In the unfortunate event that a Filipino citizen passes away abroad, his/her death must be reported to the Philippine Embassy or Consulate concerned. In the case of a Filipino who dies in Taiwan, the death shall be reported to the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO), the representative office of the Philippines in the country.
MECO is responsible for transmitting the Report of Death to the relevant government agencies in the Philippines. If the remains or cremated remains of the deceased will be shipped to the Philippines, a Mortuary Certificate shall be required, among other documents.
Guide to Processing Report of Death in Taiwan
When a Filipino national passes away in Taiwan, a Report of Death must be filed at the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO). MECO has a main office based in Taipei, with two extension offices in Taichung and Kaohsiung, respectively.
The Report of Death may be filed by the nearest relative of the deceased, the attending physician, or the administrator of the medical institution where the person passed away.
Documentary Requirements
When filing a Report of Death, the following documents must be submitted to MECO:
- Accomplished Report of Death Form;
- Death Certificate or Autopsy Report – 5 sets (6 sets if the deceased is a seafarer or fisherfolk); and
- Data page of the Philippine Passport of the deceased – 5 photocopies.
NOTE: All copies of the Death Certificate or Autopsy Report must be notarized by the Local District Court or Notary Public and authenticated by the Bureau of Consular Affairs (BOCA) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).
Additional Requirements
If the remains or cremated remains of the deceased will be shipped to the Philippines, the following additional requirements must be prepared:
- Consular Mortuary Certificate issued by MECO;
- Notarized Certificate of Embalmment from the Funeral Services or other licensed serviced provider that embalmed and sealed the casket; OR a notarized Cremation Permit – 5 sets;
- Quarantine Certificate from the Centers for Disease Control – 5 sets; and
- Shipping documents such as Flight Itinerary, Name of Consignee, and Special Power of Attorney executed by the deceased’s next of kin.
NOTE: The Death Certificate, Certificate of Embalmment, Cremation Permit, and Quarantine Certificate from the Centers for Disease Control must be written in English. This is because all of these documents will be transmitted to and reviewed by Philippine agencies.
Procedure for Report of Death
The Report of Death must be filed at the MECO office, which is open from Mondays to Thursdays at 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, and every Friday from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm. The necessary documents shall be submitted, along with the processing fee amounting to TWD 1,000.
As soon as the Report of Death is issued, MECO shall transmit copies of this document to the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), which will transmit the Report of Death to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
After six (6) to eight (8) months from the date the Report of Death is issued, a certified true copy of this document may be applied for through the PSA.
Contact Information: MECO Taipei
For more details about the Report of Death, here’s how you can get in touch with the MECO office in Taipei:
Address: 2F, Chang Hong New Era Building, 55 & 57 Zhouzi St., Neihu District, Taipei, Taiwan
Telephone: +886 2 2658 8825
Website: https://www.meco.org.tw/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MECO.official
Google Map:
Speaking of MECO, this office provides many other services to Filipinos that are based n Taiwan. Read this article for more information about the different services provided by MECO.