There are two ways to register a foreign death in Brazil. You can either start at a Brazilian Consulate and finish at the First Notary Office in Brasília, or you can go directly to the Brazilian notary office. In both cases, the process is similar to Registering Your Marriage in Brazil.

If you go to a Brazilian Consulate, they’ll issue a death certificate in Portuguese. The next step is to complete the “transcription” process at the notary office in Brazil by filing the original certificate provided by the Consulate. You’ll also need to provide copies of the deceased’s birth and marriage certificates.

If you prefer to go straight to the Brazilian notary office, prepare for more paperwork. Since you won’t have a certificate from a Consulate, you’ll have to complete a written request form. If necessary, the form can be submitted by a third party with a power of attorney. Originals and copies of other personal documents must also be provided, including the deceased’s foreign death certificate along with their birth and marriage certificates.

Remember that all foreign documents must be apostilled. Click on the link to read more about Notarization and Apostille of Documents for Use in Brazil. Once in Brazil, the documents must be translated to Portuguese by a certified public translator and registered with yet another notary office.

While the process is relatively straightforward, it does require careful attention to detail. If the process seems daunting, you can always hire a law firm or paralegal company to help.