Someone Died in Peru: What to Do in the First 24 Hours

You're in a country where every form is in Spanish, every office has different hours, and the person who would normally help you navigate this is gone. The bureaucracy won't wait for your grief to subside — certain deadlines start ticking the moment death occurs.

Here's exactly what needs to happen, in order, in the first 24 hours.

Get the Medical Certificate of Death

This is the foundation document everything else depends on. In Peru, the Certificado de Defunción is issued through SINADEF (the national death information system) by the treating physician or the doctor who verifies the death.

If the death happened in a hospital or clinic, the attending physician enters the details into SINADEF and prints the certificate immediately. If the death happened at home under natural circumstances, you need to contact the treating physician or a local health centre doctor.

For suspicious, accidental, or violent deaths — including hiking accidents, traffic collisions, or any unattended death — the body goes to the Ministerio Público (Public Ministry) for a mandatory forensic autopsy. Family consent is not required. The forensic examiner issues the certificate after completing the examination.

Critical: Without this certificate, you cannot register the death, arrange a funeral, or begin any legal process.

Contact Your Embassy Immediately

Your embassy cannot represent you legally or manage assets, but they provide crucial immediate support:

• US Embassy Lima: (01) 618-2000 (24/7 emergency line), [email protected]
• British Embassy Lima: +51 (1) 617-3000
• Canadian Embassy: +51 (1) 319-3200

The US Embassy issues an electronic Consular Report of Death Abroad (CRODA, Form DS-2060) — the official American death record you'll need for Social Security, insurance claims, and probate proceedings back home.

Register the Death at RENIEC

Take the Medical Certificate of Death to any RENIEC office or authorized municipal civil registry — it doesn't matter which branch. Registration is free and creates the official Acta de Defunción (Death Act).

You'll need:

• The signed Medical Certificate of Death
• The deceased's DNI (national ID) or a sworn declaration of its loss
• Your passport or carné de extranjería

Once registered, the deceased's DNI gets permanently flagged — which triggers automatic bank account freezes within five to seven business days. Get multiple certified copies (S/ 10.30 each online, S/ 12.00 at RENIEC agents). You'll need at least five for insurance, banks, and the embassy.

Secure Your Own Safety

This is uncomfortable but necessary. If you've just arrived in Peru during a crisis:

• Never hail taxis on the street — use app-based services (Uber, InDrive, Cabify) or hotel-arranged cars
• Airport taxi desks inside the baggage hall are safe; everything outside is not
• Keep certified documents in your hotel safe, carry photocopies
• Motorcycle phone snatching is common in Lima — keep your phone in an interior pocket when walking

What Happens Next

After the first 24 hours, you'll face decisions about funeral arrangements versus repatriation, bank account access, and whether to begin the succession process. Each has its own timeline and requirements.

The Peru Expat Death Guide walks you through the complete sequence — from this emergency phase through the six-month subsidy filing deadlines and one-year insurance windows — with every form, fee, and phone number an English speaker needs.

Key Numbers to Save Right Now

The system in Peru is navigable, but it demands you act in the right order. Skip a step or file at the wrong office, and you'll lose weeks untangling the error.

Someone Died in Peru: English Speaker's Emergency Guide →