Do not wait for every document
Identification helps, but we can guide you first.
Paperwork made clearer
The documents families are most often asked for.
The exact documents depend on the circumstances and the service required. Gathering the basics early helps Serenity deal with registries, crematoria, cemeteries, consulates and airlines more efficiently.
Has someone died? You can call before you have every answer.
Tell us where the person is and what has happened. Serenity will explain what must happen now and what can wait.
Give the exact location
The home, hospital, care facility or authority determines the next step.
Check Spanish funeral insurance first
When a decesos policy exists, contact the insurer before instructing a private service.
Paperwork made clearer
The exact documents depend on the circumstances and the service required. Gathering the basics early helps Serenity deal with registries, crematoria, cemeteries, consulates and airlines more efficiently.
Identity documents
Keep original identity documents safe and tell us if anything is unavailable.
- Passport, DNI or NIE of the person who died
- Identity document and contact details of the next of kin or authorised representative
- Home address and basic civil-status details
- Funeral plan or insurance information if applicable
Medical and civil documents
Medical certification and civil registration are separate steps. The Spanish death certificate is the official civil document proving the death.
- Medical certificate or judicial documentation where applicable
- Civil Registry death registration
- Official death certificate copies for later administration
- Translations or multilingual certificates where required
For cremation or burial
The funeral director coordinates the authorisations required for the selected funeral.
- Cremation or burial authorisation
- Cremation certificate after the cremation
- Cemetery or crematorium paperwork
- Any local documents required by the facility
For repatriation
International transport usually requires additional health, consular, airline and destination documentation.
- Passport or identity documentation
- Death and medical certificates
- Consular documents where required
- Airline and receiving-funeral-director details
Documents you may need after the funeral
The paperwork does not end with the funeral. Families often need certified death documents for banks, pensions, insurers, property, probate or authorities in another country.
- Official Spanish death certificate
- Copies or multilingual versions where appropriate
- Will or information needed to obtain the Spanish certificate of last wills
- Life insurance or death-benefit policy information
- Estate, bank, pension and property records for the person handling the administration
Translations, apostilles and foreign use
A Spanish document that is valid in Spain may need a particular format, translation or legalisation before another country or institution will accept it. Requirements depend on the receiving organisation.
- Ask the receiving authority exactly which document and format it requires
- Check whether a multilingual certificate is acceptable before paying for a translation
- For documents to be used abroad, ask whether an apostille or other legalisation is required
- Keep scans for reference but retain the originals and certified copies safely
Create one family paperwork folder
A simple record of what has been requested and where originals are held can prevent duplicated work at a difficult time.
- Keep a list of every certificate ordered and who has received a copy
- Record insurer, consulate and funeral-director reference numbers
- Store receipts and invoices together
- Write down the name and contact details of the family member managing the administration
These guides are general information, not legal or medical advice. Procedures can differ according to the place and circumstances of death. Serenity will confirm the steps that apply to your family.
Official information sources
Official information sources
For procedures that can change, we also link to official government guidance. Serenity will confirm what applies to your circumstances.
Family information & guidance
More help for families
Immediate practical guidance
The First 24 Hours After a Death in Spain
Most families do not need to solve every decision immediately. The priority is the correct medical and official process, choosing the funeral director you want, and giving them authority to coordinate the next steps.
Read this guide
Making the right choices
Arranging a Funeral in Spain: A Family Guide
Once the immediate legal steps are under control, the funeral can be shaped around the person's wishes, the family's beliefs, timing, budget and whether relatives are travelling from abroad.
Read this guide
Understanding your options
Cremation or Burial in Spain: How to Choose
The best choice depends on personal wishes, religion or culture, whether the family lives in Spain, the need for a permanent grave, and how relatives want to remember the person.
Read this guideMissing papers should not stop you asking for help
The exact documents depend on where the death occurred, the deceased’s nationality, the chosen funeral and whether repatriation is involved. Families rarely have everything in one place. Start with the identity and contact information you can find; Serenity will explain the rest in order.
Keep these points in mind
- Passport, DNI or NIE details for the deceased, where available.
- The caller’s name, relationship and reliable telephone number.
- Any medical certification or hospital release information already provided.
- Funeral-insurance documents, if a Spanish decesos policy may exist.
- For repatriation, destination-country and receiving-funeral-director details may be needed later—not necessarily on the first call.
Before arranging privately: if the deceased has a Spanish seguro de decesos policy, contact the insurer named on the policy first. The insurer normally has its own funeral-arrangement number.
24/7
Has someone died?
Call our 24-hour team before making arrangements elsewhere. We will explain the next step calmly and clearly.