How and where to get a duplicate (copy) of a death certificate, how to restore a lost document

A death certificate is an important document that is often necessary to obtain. This is due to the termination of rights to the property of the deceased, the emergence of certain rights among relatives, and other legal nuances - registration of payments, pensions, benefits, etc.

Since such a certificate is the only official confirmation of the death of a citizen, in case of loss it is necessary to immediately take measures to restore it. Read below how to do this correctly.

Who can obtain a duplicate death certificate

• Relatives - only relatives of the deceased have the right to apply to the registry office for a copy/duplicate.
• Exceptions - however, the Law “On Civil Status Acts” allows for some exceptions:

Example: if the citizen to whom the original death document was issued also died. Then his heir or relative who has a legal interest can contact the registry office, where they can obtain a duplicate of the death certificate. In this case, it is necessary to provide evidence of relationship, as well as documents confirming interest.

Example: if a son lost his father’s death certificate and subsequently also died, then the document confirming the death of the deed can be re-received by the grandson.

• Interested person - any interested person whose rights are affected in any way can also apply for a duplicate.

Example: if the deceased was registered at the place of residence of an unauthorized person, then in certain cases the owner of the property may need confirmation of the fact of death.

Why do you need a duplicate?

The need for a duplicate arises in the following cases:

• The original is significantly damaged, the information on it is impossible to recognize.
• The original paper is so worn that it is unreadable: the text, signatures and seals are not clearly visible.
• The original is destroyed or irretrievably lost.
• The interested person cannot receive the original, which is in the possession of other relatives with whom a serious conflict occurred.

Even if the original is intact, the registry office can provide a duplicate. This opportunity is relevant for citizens who need a death certificate to resolve various legal issues, but it is not available to them. An official duplicate issued by the Civil Registry Office has the same legal force as the original document.

Where to apply for a second death certificate

To the registry office where the original certificate was received (see how to obtain a death certificate).

The question arises: if the heirs do not know where it was issued, then which department will issue the duplicate?

In such cases, you should contact the registry office at the last place of residence of the deceased. If there is a copy of the lost death certificate, then you should pay attention to the name and location of the civil registry office.

If the document was issued in another city?

There are situations when it is known that a lost death document was issued in another city. Then, if it is not possible to come to receive a duplicate copy, you can issue a notarized power of attorney to another person. In addition, the law allows sending an application from another city by post (registered mail), through the MFC (in those cities where they exist), as well as the government services portal.

In such situations, the issuance of a second confirmation of death will occur at the location of the registry office where the applicant lives.

At the moment, a unified civil registry office database is being launched throughout the country, so soon you will be able to contact any civil registry office branch .

How to obtain a duplicate death certificate via the Internet, Unified portal of public services

To do this you need:

• Follow the link to the government services website.
• Fill out a special form in which you indicate: the registry office where the original certificate was issued;
• your passport details, address, full name;
• Full name of the deceased, date and place of death;
• Details of the original (number, series) – if a copy has been preserved;
• Email to which information and notifications will be sent;
• The postal address of the registry office where you intend to receive a duplicate.

Step-by-step instructions for filling out the application

So, let's move on to the actual execution of the application in electronic form. First you need to register on the unified portal of government services:

1. Find the official website of the service.
2. In the main window, click the button to register a new account.

3. After this, you will see a form to fill out, in which you should indicate your first and last name, cell phone number and email address.

4. Next, the system will send a security authorization code to the specified contact in the form of an SMS. Enter the resulting numbers in the appropriate field.
5. Now create a new password and remember it. If lost, you will have to restore it using SNILS or a passport.
6. You will find yourself in the main menu of the portal. At the moment you only have a simplified account. To create a standard one, go to your personal account and enter your passport data, SNILS and other documents.

7. After this, the departments will automatically reconcile the specified information; if everything matches, an alert will be sent from the service.
8. The last stage consists of a personal visit to any branch of the MFC or passport office in order to obtain a confirmed account. Be sure to take your passport with you.
9. From now on, you have access to all services on the resource.

Let's move on to obtaining a death certificate:

1. In the main window, find the available services tab.
2. Select the “Family and Children” section from the list.
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3. Find the family changes tab and click on registering a death certificate.

4. In the next window, select the appropriate function.

5. Carefully read the restrictions and features of the provision, click on the receive button src=»https://gosuslugiportal.ru/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/blobid1549537273493.png» class=»aligncenter» width=»618″ height=»534 ″[/img]
6. After this you will see a form to fill out.

7. First of all, the personal data of the applicant and his passport are indicated.

8. In the next field there is information about registration and place of residence.
9. Enter the name and date of birth of the deceased.

10. If the deceased had a passport, enter its number and series. If this is not available, do not fill out the lines.
11. Enter the date and place of death of the citizen.

12. Indicate information from the medical report card, as well as information about the clinic or morgue.

13. At the last stage, indicate the exact address of the registry office where a duplicate death certificate will be issued.

14. Submit your application for consideration.

15. The final step is to pay the government fee. Enter your bank card details and confirm the debiting of funds.

Documents for certificate restoration

We recommend that you stock up on the following documents in advance:

• a copy of your passport (bring the original with you for verification);
• a copy of the lost death certificate (if any);
• receipt of payment of state duty;
• confirmation of relationship or interest in receiving a copy (such documents may be: marriage certificate, birth certificate, etc.).

At the registry office you will be asked to fill out a standard application (form No. 23):

Sample application for a duplicate

To the Civil Registry Office_________________ from Petrov I.I., residing at the address: Moscow, lane. Griboyedova, 1, apt. 1, passport series___No____________, issued _________________, “__”_______ 2010.

STATEMENT

I ask you to issue a second death certificate for Igor Mikhailovich Petrov, date of death - “__”_____________________2016. Place of death______________________ Place of state registration - civil registry office of the ____________________ district of Moscow. Date of state registration “__”________________________, No. _____. The document is required ________________________________ (specify why). Number __________, ____________signature.

Please note that in the last line you need to indicate the reason for the repeated application (the document is lost, torn, lost, etc.).

Nuances of document preparation

In the event of the death of any relative at home, there is a strict procedure for establishing the event from the legal side and documenting it. Many people, unfortunately, do not know who issues the death certificate. If there is suspicion and external signs of death, the “Emergency Aid” team is called, which examines the body and records the fact of death. The ambulance doctor issues a certificate indicating the time of examination.

Then a call is made to the police. After inspection by a representative of the law, a protocol is drawn up in which all injuries (if any) must be recorded for the purpose of violent death. A transport service is then called to transport the body to the morgue. The pathologist performs an autopsy, makes a final diagnosis and issues a certificate of death.

In some cases, when the patient has been registered at the clinic for a long time, relatives may not call the ambulance, but call the attending physician, who will give an opinion on the death. Transportation workers must submit the following documents:

• ID of the deceased;
• compulsory medical insurance policy;
• a certificate issued by an ambulance doctor;
• inspection report by a police officer;
• medical record if she was at home.

Time frame for consideration of the issue of restoration of a death certificate

• one day to receive a duplicate death certificate . If you collect all the documents in advance and pay the state fee, then, provided that you personally contact the civil registry office where the original was issued, the applicant will receive a duplicate document within an hour (according to the official regulations, within 63 minutes).
• It’s another matter if the records of registration of the fact of death are not preserved in the archive, if they cannot find data on the issuance of the original, the application was sent from another city. In the listed cases, consideration of the application will take a month .
• If the original copy has not been preserved, then you need to contact the regional executive authority, which has access to all regional archival records stored in written or electronic form.

Grounds for refusal to issue a duplicate copy

A refusal to issue a duplicate death certificate can be considered justified only if the following reasons exist:

• the absence of any information about the citizen in the registry office where, according to your information, the initial registration of the fact of death took place;
• the applicant did not confirm the legitimacy of his interest in obtaining a duplicate of such an important document;
• the applicant did not submit documents included in the mandatory list.

The refusal is issued in writing and handed to the applicant personally against signature (or sent by mail if he did not appear). After reading the reasons for the refusal, you can try to apply again, eliminating the comments that are set out in the document.

Example : a wife was denied a second death certificate for her husband due to lack of confirmation of the marital relationship. If the applicant applies again with a similar application and does not forget to attach a copy of the marriage certificate, then they will no longer be able to refuse to issue her a duplicate. In this case, the state fee will need to be paid again.

If you consider the refusal to issue you a copy of the death registration as unfounded, you can apply to the court to recognize the actions of the registry office employees as illegal with a request to oblige them to issue a copy of the original.

When is refusal possible?

An applicant may be refused in the following situations:

• It is impossible to obtain information about the death of a person, and even in the regional archive there is no proper information.
• The registry office doubted the legality of the request and the applicant’s right to receive a duplicate.
• The registry office considered the reason for the request not convincing enough.
• The provided package of documents is insufficiently complete.

The refusal is transmitted to the applicant in writing in person or through Russian Post. Further, he has the right to act as follows:

• Fill in the gap, for example, add missing documents, and resubmit the request. You will have to pay the state fee again, since it is not refundable if you refuse.
• Apply to the court with a request to declare the actions of the refusing registry office illegal. The claim should indicate the essence of the claim and describe in detail the refusal of the registry office. You also need to convincingly prove why the duplicate is necessary.