Practical guidance
What to do if someone dies in Portugal
This guide explains what happens after a death in Portugal, who to contact, and how to arrange for your loved one to be brought home, to the UK, Ireland or any other country. Facts for British nationals come from FCDO and government sources. Every situation is different, and if you would like us to take over the arrangements, send us the details.
Typical timeline
7-14 days
FCDO 24hr helpline
+44 (0)20 7008 5000
A Straightforward Repatriation Route, With One Key Exception
Portugal is one of the more manageable European repatriation destinations. The large, established British community in the Algarve (concentrated around Faro, Albufeira, Lagos, and the broader Tavira region) means that experienced English-speaking funeral directors are available, the paperwork is familiar, and the process is well-trodden. Many Algarve funeral directors handle British repatriations routinely and know what UK funeral homes need before they are even asked.
The certidão de óbito (death certificate) does not show the cause of death, and a multilingual version is available under EU convention. Faro Airport has direct connections to more UK regional airports than Lisbon does for Algarve deaths, which can save meaningful time and money on cargo routing.
The Public Prosecutor Can Intervene
Portugal’s Ministério Público (public prosecutor) has authority to order a post-mortem examination for sudden, suspicious, violent, or unexplained deaths. This is broadly similar to Spain’s system. If the prosecutor intervenes, the body cannot be released until the examination is complete and authorisation is granted. Timeline impact: typically one to four weeks on top of the standard process.
Natural deaths in a hospital setting, where cause of death is clear and documented, move through the system without prosecutor involvement and can be completed in seven to ten days.
Madeira and the Azores: The Island Addition
Deaths on the island of Madeira or in the Azores archipelago require an internal transport step before international repatriation can begin. Madeira has its own airport with direct UK connections, which reduces but does not eliminate the complication. The Azores are more remote. A death on São Miguel or any of the other eight Azores islands will require more time and planning than a Lisbon or Algarve death. Allow additional days and a higher budget from the outset.
August, and the Quieter Summer Approach
Portugal’s summer holiday season brings the same August slowdowns seen across southern Europe. Governo offices reduce staffing and response times lengthen. For a standard natural death in the Algarve, this is manageable because Algarve funeral directors are used to operating year-round for a British clientele. For deaths in less tourist-dense areas of Portugal (rural Alentejo or northern cities outside of Porto and Lisbon) expect slower response in July and August.
Sources: FCDO Portugal guidance (updated November 2024); Instituto dos Registos e do Notariado, Portuguese civil registration procedures; British Embassy Lisbon guidance.
First things first
What to do in the first 24 hours
The immediate period after a death abroad is disorienting. Here are the steps in the order they normally need to happen.
Contact local emergency services
Contact emergency services (112 for all emergencies). A doctor must certify the death and issue a certificate of death (certificado de obito). If death occurs outside a hospital, contact the local PSP (Policia de Seguranca Publica) in urban areas or GNR (Guarda Nacional Republicana) in rural areas. Contact the British Embassy in Lisbon.
Local emergency number: 112
Contact the embassy or consulate
Tell the embassy or consulate of your loved one's own country as soon as possible. It can register the death, give you a list of local funeral directors and explain what the local authorities will need.
For British nationals, that is the British Embassy in Lisbon.
Embassy: +351 21 392 4000
British nationals, FCDO 24hr: +44 (0)20 7008 5000
Appoint a local funeral director
A local funeral director in Portugal will take care of the body, arrange embalming, obtain the necessary documents, and coordinate with airlines. The embassy can recommend accredited directors. You can also contact a specialist UK repatriation company, who will coordinate with a local partner on your behalf.
Contact your travel insurer
If your loved one had travel insurance with repatriation cover, contact the insurer immediately. They will often have an emergency assistance line and may appoint their own funeral director. Many policies cover the full cost of repatriation, subject to the limit set out in the policy schedule.
Gather the required documents
Repatriation from Portugal requires specific paperwork before a body can be transported. Your local funeral director will handle most of this.
- Portuguese death certificate (certidao de obito, multilingual if possible)
- Embalming certificate
- Freedom from infection certificate
- Passport of deceased (or copy)
- Transit authorisation from Portuguese health authority
- Airline cargo documentation
Documentation typically takes 3-7 days for full documentation to complete.
Official support
British Embassy in Lisbon
The embassy can provide information and a list of local funeral directors, but they cannot arrange or pay for repatriation. Contact them early to register the death with consular services.
Rua de Sao Bernardo 33, 1249-082 Lisbon
What the embassy can do
What the embassy cannot do
What to expect
How long does it take?
Factors that can extend the timeline
- Post-mortem investigation (prosecutor involvement)
- Death in Madeira or Azores (adds internal transport leg)
- Weekend or public holiday closures
- August holiday season (reduced staffing, similar to Spain)
- Remote rural areas with limited English-speaking funeral directors
- Missing documents or identification issues
Cost guide
What affects the cost?
Nobody publishes a reliable figure for Portugal alone. Our cost page sets out the ranges repatriation firms publish, each named and dated. What you pay turns on the specifics of the case.
| Where the death happened | Distance to the departure airport, and any island or overland transfer, changes the freight arrangement |
| Whether a post-mortem is ordered | An investigation holds the release and adds mortuary time |
| Documentation required | Portugal paperwork, translation, and any legalisation step |
| Coffin and preparation | Airline and destination rules dictate what is needed |
| Flight availability | Direct services cost less to arrange than multi-leg cargo routing |
| Insurance | Whether a policy covers repatriation, and up to what limit |
Send us the details and we will give you a figure for your case, with no obligation.
If a post-mortem is required
Post mortem ordered by the public prosecutor (Ministerio Publico) if death is sudden, violent, suspicious, or cause of death is unknown.. Can delay repatriation by 1-4 weeks. Prosecutor must authorise release of the body.
Post-mortems in Portugal are conducted by Instituto Nacional de Medicina Legal e Ciencias Forenses (INMLCF).
Common questions
Questions families ask about deaths in Portugal
Repatriation from Portugal typically takes 7-14 days. The fastest cases complete in 5-7 days where nothing is contested. Cases involving a post-mortem or a police investigation can take 3-6 weeks.
We do not publish a figure for Portugal, because the cost turns on the specifics of the case. What moves it is where the death happened, whether an investigation must conclude first, the documentation Portugal requires, and the flight routing available. Send us the details and we will price your case, with no obligation.
British Embassy in Lisbon must be notified. Portugal also has a consulate in Portimao (Algarve), which handles a significant proportion of British death cases due to the large expat community in the region.
Cremation is available in Portugal. Available in Lisbon, Porto, and most major cities. Growing availability. The Algarve has cremation facilities. Where cremation has taken place, ashes can usually be carried to the UK in hand luggage with the cremation certificate, which is the least costly way to bring someone home. Do NOT cremate abroad if a UK coroner may need to hold an inquest. Cremation destroys evidence.
Good flight connectivity between Portugal and the UK, particularly from Faro to multiple UK regional airports. This makes Algarve repatriations relatively straightforward logistically. TAP Air Portugal has dedicated cargo capacity. Madeira and Azores deaths add an internal transport leg to Lisbon.
The documents required from Portugal are: Portuguese death certificate (certidao de obito, multilingual if possible), Embalming certificate, Freedom from infection certificate, Passport of deceased (or copy), Transit authorisation from Portuguese health authority, Airline cargo documentation. Portuguese bureaucracy is generally efficient for repatriation, similar to Spain. The availability of multilingual death certificates simplifies the process. Algarve funeral directors experienced with British repatriations can often expedite paperwork. Documentation typically takes 3-7 days for full documentation. Your local funeral director gathers most of this on your behalf.
Full repatriation guide for Portugal
Detailed information on the full repatriation process, embassy contacts, what affects the cost, cultural considerations, and more.
View full guideCremation in Portugal
If local cremation is the right choice for your family, our country guide covers the documentation, airline rules, and costs.
Cremation guideSend us the details
If you need someone to take over the arrangements, tell us what has happened. We arrange repatriation from Portugal to the UK, Ireland or any other country.
Send an enquiryTell us what has happened in Portugal
Send us the details and we will explain what happens next and prepare a quote for bringing your loved one home, to the UK, Ireland or any other country.
Reviewed by the Repatriate Service editorial team. Information sourced from UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) guidance, official embassy contacts, and professional repatriation experience. Facts last checked September 2026; page updated .
Official lists for Portugal
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
- Lawyers, where an estate or an investigation needs local legal advice
Sources: FCDO gov.uk · Repatriation from Portugal · Frequently asked questions