Meta: Getting inheritance, applying for citizen ship or for any other purpose, a certified copy of a death certificate may be a requirement.

Certified Death Certificate

Death Certificates in the United States are managed by the state vital records office. Ideally, when you plan to use the document in a foreign country, or you are planning to transport a casket or an urn abroad for a funeral you must obtain a certified copy of death certificate. As a rule, the document must be a recently issued certified copy.

Certified Copy of a Death Certificate is fundamentally different from the original document. It has a number of critical features which are required for foreign use. In some states it may come in form of exemplification while in others as a “pen-in-hand” signed document. Getting a certified copy can be a burden, due to a number of factors. First of all, you must be an immediate family member to obtain the document. Second, you must apply through the appropriate government agency, after you do all your research and spend hours on the phone getting the information.

It is, however, possible to have someone else to get the document for you. However, you must be legally eligible to obtain the document and you will have to provide a notarized power of attorney allowing you representative to obtain the document for you.