When someone close to you is seriously ill, thinking about the funeral hurts. But a few calm steps taken in advance spare the family haste and unnecessary costs on the hardest day, so that at that moment you can be with the person rather than with paperwork. This article is about the days before. For the first hours after a death, see our separate checklist.
Documents to find in advance
Your relative’s passport or ID card, documents proving your relationship (birth or marriage certificate) and, if the family wants a burial next to relatives, documents for the family plot, such as the death certificate of whoever is already buried there. At closed Tashkent cemeteries a burial is only possible in an existing family grave with supporting documents (our funeral cost breakdown).
How a death is registered
The medical death certificate is issued by the hospital or the ambulance service, and the civil registry (ZAGS) registers the death on that basis (death certificate guide). Since 01.03.2026 the spouse, parents and children receive an electronic record with a QR code in their my.gov.uz account after registration (kun.uz). Check in advance which of them can sign in to the portal with OneID.
The mahalla
In Uzbekistan the mahalla usually takes on much of the organisation: chairs, an awning, dishes, sometimes a hall for the memorial meal, and help with people and transport (cost breakdown). If the family has not lived at the address for a long time or lives abroad, find the contact of the mahalla chair or a neighbour who can help.