What to do after a British person dies in Turkey

If you are dealing with the death of a child, multiple deaths, a suspicious death or a case of murder or manslaughter, call +90 312 455 33 44.

Contacting the travel insurance company

If the person who died had insurance, contact their insurance company as soon as possible. Insurance providers may help to cover any medical bills and the cost of repatriation, as well as any legal, interpretation and translation fees.

If the person who died had insurance, the insurance company will appoint a funeral director both locally and in the UK.

What to do if the person who died didn’t have insurance

If you are not sure whether the person who died had insurance, check with their bank, credit card company or employer.

If the person who died did not have insurance, the next of kin will usually have to appoint a funeral director and be responsible for all costs. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides a list of UK-based international funeral directors.

The FCDO cannot help with any costs. In some cases, funeral directors and lawyers may provide services on a pro bono basis. Pro bono work is done for free or for a much reduced cost depending on your circumstances. This is decided on a case by case basis.

Charities and organisations that offer support

Some UK-based charities and organisations may be able to offer assistance, support and information to people affected by a death abroad. The FCDO provides a list of UK-based charities and organisations.

Registering the death and getting a death certificate

In Turkey, deaths are registered by the hospital, forensics unit or prosecutor. This depends on the circumstances in which the person died. The death will be registered at the local registry office (Nüfus Dairesi). You can get a death certificate (Formul C) from the registry office. You can also appoint a funeral director to get the death certificate for you. The death certificate is in both Turkish and English. Death certificates issued in Turkey do not state the cause of death.

You do not need to register the death in the UK. The local death certificate can usually be used in the UK for most purposes, including probate.

If you wish, you can register the death with the Overseas Registration Unit (ORU). You can buy a UK-style death certificate, known as a Consular Death Registration certificate. The ORU will send a record to the General Register Office within 12 months.

If the person who died suffered from an infectious condition, such as hepatitis or HIV, you must tell the local authorities, so they can take precautions against infection.

Dealing with a local post-mortem

Post-mortems are usually performed when the cause of death is unknown, unnatural, sudden or violent. Post-mortems are carried out by forensic doctors appointed by the court. Cultural or religious sensitivities may not be taken into account. The FCDO cannot stop or interfere with the process.

During a post-mortem, small tissue samples and organs may be removed and retained for testing without the consent of the family. You will not automatically be told if this happens.

If you want a copy of the post-mortem report, you must apply through the coroner in the UK (in the case of a repatriation) or to the local court dealing with the death.

Bringing the body home

If the person who died had insurance, find out if their insurance provider can help cover the cost of repatriation. Repatriation is the process of bringing the body home. If so, they will make all the necessary arrangements.

If the person who died is not covered by insurance, you will need to appoint an international funeral director yourself.

Finding an international funeral director

A relative or a formally appointed representative must appoint a UK-based international funeral director for the person who died to be repatriated to the UK. The FCDO provides a list of UK-based international funeral directors.

Local funeral directors will work with UK-based international funeral directors to make sure all the necessary requirements are met both locally and in the UK. This includes providing documents such as a local civil registry death certificate, a certificate of embalming and a certificate giving permission to transfer the remains to the UK.

Advice and financial assistance for repatriation

There are UK organisations and charities that may be able to offer assistance with repatriation.

Requesting a post-mortem in the UK

If you want to have a post-mortem in the UK once the body has been repatriated, you can request one from a UK coroner. The coroner will then decide if a post-mortem is needed. If you want the person who died to be cremated, you need to apply for a certificate from the coroner (form ‘Cremation 6’).

Burying or cremating the body locally

Cremation is not legal in Turkey and there are no cremation facilities.

To have a local burial, a relative or a formally-appointed representative needs to appoint a local funeral director.

The FCDO provides a list of English-speaking funeral directors in Turkey.

The funeral director will be able to explain the local process. The cost of a casket is not always included in funeral directors’ services. You should ask about this.

If a local burial takes place, there will not be a coroner’s inquest carried out in the UK.

Retrieving belongings

Personal belongings found on the person who died at the time of death are handed to the police if the family is not present.

If you choose to repatriate, instruct the local funeral director to collect all personal belongings from the police or court and ship them together with the person who died.

If there is an investigation into the death, clothing may be retained as evidence and will not be returned until the court case is finished.

The FCDO cannot take responsibility for, or help with, the cost of returning personal belongings to the family.

Finding a translator

You may need a translator to help understand information from local authorities or translate certain documents. The FCDO provides a list of English-speaking translators in Turkey.

Finding a lawyer

You can apply to appoint a lawyer in certain circumstances, such as a suspicious death. The FCDO provides a list of English-speaking lawyers in Turkey.

Cancelling a passport

To avoid identity fraud, the passport of the person who died should be cancelled with His Majesty’s Passport Office (HMPO). To do this, you need to complete a D1 form.

If you plan to repatriate the person who died to the UK, you may need their passport to do this. In these circumstances, you should cancel the passport after they have been repatriated.

Checking you have done everything you need to do in the UK

Check this step-by-step guide for when someone dies to make sure you have done everything you need to do in the UK after someone has died. You can find information on:

• how to tell the government about the death
• UK pensions and benefits
• dealing with the estate of the person who died