When a person dies, banks and other institutions will not release assets on the word of the family. They require formal proof of who the heirs are and what each is entitled to. That proof is what a succession certificate provides.
What it does
A succession certificate establishes entitlement to the movable assets of the deceased, such as bank balances, savings certificates and securities. It allows institutions to release funds without exposing themselves to a competing claim later.
Immovable property is generally dealt with differently, through mutation and transfer in the revenue record.
Two routes
Certificates may be obtained through the court, or through NADRA under the framework introduced to provide a faster administrative route where entitlement is not disputed.
The administrative route is generally quicker where all heirs agree and are identifiable. Where there is any dispute, or where an heir cannot be traced, the court route is the appropriate one.
Identifying the heirs correctly
Shares are determined by the personal law applicable to the deceased. The most common cause of later litigation is an application that omits an heir, whether by oversight or design. A certificate obtained on an incomplete list of heirs is vulnerable to challenge.
Identify every heir at the outset, including those living abroad.
What is typically required
- Death certificate of the deceased
- CNIC details of the deceased and of all heirs
- Proof of relationship, such as an FRC from NADRA
- Details of the assets and the institutions holding them
- Publication or notice, so that anyone with a competing claim may object
What to do next
Assemble the death certificate, the family registration record and a complete list of assets with the institution details before starting, because incomplete applications are the main cause of delay.