A relative dies in Spain and you are abroad: first steps

Key rules

• Who pays: Embassies and consulates do not generally pay for funerals or repatriation; the family, the estate or an insurer pays.
• Remote contract: You can contract a Spanish funeral home by email and sign electronically, with a copy of your passport or ID.
• Power of attorney: You usually do not need a notarised power of attorney unless someone in Spain must sign for you.
• Cremation: Cremation needs written consent from the deceased or the family, which you can sign remotely.

Who to call first

Call two places: your country's consulate in Spain and a Spanish funeral home (funeraria). You can arrange most things from where you are, by phone, email or online. You do not need to travel before the process starts.

What the embassy or consulate does

The consulate records the death in your home country's records and issues a consular death certificate or report. It gives you a list of local funeral homes and advises on the options: repatriation or a local burial or cremation. It can also help contact other family members and issue emergency passports for relatives who need to travel. Where relatives cannot, some consulates take care of the deceased's passport and belongings.

Embassies and consulates do not generally pay for funerals or repatriation; the family, the estate or an insurer pays. Exceptions are rare. A few countries help in destitute cases or arrange a basic local burial if no relatives can be found or pay. If the person had travel or life insurance, call the insurer early and ask what it covers before you sign anything.

Services differ by country, so ask your own consulate what it offers.

Arranging the funeral from abroad

The funeral home sends the contract and a budget by email. You sign by scanned or electronic signature. Payment is normally by bank transfer or card, often in advance. The funeral home usually gets the medical or death certificate itself.

You do not normally need a notarised power of attorney. It becomes relevant only if you want someone in Spain to sign for you. Then a simple written authorisation may be enough, or the firm may ask for a power of attorney apostilled or legalised for use in Spain. Ask the firm which it wants. Each firm sets its own requirements, so confirm them before you send anything.

If you choose cremation, written consent from the deceased or the family is needed, and it can be signed remotely. The firm will also want proof that the deceased did not object.

The documents and questions below cover the detail.

Who decides

The deceased's own wishes come first: a will, a written declaration or a cremation consent. Without them, the decision usually goes to the closest family in this order: spouse or partner, then adult children, then parents, then siblings and other relatives. When you contract, you declare your relationship to the deceased. If relatives disagree, or none can be found, the town hall or a judge may decide. Details vary by region, so ask the funeral home about the rules where the death happened.

A sensible order

1. Tell the consulate and ask for its list of funeral homes and its guidance.
2. Agree with the other relatives who will contract and whether it will be burial, cremation or repatriation.
3. Ask two or three funeral homes for written budgets.
4. Check insurance, then sign and pay.
5. Ask the consulate to record the death once you have the Spanish certificate.

Documents you need

• A copy of your passport or ID, to give to the funeral home when you contract it.

• The deceased's details and proof of your family relationship, which the funeral home asks you to declare.

• Written consent to cremation from the deceased or the family, if you choose cremation. You can sign it remotely.

• A written authorisation, or a power of attorney apostilled or legalised for use in Spain, only if someone in Spain will sign for you.

• A consular death certificate or report from your embassy or consulate, which records the death in your home country's records.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a notarised power of attorney to arrange a funeral from abroad?

No, you usually do not need a notarised power of attorney to arrange a funeral from abroad.

What does the funeral home ask for when I contract it remotely?

The funeral home usually asks for a copy of your passport or ID, the deceased's details and your relationship to them. It normally gets the death or medical certificate itself.

Who decides between burial and cremation if there are no instructions?

If the deceased left no instructions, the decision usually falls to the closest family: the spouse or partner, then adult children, then parents, then siblings. Rules are set by each region. Cremation needs proof that the deceased did not object.