A Succession Certificate is a court-issued document that establishes the right of a legal heir to receive the debts, securities and property belonging to a deceased person. In Kerala, Succession Certificates are required for transferring bank accounts, fixed deposits, shares, bonds, insurance proceeds and other assets held in the deceased's name — particularly where there is no Will, or where the Will has not been probated. For NRI families dealing with a deceased parent's estate in Kerala, the Succession Certificate is frequently the first legal document required — and it is obtained from the Civil Court, not from the Revenue authorities (which issue the separate Legal Heirship Certificate).
For detailed guidance on this topic specific to your circumstances, the office is available at luka@lukeandluka.in or +91 96057 61330, Monday to Friday, 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM IST. Remote consultations — by video call, WhatsApp or email — are available for NRIs and OCI holders in all time zones.