Consular assistance
British Embassy contacts for Spain: when someone dies abroad
If a British national dies in Spain, the Embassy is usually the first official body to contact. A death must be registered with the local authorities in Spain before a body or ashes can leave the country. Consular staff will register the death with UK authorities, issue consular documents and give you a list of local funeral directors. They cannot meet any cost, arrange the repatriation, or authorise release of the body. If the person who died was not British, contact the embassy or consulate of their own country instead. The local emergency number is 112.
Emergency numbers
FCDO 24-hour line (from UK)
+44 (0)20 7008 5000British Embassy in Spain
+34 917 146 300Handling a death in Spain
Local emergency number: 112
Authority that must release the body: Forensic medical service (Instituto de Medicina Legal)
When a post-mortem is ordered: Post mortem ordered by Spanish forensic authorities if cause of death is unknown, unnatural, or suspicious
Effect on the timeline: Can delay repatriation by 1-4 weeks or more
Getting the report: Reports may take significant time to be released to next of kin
Documentation language: Spanish (Castellano) is the national language. Catalan in Catalonia and Balearics, Basque in Basque Country, Galician in Galicia, Valencian in Valencia.. English: Good in major tourist areas and coastal resorts. Limited in rural areas, inland cities, and smaller towns. Hospital staff in tourist areas often speak basic English.
Healthcare: Good public healthcare system. EHIC/GHIC may cover emergency treatment. Private healthcare also available. Hospitals in tourist areas will usually have English-speaking staff.
British community: ~300,000 registered UK residents in Spain. True number estimated at 750,000+ including unregistered, seasonal, and part-year residents.
Most common causes of British deaths here: Natural causes (large elderly expat population, particularly Costa del Sol and Costa Blanca); Road traffic accidents; Drowning (swimming pools, sea swimming, including alcohol-related); Alcohol-related incidents (particularly young tourists in Balearics); Falls (elderly population and balcony falls); Pre-existing medical conditions exacerbated by heat
Areas needing extra care: Balearic Islands: Mallorca, Ibiza (young tourist deaths from alcohol, balcony falls); Costa del Sol: Malaga province (large elderly expat community, natural causes); Costa Blanca: Alicante province (elderly expat community); Canary Islands: Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote (tourist accidents, elderly residents); Barcelona and Madrid (tourist volume)
Always verify numbers before calling
Official lists for Spain
Published by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office for British nationals. We are not connected to the firms listed.
- Translators and interpreters, for certified translation of the death certificate and permits
Embassy phone numbers change. Confirm current details at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/spain before a trip. The FCDO 24-hour line (+44 (0)20 7008 5000) is the most reliable point of contact in an emergency.
Contact details
British Embassy and consulates in Spain
British Embassy
Madrid
Torre Espacio, Paseo de la Castellana 259D, 28046 Madrid
+34 917 146 300 Official websiteConsulate
Barcelona
Consulate
Malaga
Consulate
Alicante
Consulate
Las Palmas (Gran Canaria)
Consulate
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
all consulate numbers before go-live. Consular presence may change. Check gov.uk for current list.
What you need to know
What the British post in Spain can and cannot do
The British post covering Spain registers the death and can give you a list of local funeral directors. It cannot pay any repatriation cost, arrange the repatriation itself, release the body, or shorten a local timeline.
In Spain specifically: Can delay repatriation by 1-4 weeks or more
The full list of what consular staff can and cannot do applies in every country.
Death registration in Spain
The Embassy can register the death separately under UK law. This is optional and does not replace the local certificate, but some families find the UK death certificate useful for administrative purposes.
Typical timeline from Spain
What the Embassy can and cannot pay for
Consular staff in Spain cannot pay repatriation costs, funeral director fees, or any local charges, and cannot lend money to cover them.
They can give you a list of local funeral directors, contact next of kin, and help you reach an insurer. If there is no insurance and no family funds, they can explain what limited options exist.
What repatriation from Spain involvesNeed help bringing someone home from Spain?
We can take over the arrangements from wherever you are in the process, and bring your loved one home to the UK, Ireland or any other country. Send us the details and we will come back to you with a quote.