What to do if someone dies in Czech Republic

Prague is one of the most visited city break destinations in Europe. British visitors are frequent, and deaths in the Czech Republic are a regular occurrence for UK repatriation specialists. The process is well-defined and, for natural cause deaths, is among the more efficient EU repatriations.

Step 1: Notify the British Embassy Prague

The British Embassy in Prague must be notified immediately. Address: Thunovska 14, 118 00 Prague 1. Phone: +420 257 402 111. FCDO 24-hour emergency line: +44 1908 516666.

Do not wait until business hours. The Embassy’s consular team will register the death with UK authorities and advise on next steps.

Step 2: Matrika death registration

Deaths are registered at the local Matrika (registry office) in the district where the death occurred. The Umrtni list (death certificate) is issued in Czech. For hospital deaths in Prague, this process is typically handled by the hospital administration and is relatively quick.

For unnatural deaths, the police are notified immediately. The case is referred to the State Prosecutor’s Office, which decides whether a forensic post-mortem is required.

Step 3: State Prosecutor and forensic post-mortem

When the State Prosecutor orders a post-mortem, the Institute of Forensic Medicine conducts the examination. Prague has the main institute. Regional centres across Bohemia and Moravia have capacity for standard examinations.

The Prosecutor’s post-mortem is mandatory for all sudden, violent, or undiagnosed deaths regardless of apparent cause. An unexplained death at a hotel or on the street will always trigger this process. Results typically arrive within 5 to 10 days of the examination. The Prosecutor must formally authorise the body’s release before embalming can proceed.

Step 4: Embalming and laissez-passer

Embalming is mandatory for international repatriation from the Czech Republic under the Council of Europe Agreement on the Transfer of Corpses (Strasbourg, 1973 — ETS No. 080). The laissez-passer is issued by the Ministry of Interior or delegated regional authority.

The laissez-passer application requires: the Umrtni list, embalming certificate, freedom from contagious disease clearance (issued by the regional public health authority). With all documents in order, the laissez-passer is typically issued within 2 to 5 days.

Step 5: Air freight to the UK

Vaclav Havel Airport Prague (PRG) has direct flights to London Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, and other UK airports. British Airways, easyJet, and Ryanair all serve this route. The frequency of direct flights is an advantage: cargo bookings are rarely delayed by flight availability.

For deaths in Brno or other Czech cities, transfer to PRG by road or domestic transport is standard.

Certified translations

All Czech documentation is in Czech and requires certified translation for UK use. Your repatriation specialist will arrange this. Factor it into your expected timeline. It does not add significant time if arranged alongside the air cargo booking. Source: FCDO guidance on death in Czech Republic; Council of Europe Agreement ETS No. 080; Czech Civil Registry Act (2023).