Living
Death Certificate & Registration
If a friend or family member passes away in New York, the circumstances of the death determine the steps you need to take. If the person dies alone, the moment the body is discovered you should call 911. (Please note that 911 should be called in the event of any emergency, for example, if you or someone you know is the victim of a crime, suffers from a heart attack or stroke, or has an accident that requires medical attention.) Explain to the 911 operator that someone has passed away, and the operator will immediately send the police and medical examiner to your home. After the investigation is completed, the medical examiner will release the body to be buried or cremated as the family sees fit.
If no investigation is necessary, the first call you need to make is to a funeral home. There are funeral homes of every religion and ethnicity in New York City, and they may be easily found by looking in the phone book directory or on the internet. If the person has died at home, the funeral home will pick up the body and bring it to their facility to prepare it for the burial service. If the person has died at the hospital, the family members can tell the hospital which funeral home they would like to use, and the hospital staff will make the call. You will also have to choose where you want the person to be buried. There are separate cemeteries for religious denominations, as well as non-denominational cemeteries, where people of all religions are interred.
Registering a Death
This procedure also depends on the circumstances of death. If the situation is such that the medical examiner must conduct an investigation, the Office of Medical Examiner will register the death with the New York City Office of Vital Records. If the body is going directly to a funeral home, the staff of the funeral home will collect the necessary information needed for the death certificate and will register the death. The deceased’s next-of-kin will receive a copy. If the deceased held a life insurance policy, the beneficiary of the policy will have to present proof of death to the insurance company. This will include the death certificate and a copy of the insurance policy. The beneficiary will have to present valid identification as well. For specific requirements you must check with the particular life insurance company.
Getting a Copy of a Death Certificate
You can obtain a copy of a death certificate, either by mail or in person, from the New York City Office of Vital Records. The cost is $15, payable by cheque or money order, made out to the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. If you are mailing it, you must include a request form or letter including the full name of the deceased, their gender, the date, place, and borough of death, their social Security Number, their mother’s maiden name, father’s name and spouse’s name, their age at time of death, the purpose for which you are requesting the certificate, your mailing address, and your relationship to the deceased. You can download the request form from the www.nyc.gov website or pick one up at The New York City Office of Vital Records, 125 Worth Street Box 4, Room 133, New York, NY 10013.
Either way, you must show photo identification – bring it with you to the office or include a copy if you mail the request. In addition, a mailed request must include a self-addressed stamped envelope.
If you are requesting the certificate on behalf of someone else, you must include with your documentation a notarised letter from that person authorising you to collect the certificate.
Investigation and Autopsy
There are certain circumstances under which an investigation into the death, including an autopsy, will be performed. The New York City Office of the Medical Examiner will perform an autopsy when there is evidence of criminal violence or suicide, when the deceased appeared in good health but died suddenly, when the deceased was unattended by a physician, or if the deceased died in prison. In other words, any time the death seems suspicious to law enforcement. In addition, an autopsy will be performed when the executor of the deceased’s will or next of kin applies for a cremation permit.
If the police conclude that the person died of natural causes, but you still have suspicions, you may hire a private investigator, and even a private pathologist, to check the matter out further.
Returning Deceased to the Country of Origin
Often when an immigrant or foreign-born citizen dies, his or her wishes include burial in the country of origin. In this case, many funeral homes will make the necessary arrangements. Please be aware that this involves several logistical issues. The procedure for this, including what documentation is needed, depends upon the rules of the country of origin. There will probably be consulate fees, special casket regulations, and air travel restrictions. Also, in addition to the already high cost of burials, you must be prepared to pay several thousand dollars more to have the deceased shipped for burial in another country. Make sure the funeral home you choose is experienced in this sort of procedure and is able to guide you through the process.
Organ Donation
Organ and tissue donors give an invaluable gift to thousands of sick individuals in need of a transplant every year. If you want to become an organ donor in New York, you must register with the New York Organ Donor Network. You can opt to be a donor on your driver’s licence or non-driver identification card. When you fill out the paperwork for your licence at the Department of Motor Vehicles, you must indicate that you want to donate your organs in the event of your death. Your status as a donor will then be marked on your identification card.
If no investigation is necessary, the first call you need to make is to a funeral home. There are funeral homes of every religion and ethnicity in New York City, and they may be easily found by looking in the phone book directory or on the internet. If the person has died at home, the funeral home will pick up the body and bring it to their facility to prepare it for the burial service. If the person has died at the hospital, the family members can tell the hospital which funeral home they would like to use, and the hospital staff will make the call. You will also have to choose where you want the person to be buried. There are separate cemeteries for religious denominations, as well as non-denominational cemeteries, where people of all religions are interred.
Registering a Death
This procedure also depends on the circumstances of death. If the situation is such that the medical examiner must conduct an investigation, the Office of Medical Examiner will register the death with the New York City Office of Vital Records. If the body is going directly to a funeral home, the staff of the funeral home will collect the necessary information needed for the death certificate and will register the death. The deceased’s next-of-kin will receive a copy. If the deceased held a life insurance policy, the beneficiary of the policy will have to present proof of death to the insurance company. This will include the death certificate and a copy of the insurance policy. The beneficiary will have to present valid identification as well. For specific requirements you must check with the particular life insurance company.
Getting a Copy of a Death Certificate
You can obtain a copy of a death certificate, either by mail or in person, from the New York City Office of Vital Records. The cost is $15, payable by cheque or money order, made out to the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. If you are mailing it, you must include a request form or letter including the full name of the deceased, their gender, the date, place, and borough of death, their social Security Number, their mother’s maiden name, father’s name and spouse’s name, their age at time of death, the purpose for which you are requesting the certificate, your mailing address, and your relationship to the deceased. You can download the request form from the www.nyc.gov website or pick one up at The New York City Office of Vital Records, 125 Worth Street Box 4, Room 133, New York, NY 10013.
Either way, you must show photo identification – bring it with you to the office or include a copy if you mail the request. In addition, a mailed request must include a self-addressed stamped envelope.
If you are requesting the certificate on behalf of someone else, you must include with your documentation a notarised letter from that person authorising you to collect the certificate.
Investigation and Autopsy
There are certain circumstances under which an investigation into the death, including an autopsy, will be performed. The New York City Office of the Medical Examiner will perform an autopsy when there is evidence of criminal violence or suicide, when the deceased appeared in good health but died suddenly, when the deceased was unattended by a physician, or if the deceased died in prison. In other words, any time the death seems suspicious to law enforcement. In addition, an autopsy will be performed when the executor of the deceased’s will or next of kin applies for a cremation permit.
If the police conclude that the person died of natural causes, but you still have suspicions, you may hire a private investigator, and even a private pathologist, to check the matter out further.
Returning Deceased to the Country of Origin
Often when an immigrant or foreign-born citizen dies, his or her wishes include burial in the country of origin. In this case, many funeral homes will make the necessary arrangements. Please be aware that this involves several logistical issues. The procedure for this, including what documentation is needed, depends upon the rules of the country of origin. There will probably be consulate fees, special casket regulations, and air travel restrictions. Also, in addition to the already high cost of burials, you must be prepared to pay several thousand dollars more to have the deceased shipped for burial in another country. Make sure the funeral home you choose is experienced in this sort of procedure and is able to guide you through the process.
Organ Donation
Organ and tissue donors give an invaluable gift to thousands of sick individuals in need of a transplant every year. If you want to become an organ donor in New York, you must register with the New York Organ Donor Network. You can opt to be a donor on your driver’s licence or non-driver identification card. When you fill out the paperwork for your licence at the Department of Motor Vehicles, you must indicate that you want to donate your organs in the event of your death. Your status as a donor will then be marked on your identification card.
