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

1. 1

   Obtain Medical Certification of Death

   • Hospital or health center deaths: When a death occurs at Vila Central Hospital in Port Vila, Northern Provincial Hospital in Luganville, or a provincial health facility overseen by the Ministry of Health, the attending medical practitioner examines the deceased and issues the official Medical Certificate of Cause of Death [1]. This clinical certificate is required to release the body from the hospital mortuary and register the death [1].
   • Deaths at home or in rural island communities: If your family member died at home or in a village from natural causes, contact the nearest hospital, provincial health center, or registered nurse practitioner immediately so an authorized health officer can verify the death and complete the medical death notification form required by the Department of Civil Registration and Identity Management [1].
   • Unexpected, sudden, or unexplained deaths: If the death was sudden, accidental, unattended by a medical practitioner, or occurred under unexplained circumstances, you must report it immediately to the Vanuatu Police Force [1] [3]. Under Vanuatu's inquest and coronial procedures, the police and a designated magistrate/coroner must investigate the circumstances and authorize any required post-mortem examination before issuing clearance for burial or repatriation [1] [3].
2. 2

   Register the Death with the Civil Registry (CRIM)

   • Responsible national and municipal authorities: Civil registration of deaths in Vanuatu is governed by the Civil Registration and Identity Management Act and administered by the Department of Civil Registration and Identity Management, alongside municipal civil status offices such as the Port Vila City Council Civil Status Unit [1] [2].
   • Statutory deadline and informant obligations: A close relative, household head, or person present at the death must report and register the death with the Department of Civil Registration and Identity Management or provincial civil registrar as soon as practicable (standard statutory practice requires notification within 21 days of the death) [1].
   • Issuance of official death certificates: Present the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death, the deceased's national ID card, birth certificate, or passport, and the informant's identification [1]. Once recorded in the National Civil Register, the registrar issues the official Death Certificate, which is mandatory for burial permits, provident fund claims, banking closures, and court probate filings [1] [3].
3. 3

   Arrange Burial, Cremation, or International Repatriation

   • Municipal burial and cemetery permits: For burials within urban municipalities such as Port Vila or Luganville, present the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death and civil registration paperwork to the local municipal authority - such as the Port Vila City Council Civil Status Unit - to obtain a burial permit and allocate a plot at the municipal cemetery [2]. For customary burials on home islands, coordinate transport clearance with hospital mortuary authorities and local community chiefs [1] [2].
   • International repatriation of remains: If your family member was a foreign national or if the remains must be repatriated abroad, coordinate with the hospital mortuary at Vila Central Hospital and an international funeral/cargo agent to arrange embalming, hermetically sealed zinc-lined coffin preparation, a Ministry of Health public health export clearance certificate, and customs export documentation through Bauerfield International Airport [1].
   • Apostille and consular notification: Vanuatu is a party to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention. If Vanuatu death certificates or court documents must be used overseas, request an Apostille certification through the competent Vanuatu government authority (Department of Foreign Affairs / State Law Office) and notify the deceased's embassy or high commission so consular authorities can issue any required mortuary transit permit [1] [3].
4. 4

   Notify Provident Fund, Tax, Banking, and Identity Authorities

   • Vanuatu National Provident Fund (VNPF) death benefits: If the deceased was a contributor or member of the Vanuatu National Provident Fund, notify the fund promptly [4]. Under the VNPF Act, accumulated member credit balances and any applicable Special Death Benefit are paid out to the valid nominated beneficiaries on file with the Vanuatu National Provident Fund (or distributed in accordance with statutory rules if no nomination is active) upon submission of the official Death Certificate, medical certificate, and beneficiary identification [4].
   • Commercial banks and insurer notifications: Provide certified copies of the Death Certificate to all commercial banks operating in Vanuatu (such as National Bank of Vanuatu, ANZ, BSP, or Bred Bank) and any private insurers [3]. Banks will freeze sole accounts in the deceased's name and issue date-of-death balance statements needed for Supreme Court probate or small-estate release [3].
   • Identity card, passport, and employer settlements: The Department of Civil Registration and Identity Management updates the national identity register upon death registration [1]. You should also notify the deceased's employer to settle final wages, accrued annual leave, and any statutory severance entitlements under Vanuatu employment law [3] [4].
5. 5

   Administer the Estate and Supreme Court Probate

   • Grant of Probate (where a valid Will exists): Formal administration of estates in Vanuatu is governed by the Wills Act [Cap 55], the Administration of Estates rules, and the Probate and Administration Rules overseen by the Supreme Court of Vanuatu [3]. If the deceased left a valid written will, the named executor must file an Application for Probate (Form 1), supported by a sworn executor's affidavit, the original will, the official Death Certificate, and an inventory of estate assets and liabilities with the Probate Registry of the Supreme Court of Vanuatu [3].
   • Letters of Administration (intestate estates) and customary land: If the deceased died without a will, the surviving spouse or next of kin must apply to the Supreme Court of Vanuatu for Letters of Administration [3]. Note that under the Constitution of Vanuatu, indigenous customary land rights follow custom (kastom) and customary dispute mechanisms rather than ordinary freehold estate distribution, whereas registered leases, bank accounts, and personal property are administered through the court grant [3].
   • Taxation and cross-border estate coordination: Vanuatu does not levy personal income tax, capital gains tax, estate duty, or inheritance tax, though court probate filing fees and lease transfer registration fees apply [3]. If an executor or heir resides outside Vanuatu, they may instruct a legal practitioner admitted to the Supreme Court of Vanuatu using a notarized and Apostilled power of attorney to apply for probate or reseal a foreign grant of probate in Vanuatu [1] [3].

Official Authorities & Verified Contacts

Official Sources Checked by Clarvia

1. [1]
   About Civil Registration and Vital Statistics in the Republic of Vanuatu — Department of Civil Registration and Identity Management (CRIM)
2. [2]
   Port Vila City Council - Civil Status Unit and Municipal Registry Services — Port Vila City Council (PVCC)
3. [3]
   Probate and Administration Rules - Form 1 Application for Probate in the Supreme Court of Vanuatu — Judiciary of the Republic of Vanuatu (Supreme Court)
4. [4]
   Vanuatu National Provident Fund (VNPF) - Nominated Beneficiaries and Death Benefit Claims — Vanuatu National Provident Fund (VNPF)