Obtaining a death certificate in an occupied territory
Serhii’s mother passed away in a territory under occupation. Serhii wanted to initiate inheritance procedures in Ukraine but encountered difficulties due to the lack of original documents confirming the fact of death. Unable to resolve the issue on his own, he sought assistance from a lawyer at the civil society organization “STEP.”
The lawyer provided comprehensive information about the steps to take in such a situation, explaining the procedure and timeline for obtaining a death certificate. During the consultation, it became clear that Serhii did not have the original documents required to register the death with the civil registry authorities.
The legal specialist helped him gather the necessary evidence and prepared an application to the court under the special proceedings procedure to establish the fact of death. The court opened proceedings in the case and granted the application in full.
Based on the court’s decision, Serhii was able to register his mother’s death with the civil registry authorities and obtain an official death certificate. He can now properly exercise his right to formalize the inheritance.
Free legal assistance in Zaporizhzhia region was made possible through the cooperation between NGO “STEP” and the Danish Refugee Council, with funding from the European Union.
*The name has been changed to protect personal data.
