Albania - Obtain Copy of Death Certificate

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Procedure

The simplest way to get certified copies of a death certificate is to order them through the funeral home or mortuary at the time of the death. If you are in charge of winding up the deceased person�s affairs, you should ask for at least ten copies. You will need one each time you claim property or benefits that belonged to the deceased person, including life insurance proceeds, Social Security benefits, payable on death accounts, veterans benefits, and many others.

If the time of death has passed and you need to order death certificates yourself, contact the Civil Status Office. For deaths that occurred within the past few months, you should start with the county office, because it is more likely to have the certificate on file. After a few months have passed, the state office will probably have it, too.

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Required Documents

• Proof of eligibility
• Proof of ID (identification)

The ID you provide must be current and include a photo and signature. It must show your current address.

Office Locations & Contacts

Ministry of Interior Affairs
Address:
Sheshi Sk�nderbej 3
Phone:
+355 4 224 71 55
Website : http://www.moi.gov.al
Email:[email protected]

Municipality of Tirana
Address:
Blv. D�shmor�t e Kombit
Phone:
+355 4 222 66 29
+355 4 225 30 53
http://www.tirana.gov.al
Email:[email protected]

Bashkia Lezhe Lagjia Skenderbeg,
Sheshi Gjergj Kastrioti
Lezhe, Albania
Tel: +355 215 22270 / 22219
Fax: +355 215 22570

Eligibility

When someone dies, the death must be registered with the local or state Civil Status Office within a matter of days. The Civil Status Office can then issue copies of the death certificate, which you may want or your personal records or to handle a deceased person�s affairs.

Fees

Explain the fees structure which is required for obtaining the certificate/document.

Validity

Explain the time until which the certificate/document is valid.
e.g. Birth Certificate Valid Forever

Documents to Use

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Sample Documents

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Processing Time

Please explain processing time taken in obtaining the document/certificate.

Related Videos

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Instructions

There are no restrictions on who can apply for a short form death certificate.

The deceased�s next of kin or their authorized representative may apply for a long form certified copy of a statement of death. Authorized representatives will be required to provide proof of authorization.

Next of kin of the deceased relationships are:

• parents
• spouse or common-law partner
• children, and
• siblings

If all the next of kin are deceased, extended next of kin or their authorized representative may apply.

Extended next of kin relationships are:

• aunt
• uncle
• first cousin
• grandchild
• grandfather
• grandmother
• nephew, or
• niece

Required Information

• Full name
• Address
• Birth date and birthplace
• Father�s name and birthplace
• Mother�s name and birthplace
• Education
• Marital status and name of surviving spouse, if there was one
• Date, place, and time of death
• The cause of death

Need for the Document

A death certificate is a document containing the details of a death that took place in Albania.

Death certificates contain valuable information about the individual whose death it documents, but it also provides valuable information about others such as spouses and parents. Sometimes information that has been missing before can be found on a death certificate and provide valuable clues to adding branches to a family tree.

Information which might help

Death certificates are some of the most important documents for genealogy research. Death certificates are primary sources of information about the end of someone�s life. Usually a death certificate is created within a few days of the death and the information found on the death certificate is given by a witness of the death. Due to the timeliness of the creation of the death certificate and the testimony of a directly involved witness, a death certificate is a very reliable source of information about the death.

Other uses of the Document/Certificate

Certified copies bear an official stamp, and are necessary to carry out many tasks after a death -- from obtaining a permit for burial or cremation to transferring the deceased person�s property to inheritors. In an increasing number of states, certified copies are available only to members of the deceased person�s immediate family, the executor of the estate, or someone who can prove that they have a direct financial interest in the estate.

External Links

http://bashkiafier.gov.al/?page_id=652&lang=en

http://www.punetejashtme.gov.al/

Others

Though every step is taken to make the death certificate as correct as possible, mistakes can still be made. This is truer of earlier death certificates when the death certificate creation process was more disorganized. Even if a death certificate is not complete, it may contain very valuable information to add to a family tree. A great starting place to find individuals, whose death certificates might be of great importance to a family tree, is available family records.