TOOL · THE FIRST MINUTES
Death emergency guide
When death comes unexpectedly, the first minutes matter. Choose below where the death occurred and see the exact steps to take now — who to call, which document to obtain, and what not to do. For anything unclear, we answer day and night, one phone call away.
Where did the death occur?
Immediate steps
- Call 112. If the death was expected (long illness), the family doctor may attend.
- Wait for the medical confirmation of death and the death-confirmation certificate.
- Call us — we collect from home and start all the paperwork.
- Key document
- The medical death-confirmation certificate
- Collection
- We come to the home, with respect and discretion, at any hour.
Do not move or prepare the deceased until the death has been officially confirmed.
Immediate steps
- The attending doctor confirms the death and issues the confirmation certificate.
- The deceased is usually taken to the hospital morgue.
- Freely choose the funeral home and call us — we collect from the morgue.
- Key document
- The confirmation certificate issued by the attending doctor
- Collection
- We collect from any hospital morgue, without the family handling the release.
You have full freedom to choose the funeral home. No hospital can force you to use a particular firm.
Immediate steps
- The care-home staff call a doctor to confirm the death.
- Ask for the confirmation certificate and notify the family.
- Call us — we collect from the home and handle the paperwork.
- Key document
- The medical death-confirmation certificate
- Collection
- We collect from any care or residential home, at any hour.
You are not obliged to use the firm suggested by the home. The choice of funeral home is yours.
Immediate steps
- Call 112. The police and a medical team attend.
- The case goes to forensic medicine (IML); an autopsy may be ordered.
- The body is released after the prosecutor's clearance. We coordinate from the first call.
- Key document
- The forensic certificate and the prosecutor's burial clearance
- Collection
- We coordinate with the forensic institute and prosecutor; we collect as soon as the body is released.
In a sudden, violent, or unexplained death, an autopsy may be mandatory, extending the timeline by a few days.
Immediate steps
- Contact the Romanian consulate in that country and a funeral home for repatriation.
- The local death certificate and the transport authorization (mortuary passport) are obtained.
- Call us — we coordinate the repatriation of the coffin or urn to Romania.
- Key document
- The local death certificate and the mortuary passport (transport authorization)
- Collection
- We handle both ends — the foreign side and the Romanian side — through a single coordinator.
Procedures differ by country. See the repatriation country pages for the specific steps.
We answer the phone day and night.
AT A GLANCE, BY SITUATION
The first step, by location
Wherever the death occurred, the first step is the medical confirmation. The table below summarizes who to call and which document to obtain. In every case, after the confirmation, you call us and we take over.
| Where | First step | Key document |
|---|---|---|
| WhereAt home | First stepCall 112 (or the family doctor) | Key documentConfirmation certificate |
| WhereAt hospital | First stepThe attending doctor confirms death | Key documentConfirmation certificate |
| WhereCare home | First stepStaff call a doctor | Key documentConfirmation certificate |
| WhereOn the street or another public place | First stepCall 112; the police attend | Key documentForensic certificate + prosecutor clearance |
| WhereAbroad | First stepContact the consulate + repatriation | Key documentLocal death certificate + mortuary passport |
FREQUENT QUESTIONS
In the first hours
What do I do in the first minutes after a death?
It depends on the location. At home, call 112 to confirm the death. In a hospital or care home, a doctor confirms it. Then call us — we collect and start the paperwork. The tool above shows the exact steps for each situation.
Who do I call first if someone dies at home?
Call 112. If the death was expected, after a long illness, the family doctor may attend to confirm it. Do not move the deceased until the death has been officially confirmed.
Can I choose the funeral home if the death was in hospital?
Yes, you have full freedom. No hospital or care home can force you to use a particular funeral firm. This practice is prohibited. The choice is yours.
What happens in a sudden or violent death?
Call 112; the police and a medical team attend. The case goes to forensic medicine and an autopsy may be ordered. The body is released after the prosecutor's clearance, and the timeline may extend by a few days.
Does this tool replace a phone call?
No. It guides you through the first minutes, but every case is different. We answer day and night and guide you step by step, free of charge, from the first call.
WE'RE HERE, NOW
Call us — we'll guide you step by step
We answer in under a minute, day and night. We tell you exactly what to do now and take over coordination from the first call.