The Foundation’s legal team is committed to addressing the unconventional challenges encountered by IDPs. In line with this, we present a new guide to help you better understand your rights in the realm of social protection.
Recently, we were approached for guidance regarding securing a death certificate for an individual who passed away in a region temporarily outside Ukrainian government control. A 95-year-old woman passed away in Mariupol in May 2022 and was initially laid to rest in her home’s backyard. Only two of the five witnesses to the funeral are alive today, and both remain in the uncontrolled territories. The woman was exhumed and reinterred in June 2022, and her family was issued a local death certificate in Mariupol. Now, her daughter seeks to acquire a Ukrainian death certificate for her mother.
In this installment, we explain the process of proving a death occurred within the temporarily uncontrolled territories through the court and subsequently obtaining a death certificate from the registry office.
We inform affected people as part of the project, “Supporting the Capacity of the Social Protection System to Register Internally Displaced Persons,” supported by the UN Refugee Agency in Ukraine.
Question:
Is it possible to secure a death certificate for an individual who died in a territory temporarily outside Ukrainian government control?
Answer:
Yes, it is possible, provided there is a court ruling that confirms the individual’s death.
Explanation
To secure the certificate, you need to approach a local Ukrainian court, irrespective of your residential address. Your case will be considered promptly by the court.
Alternatively, you can also initiate your request through the Electronic Court website: https://id.court.gov.ua.
What documents do I need to submit to the court?
- A petition to confirm the death.
- Proof of the individual’s death.
- Copies of your identification document and the personal Tax ID number.
What information is required in the application?
- Commence the application with the statement: “I request confirmation of the death of an individual* in a territory temporarily outside Ukrainian government control” (*provide the deceased’s name, passport number, and personal Tax ID number).
- Explain why you are unable to secure a death certificate.
- Present evidence supporting the death.
What constitutes acceptable evidence of death?
Acceptable evidence includes:
- A death certificate issued in the territory temporarily outside Ukrainian government control.
- Written testimonies from eyewitnesses.
- Photographs from the burial site.
- Medical documents detailing the death.
- Other relevant documentation.
How should this evidence be presented?
You need to provide either original documents or certified copies. Only parties to the case possessing the original documents can supply copies. They must validate the copied document with their signature.
Important!
- You are entitled to approach the court even in the absence of a written denial from the registry office regarding the issuance of a death certificate.
- No court fees apply.
The court has issued a ruling to confirm the death.
How do I proceed to get a death certificate?
- Submit the following to the nearest registry office:
- An application.
- A copy of the court ruling (if available)*.
- Your Ukrainian citizen’s passport.
- The registry office will then issue the death certificate.
*State registration is carried out exclusively based on an electronic copy of the court ruling, resulting from information exchange between the Unified State Register of Court Decisions and the State Register of Civil Status Acts.
This guide was prepared by the Charity Foundation Stabilization Support Services, with funding from the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR). The sole responsibility for the content of this publication lies with the CO CF SSS, and it does not necessarily reflect the views of the Agency.
The information is valid as of May 30, 2023.