What to do if someone dies in Hungary

Budapest is one of Europe’s most popular city break destinations. Lake Balaton and Hungarian thermal spas also attract British visitors. Most deaths involving UK nationals in Hungary occur in Budapest, and the city’s infrastructure for handling the process is well-developed.

Step 1: Notify the British Embassy Budapest

The British Embassy in Budapest must be notified immediately. Address: Harmincad Utca 6, Budapest 1051. Phone: +36 1 266 2888. FCDO 24-hour emergency line: +44 (0)20 7008 5000.

Consular staff register the death with UK authorities and advise on Hungarian procedures. Contact them on the day of death.

Step 2: Civil registry (anyakonyvi hivatal)

Deaths are registered at the local anyakonyvi hivatal (civil registry office) in the district where the death occurred. The halotti anyakonyvi kivonat (death certificate extract) is issued in Hungarian.

Hungarian is linguistically isolated, entirely unrelated to German, Czech, Polish, or any Slavic language. Certified translation into English is required for all documents used in a UK context. Allow for this in your planning.

For unnatural deaths, the police are notified at the scene. The case is referred to the Public Prosecutor’s Office.

Step 3: Public Prosecutor and ORVOSI post-mortem

When the Public Prosecutor orders a post-mortem, the National Institute of Forensic Medicine (ORVOSI) in Budapest conducts the examination. Budapest’s institute is well-resourced and handles a high volume of examinations. Regional capacity is available for deaths outside the capital.

The post-mortem is mandatory for all sudden, violent, or unexplained deaths. Results are typically available within 5 to 10 days. The Prosecutor formally authorises the body’s release before embalming can proceed.

Step 4: Embalming and Kormanyablak laissez-passer

Embalming is mandatory for international repatriation from Hungary under the Council of Europe Agreement on the Transfer of Corpses (Strasbourg, 1973 – ETS No. 080). The Hungarian funeral director performs the embalming.

The laissez-passer is issued by the Government Office (Kormanyablak) or district authority. Required documents: halotti anyakonyvi kivonat, embalming certificate, certificate of freedom from infectious disease (issued by local public health authority). The Kormanyablak process typically takes 2 to 5 days once all documents are submitted.

Step 5: Air freight to the UK

Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport (BUD) has direct flights to London Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, and Stansted. British Airways, easyJet, Ryanair, and Wizz Air all serve this route. Multiple daily departures mean cargo capacity is consistently available. Human remains travel as sealed air cargo.

For deaths in other Hungarian cities or near Lake Balaton, transfer to BUD by road is standard.

Step 6: UK arrival

The UK funeral director collects from the cargo terminal. Certified English translations of all Hungarian documents must accompany the shipment. The journey from Budapest to London, including all documentation steps under normal circumstances (no Prosecutor post-mortem), is achievable in 7 to 10 days. Source: FCDO guidance on death in Hungary; Council of Europe Agreement ETS No. 080; Hungarian Civil Registry Act (2023).