Losing a family member is painful for everyone. Whether the death comes from illness, an accident or another misfortune, the heirs need to prepare a death letter or death deed once someone has passed away.
A death certificate is an administrative document that proves a person has been officially declared deceased.
Why Do You Need a Death Certificate?
You can use this certificate as a requirement for important matters such as death insurance claims.
The family can claim life insurance if the insured person has passed away. In addition, the heirs must also prepare the documents requested by the insurance provider.
Now you have a better understanding of what a death certificate or death deed is for. If you want to arrange a certificate for a deceased family member, please read the following guide:
Required Documents
Before you apply for this letter, you will need to prepare several documents first. These are the documents you need to prepare:
1. Introduction Letter
The first document you need is an introduction letter. To get this letter, go to the head of your neighborhood (RT) where you live. The RT head will issue the letter with their signature.
2. ID Card (KTP)
Prepare the national identity card (KTP) of the deceased family member. You can bring the original and a photocopy if needed.
3. Family Card (KK)
The next document to prepare before applying for the death certificate is the Family Card (KK). If you and the deceased family member have different family cards, use the family card of the deceased person.
4. Hospital Statement
If your family member died in a hospital, ask the doctor or hospital staff for a statement. However, if the person died at home, you can request a statement from the nearest community health center (puskesmas).
5. Applicant's ID Card (KTP)
Heirs who apply for the death certificate must also prepare a photocopy of their ID card. Make sure you bring your original ID card as well, so the process is smoother if it is needed at any time.
6. STMD
If the deceased family member was a foreign national (WNA), you must prepare an STMD (Surat Tanda Melapor Diri, a registration certificate for foreign residents). To get this document, go directly to the local police station.
7. Recommendation Letter from Kesbangpolinmas
Another document you must complete to apply for a death certificate for a foreign national is a recommendation letter issued by Kesbangpolinmas (the national and political unity agency).
These are the requirements you must meet before applying for a death certificate. If the deceased family member was an Indonesian citizen (WNI), you only need to meet points 1 to 5.
How to Apply for a Death Certificate
Once you have prepared all the documents, you can begin the application. Follow these steps:
A. Visit the Village Office (Kelurahan)
You can go directly to your local village office with all the documents listed above. Tell the officer the purpose of your visit so you receive the next instructions.
B. Fill Out the Form
The village officer will give you a form for your application for a death certificate. Fill in all the requested information and make sure everything you provide is accurate.
C. Submit the Form
Once you have filled in all the information as required, return the form to the village officer. The officer will enter the data and verify the documents.
D. Verification by the Village Head
If the documents and form pass the administrative check, they will be verified next. The village officer will submit them to the village head (lurah) for signature.
If the village head is away on official business, there is no need to worry, because the village head will delegate the task to an authorized officer.
E. Recording the Certificate
After you receive the letter signed by the village head or the authorized officer, the officer will record it in the village archive. Once recording is complete, you will receive the finished certificate.
F. Visit the District Office (Kecamatan)
The next step is to visit the district office with the death certificate you received from the village office. The district officer will process your application, and the certificate will be used as a record in the population data.
G. Visit the Civil Registry Office (Disdukcapil)
The final step is to visit the Disdukcapil office with the certificate you received from the village office. This procedure is important for recording both living and deceased residents.
Sample and Uses of a Death Deed
If a family member has passed away, you should apply for the death letter or deed as soon as possible, because it is important and has many uses. To help you understand, here is an example of a death certificate.
Image source: Tireman Rembang Desa
Benefits of a Death Deed
Next, here are some benefits of a death deed:
1. Managing the Inheritance
If the deceased person had property, it becomes the right of the legal heirs. For that property to be legally transferred, the heirs must obtain a death certificate to process it.
This can help you avoid disputes over the inheritance. If you are a legal heir and have followed the procedures set by government regulations, relatives cannot claim or interfere with that property.
2. Life Insurance Claims
If the deceased person had life insurance or death insurance, a death deed is a mandatory requirement to make a claim. Without a death certificate, heirs cannot process the payout of the insurance policy.
3. Requirements for Remarriage
If the deceased person was married, their spouse will be left as a widow or widower. Another use of the death deed is that it is required before the surviving spouse can marry again.
A widow or widower cannot legally remarry until the death deed has been processed. Therefore, make sure you apply for it by preparing the requirements listed above.
Although you may be able to marry under religious rules, it is still risky without legal records. If you have no legal record of the new marriage, you will have difficulty obtaining a birth certificate or other important documents.
Moreover, if problems arise in the marriage, you may not receive legal protection, such as child maintenance from the husband or division of property.
4. Preventing Misuse of Personal Data
Applying for a death certificate also helps protect the personal data of a deceased person. This matters because data misuse cases are common and can harm the heirs.
5. Population Data
Submitting a death deed also helps the government keep accurate population records. With up-to-date data on deceased residents, the risk of fraud during village head elections can be reduced.
Ready to Apply for a Death Certificate?
That concludes the guide on how to apply for a death deed, which you can start right away. Not many requirements are needed, but you will need to set aside time to go from office to office.
To make it easier to gather the documents of a deceased person, it is best to start the process a few days after the funeral. For the paperwork, you can always leave it to Kamboja.
dev_kamboja
The Kamboja team writes guides on bereavement, funeral arrangements and funeral planning to help families in Indonesia.
