When someone close to you passes away, you will need all the support you can get to cope with the pain and the many changes in daily life. There are Government services that you may find useful during this difficult time, ranging from death registration, burial arrangement and estate management to financial assistance.

For deaths resulting from natural causes, a relative or friend of the deceased is required to inform the Government within 24 hours of the death through the Death Registries. The person will have to bring along a Medical Certificate of the Cause of Death (Form 18) signed by the registered medical practitioner who attended the deceased during his or her last illness and the deceased's Hong Kong identity card or travel document to complete the death registration.

• Registration of a Death from Natural Causes
  http://www.gov.hk/en/residents/immigration/bdmreg/death/deathreg/naturalcause.htm
• Death Registries
  http://www.gov.hk/en/residents/immigration/bdmreg/death/address/index.htm
• Forms related to deaths registration
  http://www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/deaths.htm

If the death is a result of unnatural or uncertain medical causes, it would be reported to the Coroner by a doctor or a police officer in-charge for further investigation. The Births and Deaths Registrar will complete the death registration within one week after the cause of death is determined by the Coroner and will notify the family members of the deceased in writing.

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) provides cremation services and burial services of dead body and skeletal remains to the public . Citizens can book cremation sessions for the bereaved at the Cremation Booking Office situated in Hong Kong and Kowloon.

• Cremation Booking Offices
  http://www.fehd.gov.hk/english/cc/booking.html

Information on cremation service can also be searched online.

• Introduction of cemeteries and crematoria services managed by the FEHD
  http://www.fehd.gov.hk/english/cc/introduction.html
• Information on booking of cremation service
  http://www.fehd.gov.hk/english/cc/booking.html
• Available cremation sessions lookup
  http://www.fehd.gov.hk/english/cc/ccstatus/CREIDENG.HTML
• Available niches lookup
  http://www.fehd.gov.hk/english/cc/ccstatus/NICIDENG.HTML
• Application of allocation of niches
  http://www.fehd.gov.hk/english/cc/application.html

Regarding burials, citizens can refer to the links below for more information.

• List of public cemeteries managed by the FEHD
  http://www.fehd.gov.hk/english/cc/land.html
• Application procedures for burial and exhumation services by the FEHD
  http://www.fehd.gov.hk/english/cc/info_land.html
• List of licensed undertaker of burials
  http://www.fehd.gov.hk/english/cc/licensed_undertakers_e.pdf

Scattering of cremated human ashes at sea or in FEHD’s Gardens of Remembrance is another alternative for disposal of cremains.  These environmentally friendly ways of disposing the ashes of the deceased have been gradually accepted by the public. Citizens may, with approval of the FEHD, scatter cremated human ashes in designated Hong Kong waters or the eight Gardens of Remembrance of the FEHD.

• More on the procedures for scattering ashes in Hong Kong waters
  http://www.fehd.gov.hk/english/cc/ashes_in_water.html
• More on scattering ashes in Gardens of Remembrance
  http://www.fehd.gov.hk/english/cc/ashes.html

If the death occurs overseas and the family wishes to bring the deceased back to Hong Kong or import the exhumed remains for cremation or burial in an urn grave, the applications should be submitted to the Port Health Office of the Department of Health and the FEHD. For the exportation of exhumed remains, application should be made to the FEHD.  In the event of exportation of cremated ashes, some countries may require a certificate or permit of cremation. In this connection, families of the deceased can apply to the FEHD for the relevant documents.

• Notes on importing and exporting human remains
  http://www.fehd.gov.hk/english/cc/info_body.html
• Application form for importing human remains
  http://www.dh.gov.hk/english/useful/useful_forms/files/dh2437.pdf

For exportation of bodies, a permit must be sought from the Deaths Registry.

• More on applying for a permit to remove a body from Hong Kong
  http://www.gov.hk/en/residents/immigration/bdmreg/death/deathreg/removedeadbody.htm

Since the enactment of the Revenue (Abolition of Estate Duty) Ordinance 2005 on 11 February 2006, the bereaved are no longer required to pay duty on the estates of people who have passed away on or after that date. There is no need for the bereaved to file estate duty affidavits or accounts or to submit any estate duty clearance papers in their application for a grant of representation. However, estate duty is still chargeable on the estates of people who passed away before 11 February 2006.

• Information about estate duty
  http://www.ird.gov.hk/eng/tax/edu.htm

To exercise the right to handle the deceased’s estate as provided by the law, estate beneficiaries of the deceased may apply for a Grant of Representation to the Probate Registry. The Grant may take the form of a grant of probate, a grant of letters of administration or a grant of letters of administration (with will annexed), depending on whether the deceased has left a will and appointed an executor.

• More on Probate Registry
  http://www.judiciary.gov.hk/en/crt_services/pphlt/html/probate.htm

The Home Affairs Department provides support services for estate beneficiaries of persons who passed away on or after 11 February 2006. The services include:

• issuing a Confirmation Notice to certify that the handling of a small estate wholly made up of money not exceeding $50,000 will be exempted from the relevant intermeddling provisions; and
• issuing relevant certificates to authorise the release of money from the bank account of the deceased person to meet his funeral expenses or the maintenance of his former dependants, and inspection of bank deposit boxes of the deceased person.

• Estate Beneficiaries Support Services
  http://www.had.gov.hk/en/public_services/estates/index.htm

The Social Welfare Department (SWD) provides 3 Accident Compensation Schemes to help the families of the bereaved in cases of death as a result of road traffic accidents, natural disasters and crimes of violence or by law enforcement officers using weapons in the execution of their duties.

• Information about the Traffic Accident Victims Assistance Scheme
  http://www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_socsecu/sub_trafficacc/
• More on the Criminal and Law Enforcement Injuries Compensation Scheme
  http://www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_socsecu/sub_criminalan/
• More on the Emergency Relief Fund
  http://www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_socsecu/sub_emergencyr/

The 4 major Charitable / Trust Funds administered by the SWD provide temporary cash grants for family members who are in financial distress due to death of a breadwinner or lack of fund for burial.

• More on Charitable / Trust Funds
  http://www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_family/sub_listofserv/id_charitable

For patients who died of AIDS, their families may apply for the Support Fund for HIV / AIDS Patients and their Families, which provide burial grants for those in need.

• More on the Support Fund for HIV / AIDS Patients and their Families
  http://www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_medical/sub_supportfun

The loss of someone close to you can generate emotions you find hard to deal with. The Department of Health offers practical advice on the management of grief and loss as a result of bereavement.

• Information about the management of grief and loss
  http://www.info.gov.hk/elderly/english/healthinfo/elderly/bereavement-e.htm