immd.gov.hk Death Registration : Hong Kong Immigration Department

Organization : Hong Kong Immigration Department
Facility : Death Registration
Location : Hong Kong
Country : China

Website : http://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/services/birth-death/Registering_a_death.html#a&firstTab

Death Registration :

Death from Natural Causes : (e.g. illness)
** Registering the death of a person is the first and key obligation to be fulfilled by a close relative of the deceased, i.e. the informant, whether the cause of death is natural or unnatural.

Related : QMAS Quality Migrant Admission Scheme Hong Kong Immigration Department : www.statusin.org/26842.html

** Under the Births and Deaths Registration Ordinance, it shall be the duty for the informant (being the nearest relative or other relevant person of the deceased) to register a death from natural causes within 24 hours.

** In most cases, the registered medical practitioner who attended the deceased person during his or her last illness will sign and issue a Medical Certificate of the Cause of Death (Form 18).

** The informant will need to take it to the Deaths Registry for registration of the death.

Where to Register :
Deaths from natural causes can be registered on weekdays and Saturday mornings (except General Holidays) at Hong Kong Island Deaths Registry or Kowloon Deaths Registry.

On Sundays and General Holidays, the informant can approach the Births and Deaths General Register Office from 10 am – 12:30 pm for service.

Deaths registration services for natural deaths are also available in some designated police stations in the New Territories such as Cheung Chau and Mui Wo for deaths that occurred in the respective districts.

Supporting Documents :
When applying for registering a death, the informant should supply originals of the following documents :

** Medical Certificate of the Cause of Death (Form 18), signed and issued by the registered medical practitioner who attended the deceased person during his or her last illness

** The deceased person’s Hong Kong identity card or travel document
** The informant’s Hong Kong identity card or travel document

The informant is required to provide information on the deceased person’s occupation, nationality, and marital status.

Processing Time :
The registration of a death normally takes 30 minutes, and a certified copy of a death entry (commonly known as Death Certificate) can usually be issued within another 10 minutes.

Fee :
Registering a death does not incur a fee, but the informant will need to pay HK$140 for a certified copy of a death entry.

After Applying :
** If the informant did not apply for a certified copy of a death entry at the time of the death registration but need to get one afterwards, he/she may need to apply for a search of death records first and a search fee (HK$140 for Particular Search and HK$680 for General Search) will have to be paid.

** For more information on applying for a death certificate, please refer to “Application for Search of Death Records and/or a Certified Copy of a Death Entry”.