Helpline
WHAT
TO DO WHEN SOMEBODY DIES IN
WHAT TO DO WHEN SOMEBODY DIES IN ANDORRA as Pdf file 36Kb
FIRST
STEPS:
1. If the death occurs at home:
a.
Call the regular
doctor – they can then come round, confirm the death and prepare the
certificate of confirmation (unless they decide an autopsy is needed)
b. If outside regular surgery hours – dial 116 (if necessary ask for
somebody who speaks English) – tell them a death has occurred – they will send
a doctor who can confirm the death and prepare the certificate of confirmation
(unless they decide an autopsy is needed)
c.
Also call a funeral
company directly (see list below) or if outside regular business hours call
831236 or 807180 for 24 hour “on duty” funeral company service.
d. Find the deceased’s residencia and passport
for doctor and funeral company to take correct details.
e.
Give the funeral
company the certificate of confirmation of death; the funeral company will take
the body to the mortuary at the hospital and then be prepared to think about
funeral arrangements
2. If the death occurs at the hospital:
a.
A certificate of
confirmation of death is issued (by the duty doctor)
b. The “on duty” funeral company will take the body to the hospital
mortuary; the use of a funeral company for this service does not imply that
this funeral company has to be used for any further services.
c.
The funeral company
will need to see the deceased’s passport and residencia
to take correct details and will also take the certificate of confirmation of
death
Note
– it is important that the correct details are taken – be aware that women who
are or have been married will generally be known to the hospital by their
maiden names – which may cause initial confusion compared to passport details.
In
order to carry out the “official” processes they provide,
the funeral company will need the passport and residencia
of the deceased.
The
funeral company will also require a set of suitable clothes for the deceased.
Note that it is normal for the body to be displayed in a glass topped casket at
the mortuary and for members of the family to be in attendance while friends
and neighbours come to pay their last respects. This
is a local custom that is not obligatory – but arrangements will be made for
this unless they are specifically stopped.
ARRANGING
A FUNERAL:
It
is customary in
The
funeral companies have experience of dealing with foreigners and the
It
is recommended that unless a local catholic funeral service (in Catalan or
Spanish – the languages spoken by the local parish priests), followed by burial
or cremation locally, is the appropriate choice, contact be made via one of the
church wardens to find the most suitable arrangements.
Note
that cremation is now common in Andorra – and may be a suitable alternative to
local burial in a “niche” which is generally only reserved for a limited number
of years (and then the remains are removed) as only Andorrans and certain long
term residents may purchase a niche (nínxol).
The
following are “normal” arrangements that have been made on various occasions
for members of the English Speaking resident community:
1. Church funeral service in English taken by a visiting Anglican chaplain
– this type of service needs be arranged through the church wardens (see above);
the service itself may be held in the hospital chapel or a local parish church.
2. Church funeral service mainly in English but with Spanish (or Catalan)
spoken by the local parish priest – this type of service is essentially non
denominational and can include a variety of hymns, music, readings, etc as
required); members of the chaplaincy council have considerable experience of
helping arrange these services; the service itself may be held in the hospital
chapel or a local parish church.
3. Non religious funeral ceremony at a local hotel; certain members of the
chaplaincy council have experience of helping arrange these ceremonies.
4. Memorial services in English conducted by a visiting Anglican chaplain –
this type of service needs be arranged through the church wardens (see above) and
would normally be held in a local parish church.
Following
the funeral service it is customary for the family to accompany the body to the
cemetery for burial (in a “niche” rather than a grave – the opening and sealing
of the niche is not often an uplifting experience) or to the crematorium for
cremation (as there is no ceremony here this again is not an uplifting
experience – it is a very “mechanical” procedure as cremation takes place).
Again, it is customary but the funeral company can do this without the presence
of the family.
Receptions
are commonly arranged after the funeral at local hotels. These can be simple or
elaborate. It is possible to combine a non religious funeral ceremony and
reception at the same location.
More
details of contacts are given below with additional information. For further advice
contact one of the Helpline volunteers directly – they can help you fund the
right person to talk with.
THE
“OFFICIAL” PROCESSES:
The
funeral director will carry out the following (as part of the standard service
provided) but will need both passport and residencia
for some of the formalities:
-
Registry of the death
at the Civil registry and obtaining of the death certificate (note – request at
least two originals and some copies – many later processes require the
production of the death certificate)
-
Notification to the Comu of the death (to remove the deceased from the register
of inhabitants only)
-
Arranging for the
funeral (assuming a normal local catholic service and burial or cremation is
required all costs are included except the fee for the parish priest)
-
Mechanical
arrangements for any cemetery (obtaining of keys, opening and sealing of
niches)
See
the separate notes “things that have to be done after obtaining the death
certificate” – but do not rush these as (for instance) bank accounts are “frozen”
on notification of death and a number of services will be needed for some time
after the death (eg electricity, telephone, etc).
Think about what they imply and then act.
Probate
– this may well be a complex situation and separate thought needs be given to
this. Note that it is a notary that issues probate here and it is necessary to
determine whether:
-
There is an Andorran
will – which will be used to obtain local probate with the death certificate, a
certificate obtained by the notary that no other Andorran will has been
registered, and a certificate from the
country of nationality of the deceased that there is no other will deposited
there (this is an impossibility for UK passport holders born in England or
Wales and for passport holders from many “Anglo Saxon” countries – the notary
may in these cases may require probate of the Andorran will in the country of
nationality before issuing local probate or may accept that this certificate
does not exist – the practice varies among notaries – see notes on Notaries
below).
-
There is no Andorran
will – to deal with Andorran property local probate will be required from an
Andorran notary using the foreign probate and will (both translated into
Spanish or Catalan by an official translator and apostilled
under the Hague Convention) and the original death certificate; the notary will
also require a local certificate stating that no will has been drawn up and
registered in Andorra (which he will obtain). Note that local banks will need
exactly the same data for their legal departments – ie
it is probably worthwhile going via the notary to obtain local probate as that
will enable all local assets to be dealt with directly.
Individual
advice will almost certainly need to be taken here. A number of residents have used
Nadia Aleix (820233) who speaks English and whose father
was a notary to help them. Simon Binsted (324252) directly as
a licensed gestor himself and via the company Servissim has also been used by a number of residents here.
Servissim has been providing a gestor
service for resident property owners for many years that specifically includes services that would be needed in the event of a
death.
Note
that notaries deal with the heirs (there is generally no figure of executor in
an Andorran will) and that heirs are required to either attend in person to
accept the legacy on certification of the will (ie
probate) or sign a certificate of acceptance which has to be notarized,
officially translated and apostilled and delivered to
the notary. Also, where the executor is not a resident or the beneficiary is
not a resident somebody locally will almost certainly need powers of attorney
to do things officially here – which have to be granted in front of a notary. Notarial fees are
based on standard tables of fees for specific documents and services and also
on the value of the estate – so certain fees may appear high where a valuable
property is the main asset for instance.
NOTES:
Costs
– assuming rental of a niche in a lower
priced parish, a simple coffin, mortuary fees, funeral company fees, some
flowers, a local church funeral service with an organist and the a simple
headstone, total funeral costs are likely to be in the region of €2,500 to
€3,000. With cremation (and an urn) instead of niche and headstone the funeral
costs are likely to be in the region of € 2,000 to €2,500.
Funeral
companies:
-
Funeraria Sixto (
-
Pompes Funebres Andorranes
(
-
Pompes Funebres de las
Valls (Andorra la Vella) – 866632
-
P Marsenyach
(Encamp) – 831236 (have somebody available who does speak English)
Flowers
– are not obligatory or included in the funeral company pricing – they will buy
for you though (wreaths start at close to €100) – it is normal for flowers from
relatives and friends to be delivered to the funeral company (florists normally
provide this service) – flowers for the chapel or church have to be separately
purchased and arranged by the family.
Headstones
– these are not obligatory in cemeteries but can be arranged for after the
funeral via the funeral company which will also advise on any specific
parochial regulations about them.
Niches
(nínxols) – the prices vary widely between the parishes
and the normal rental period is only six years (eight in Escaldes);
the range of prices for rental is from around €500 to well over €1,000 depending
on the parish.
Notaries
– see the yellow pages; there are four notaries currently in practice; Bartumeu’s office has indicated that for his office foreign
probate is needed where a certificate of no other will existing cannot be
obtained; Ferrandiz’s office has granted local
probate for a long term resident with an Andorran will without any such formality;
Estañol’s office has accepted that for UK citizens
resident in Andorra with a clear Andorran “universal will”
probate will be granted
without any such formality.
Scattering
of ashes – there appears to be no local restriction on this being done; there are
restrictions in other countries (eg
Transporting
a body abroad – the funeral company is able to arrange this. Pricing varies
significantly depending on distance, airline used, etc. It is never cheap and
there are relevant formalities to consider here, in transportation and on
reception. It is much easier to remove ashes after a cremation. Note that
removal of the body (or even remains) of a