Posthumous arrangements (A practical guide for family members)

1. Confirm death certificate source
   Death in hospital: The hospital usually arranges for the issuance of a death certificate.
   Death at home/institutional institution: need to contact a registered doctor or follow government instructions.
2. Notify closest family members
   Try to use a brief, clear and gentle notification to avoid leaving the family uninformed until it is publicized on social media.
3. Suspend immediate decision
   Unless the hospital/institution has strict time limits, you can usually take a quiet moment and then deal with the funeral arrangements slowly. There is no need to sign all service contracts at once.

Please refer to the official instructions of the Hong Kong government for specific procedures. Here we only provide general directions to facilitate family members’ mental preparation:

• Death certificate: Issued by the hospital/registered doctor, it is one of the necessary documents for subsequent death registration.
• Death registration: Natural death cases must be registered with the Immigration Department within 14 days after the death of the deceased; eligible declarers can also use online services. For required documents and certificate application, please refer to the Immigration Department’s guidelines.
• Wills and Administrators: If the deceased has made a will, the family members should find the original copy as soon as possible and appoint an undertaker (executor) according to the will or seek the assistance of a lawyer.
• Financial and Insurance Documents: Including bank accounts, properties, insurance policies, MPF/retirement pension documents, etc. It is recommended to store them in a centralized manner and process them later.

You can roughly start thinking from the following questions:

1. Religious or non-religious?
   Whether the deceased had a clear religious belief (Christianity/Catholicism, Buddhism, Taoism, or non-religion).
2. Size?
   It is limited to small ceremonies for close relatives, but it is still open to friends, colleagues, church fellowship, etc.
3. Which funeral parlor to choose?
   Consider: location (transportation), venue equipment, whether you have been there before, and what your impression is. Our website provides introductions and transportation information for major funeral parlors for reference.
4. Cremation or burial?
   Cremation is the main method in Hong Kong. If you need burial, you need to understand the cemetery arrangements and application conditions in advance.

1. Make reservation for funeral parlour schedule and room.
2. Discuss the package contents (coffin, funeral hall decoration, flower stands, concierge, hearse, etc.) with the funeral service company.
3. Confirm the date, time, and ceremony format of the vigil and funeral.
4. Draft obituaries and notify relatives, friends and colleagues.
5. Arrange for the body to be transferred from the hospital/mortuary to the funeral parlour.
6. Reception of guests, tributes, and ceremonies on the night of the vigil.
7. The next day’s funeral, sending-off, crematorium/cemetery ceremony.
8. Follow up with thank you letters, flower stands photos records, ashes placement, etc. after the funeral.

For detailed rituals and mourning steps, please refer to the "Funeral Etiquette and Customs" and "Full Guide to the Funeral Process" pages on this website.

• Allow yourself to be sad:Grief, numbness, and guilt are all normal reactions.
• Division of work:Try not to have a single family member bear all the arrangements.
• Take the initiative to seek help:Friends, family, church/faith groups, and even professional counselors can all help.
• Avoid signing long-term financial contracts when you are extremely tired:Such as large insurance, investment products, etc.