a consular mortuary laissez-passer [1] [4].
4. 4

   Notify Social Security, Pension, Tax, and Banking Authorities

   • Statutory funeral grant (Dafn nafaqasi): Under Uzbekistan's social protection legislation, the spouse, close relative, or person who bore the funeral expenses is entitled to a one-time statutory funeral allowance funded through the Extrabudgetary Pension Fund under the Ministry of Economy and Finance [1] [2]. When the electronic death certificate is generated, the claim is routed automatically and paid through designated commercial banks (such as Xalq Banki) upon presentation of the applicant's ID and QR-coded death record within 60 days [1] [2].
   • Unpaid pension arrears and survivor's pension: Under the Law on State Pension Provision of Citizens, any accrued pension unpaid before death is payable to eligible family members, and dependent relatives (such as minor children, full-time students under age 23, disabled dependents, or qualifying surviving spouses/parents) may apply for a survivor's pension (boquvchisini yo'qotganlik pensiyasi) through the Extrabudgetary Pension Fund under the Ministry of Economy and Finance or via the Unified Portal of Interactive Public Services (my.gov.uz) [2] [3].
   • Banks, tax offices, and identity cancellation: The FHDYO electronic registration automatically updates the population registry to cancel the deceased's ID card and passport [1]. You should still present the death certificate to commercial banks in Uzbekistan to freeze individual bank accounts, stop recurring debits, and obtain date-of-death balance statements for notarial succession [4].
5. 5

   Administer the Estate and Notarial Succession (Meros)

   • Six-month statutory deadline to open succession: Under Book Five of the Civil Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan, succession opens on the date of death at the deceased's last permanent place of residence [4]. Both testamentary heirs (under a notarized will) and statutory heirs must file a formal declaration accepting the inheritance with a notary within six months of the date of death [4].
   • Certificate of Right to Inheritance: Public and private notaries in Uzbekistan operate through the automated e-notarius system overseen by the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Chamber of Notaries [4]. The notary verifies whether a will exists, confirms the statutory ranks of heirs, checks cadastral and vehicle registries, and issues the Certificate of Right to Inheritance (Meros huquqi to'g'risidagi guvohnoma) after the six-month period expires [4].
   • Tax treatment and cross-border heirs: Uzbekistan does not levy a separate inheritance tax on property inherited by natural persons, though statutory notary duties and cadastral re-registration fees apply [4]. Heirs residing outside Uzbekistan may participate in the succession by granting a notarized power of attorney (legalized or bearing an Apostille and translated into Uzbek or Russian) so a local representative can accept the inheritance and register title transfers on their behalf [1] [4].

Official Authorities & Verified Contacts

Official Sources Checked by Clarvia

1. [1]
   Unified Portal of Interactive Public Services of the Republic of Uzbekistan (my.gov.uz) - Life Situations and Civil Services — Unified Portal of Interactive Public Services (my.gov.uz)
2. [2]
   Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan On State Pension Provision of Citizens and Unclaimed Pension Rules — National Database of Legislation of the Republic of Uzbekistan (Lex.uz)
3. [3]
   Survivor Pension and Social Benefit Assignment Regulations in the Republic of Uzbekistan — National Database of Legislation of the Republic of Uzbekistan (Lex.uz)
4. [4]
   Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan on State Duties, Civil Registry and Notarial Acts — Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Uzbekistan (Lex.uz)
5. [5]
   Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan - Official Government Portal — Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan