Overview
Arranging for Funeral
Most people engage a funeral director to help with funeral arrangements.
You will need to decide:
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which funeral director or service to engage;
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the location of the funeral wake
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the duration of the funeral wake
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whether to arrange for a burial or cremation
First Steps
Report the Death
First and foremost, when someone is deceased, it's important to let the right people know as quickly as you can. Depend on how the death had occur, different authorities will need to be contacted. Each situation will be handled differently, depending on whether the death happened at home or in the hospital:
Once the death has been certified, you can download the digital death certificate. Use the death certificate to apply for a cremation or burial permit. You can choose to do this yourself, or engage a funeral director for help.
Cause of Death is Unknown or Unnatural
If the cause of death is unknown or unnatural (i.e. death is unknown, unexplained, unnatural or violent) further investigation will be required to determine the cause of death.
In such cases, the doctor will need to report the death to the police, who will then refer the case to the coroner. The police will have to send the deceased body to the Mortuary@HSA for further investigation where the coroner will review the case and determine if an autopsy is required.
Each coroner's case will have a Police Investigating Officer (IO) assigned. The investigation officer will interview the family members of the deceased and guide them on the necessary procedures. After submitting the required documents, the family can claim the deceased's body and download the digital death certificate online.
Items to bring when claiming the deceased's body:
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all medical documents relating to the deceased
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all medicine consumed by the deceased
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the deceased's identification documents (NRIC and/or passport)
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your identification documents (NRIC or passport)
These document should be provided to the IO prior going to the Mortuary@HSA.
Location of the Mortuary@HSA:
Singapore General Hospital, Block 9
Outram Road
Singapore 169608
Death occurance in a Hospital
The hospital will certify the death online and submit the information online to the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA), if the cause of death is known and from natural causes (otherwise please refer to above - Cause of Death is Unkown or Unnatural)
Death occurance at Home
If the person who died was elderly or ill and was recently treated by a doctor, the first call should be to that doctor that had recently treated the person— he or she may be able to verify the cause of death. Otherwise, contact your family doctor, or any neighbourhood GP to make a house call. In the event that no doctor is available to make the house call, you can consider getting help from a funeral director or the police.
The doctor will check and confirm the cause of death If the cause of death is known and from natural causes, the doctor will certify the death online and submit the information online to ICA (otherwise please refer to "Cause of Death is Unknown or Unnatural" above).
After Death Certification
Once the death has been certified, you can download the digital death certificate. Use the death certificate to apply for a cremation or burial permit. You can choose to do this yourself, or engage a funeral director for help.
Final Notes:
If a loved one has just passed on, it can be an overwhelming and emotionally difficult task for the family members to deal with the deceased’s estate. Lasting Chapter Funeral Directories provides an overview of the available Funeral Directors whom can assist your loved ones in the arrangement of their final journey.
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