For the Philippines, the document that travels with the urn is a Consular Mortuary Certificate from the Philippine consulate, and the consulate issues it from the original U.S. death certificate without asking for an apostille. The apostille becomes important afterwards, when the family uses that death certificate in the Philippines.
What the Philippine consulate asks for
This list follows the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles.
- The U.S. death certificate
- A notarized statement from the mortuary that the container holds only the remains of the person named
- Details of the travel or shipping arrangements
- ID of the person who died: a Philippine passport for a Filipino citizen, or a U.S. passport, driver’s license or state ID for a U.S. citizen
- A prepaid USPS Priority Mail return envelope with tracking
The fee is $25, with an extra $10 for in-person applications. Mailed applications must arrive at least 10 days before shipment. In-person applications must be filed at least 3 business days before shipment.
If the person who died was a Filipino citizen, the consulate also requires a Report of Death.
When you will need an apostille
The Philippines is a member of the Apostille Convention, so a U.S. death certificate with an apostille is accepted there as authentic. Families are commonly asked for one when they:
- settle an estate or transfer land titles
- close or claim bank accounts
- claim insurance, pension or survivor benefits
- update civil records for a surviving spouse
These requests tend to arrive weeks after the funeral, when the family is back in the Philippines and far from the U.S. office that issued the certificate. Getting two or three apostilled copies before you fly saves a long-distance scramble later.
How the process runs
- Order several certified copies of the death certificate.
- Send the consulate its package for the Consular Mortuary Certificate, and the Report of Death if it applies.
- Have the extra copies apostilled by the Secretary of State where the death was recorded.
- Check the airline’s rules for carrying the urn.
How we can help
We obtain apostilles for death certificates from all 50 states for use in the Philippines. Our service starts at $195. Standard processing takes about 10 business days, and same-day or next-day service is available for qualifying Oregon, Washington, Texas and Virginia documents. We ship completed documents internationally, and we quote the shipping cost once you provide the delivery address. Call Apostille Authentications at (971) 514-3743 or request a quote.
Requirements change. Confirm the current checklist with your Philippine consulate before you travel. See our main guide to taking ashes abroad for the general process.