International Funeral Transfer Procedures

There are certain procedures for foreign funeral transfers to be made to the country of origin of foreign nationals who passed away in Turkey. It is necessary to obtain some documents from the Turkish official authorities and to carry out the procedures. First of all, it is necessary to issue a death certificate for the deceased foreigner. There are certain considerations for issuing a death certificate. Where and how the deceased foreign citizen died is an important issue for the authority that will issue the death certificate. When a foreign citizen dies in the hospital due to natural causes, the death certificate is issued by the doctor in the hospital and delivered to the person concerned. In the event that the death occurs at home due to natural causes, a request for a doctor is made by applying to the relevant municipality. The doctor appointed by the municipality comes to the place of death and issues the death certificate. In case of death as a result of a judicial event, the relevant Public Prosecutor’s Office may issue a death certificate. If an operation (autopsy etc.) will be carried out on the body of the deceased foreigner by the Forensic Medicine Institute, the death certificate is issued by the Forensic Medicine Institute. Required for overseas funeral transport.

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The death certificate issued for overseas funeral transfers is notified to the population directorate by the Community Health Center. The death must be reported within a maximum of ten (10) days from the date of death. While the death event is reported to the civil registration office, the original identity card/ residence card /passport of the deceased foreigner is also sent to the population directorate. In case the identity card/residence card/passport of the deceased foreign national cannot be found, the deceased person’s information is requested with a written statement from the relatives of the deceased. Except for the written statement of the deceased person’s identity information, a copy of the identity record or any other document related to the identity is not requested from the relatives of the deceased.

Required Actions

After the Community Health Center notifies the population directorate of death, the MERNIS death certificate and multilingual death certificate (Formula C) to be prepared by the population directorate must be obtained. Although it varies from country to country, the multilingual death certificate (Formula C) must be apostille certified. It is the embalming process in order to prevent the body of the deceased person from deteriorating by subjecting it to chemical processes within the scope of overseas funeral transfers. The transaction should be recorded and documented. In order to carry out the transfer of the deceased foreigner in Turkey, a road permit document must be obtained from the city municipality where he died. Air transportation is generally preferred for the foreign body transport of a foreign citizen who died in Turkey.

If the sea route is to be preferred, the documents to be delivered to the ship administration must be approved by the Border and Coasts Health Directorate before loading. It is obligatory to obtain a road permit document for the funeral transport to be made by land. Air is the most preferred choice for international funeral transfers. The reason why the airline is preferred is that it is faster than other options, so that the burial procedures can be handled as soon as possible. For the funeral of foreigners whose funerals will take place abroad, it is necessary to make a flight reservation by submitting the necessary documents from the airline companies.

Required documents

Required documents to be submitted for funeral transfer abroad by air are listed below.

• Death certificate
• road permit
• Identity information of the companion (if any)
• Document to be obtained from the consulate with the presentation of the death certificate

If there is no accompanying person on the plane within the scope of international funeral transfers, the information of the person who will receive the delivery must be reported to the airline company. There are important issues to be done before the delivery of the funeral in the funeral process to be sent by air. The body of the foreign citizen to be transported abroad should be packaged in a way that does not cause bad smell and leakage. It should be placed in a solid wooden or metal coffin to prevent damage and should be covered in such a way that it cannot be seen. Funerals found in ashes within the scope of the overseas funeral process; should be packed in wooden box, crate and shock absorber. It should be placed in a container that is resistant to breakage, protected and with a special lid. It is necessary for the documents to be delivered to the customs office of the airport where the flight will take place for the transfer of funerals abroad. It is necessary to inform about the funeral by making a verbal statement to the airport customs directorate, where the funeral will take place. The list of documents to be submitted to the airport customs directorate is given below.

• Oral declaration form to be created by the customs officer
• Death certificate
• Transfer notification document (Pass permit)
• Document to be obtained from the consulate after notification of death

Funeral Procedures in Turkey

There is a difference between funeral transfers abroad and funeral procedures in Turkey. Funeral procedures in Turkey begin with the death of the deceased and end with the burial of the deceased. Death burials vary depending on where and how the deceased died. If the deceased died at home due to natural causes, the “Death Certificate” and “Burying Permit” are obtained by applying to the municipality doctor of the province/district where the death took place, with the original identity card or population registration sample of the deceased person. The death is reported to the Population Directorate within 10 days by the Community Health Center.

With the burial permit, an application is made to the nearest funeral directorate of the funeral directorate. Graves are allocated from the cemetery that is available by the funeral directorate. If you want to choose from the vacant areas, you can apply to the relevant cemetery directorate and get a place after paying the “Funeral Burial Place Fee”. If there is an empty grave that you have taken before, you can also use the empty grave you have received by presenting the original “Burial Place Usage Certificate” to the Funeral Affairs Chief.

After the burial place is allocated, the corpse is taken from the morgue and transferred to the gasil. The laurel is made ready by washing and shrouding the deceased in the gasilhane. The burial is carried out with the rituals of the religion to which the deceased is a member. It is possible to perform religious rituals within the funeral process abroad.

Burial Site Construction

After 3 months have passed from the date of burial, a “Grave Site Construction License” is obtained by applying to the Regional Directorate of Cemetery in order to have a burial place built. Following the obtaining of the license to build a grave site, the certificate of use of the grave site is kept by the Cemetery Regional Directorate to be given back to the person. The license to build a burial place is given for a period of one month and the grave construction must be completed within the specified time.

After the construction of the grave, it is operated in the cemetery register. Grave construction is processed and given back to the graveyard usage certificate by the Cemetery Regional Directorate. If the death occurred in the hospital due to natural reasons, the death certificate and burial certificate are taken by the authorized person in the hospital, not the province/district municipality doctor. The death certificate of the person who died as a result of the judicial event is taken after the examination of the Public Prosecutor’s Office. If the funeral is in the morgue of the Forensic Medicine Institute, the “Burial License” is issued by the relevant institution. All other burial procedures are the same, except for the institutions that issue the death certificate of the person who died due to natural causes, at home or in the hospital or as a result of a judicial event. If intercity funeral transport is desired, it is necessary to obtain a “Road Permit” from the relevant municipality.

Funeral Procedures of Foreigners Who Died in Turkey

Regulations regarding the funeral procedures of foreigners who died in Turkey are included in various laws, regulations, directives or communiqués. In this context, the order of the death will be followed and the arrangements regarding the funeral procedures will be mentioned after the death event is notified. In the event of the death of foreigners found in Turkey, the Turkish authorities must notify the consulate in the area where the death occurred. In the notification of death, no period has been regulated in the contracts and the notification in question must be made immediately. The foreigner who died in Turkey must be notified to the General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs or the population directorate within ten (10) days. The notification to be made to the population directorate has an important place in the scope of overseas funeral transfers.

The official authorities that will make the foreign death notification; they will issue burial licenses in cities and towns (Public Health Centre), and in villages, if any, they are official physicians or health institution officials. If they are not available, village headmen, chiefs in health institutions such as hospitals or nursing homes, and civil servants in natural events are the officials to be appointed. They are the relevant Public Prosecutor’s Offices in judicial events and accidents. Within the scope of the Regulation on the Implementation of the Population Services Law, the death of a foreigner who dies in Turkey is reported to the population directorate with three copies of the death certificate. This notification is also valid for overseas funeral transfers. One of these minutes is given to the person concerned. The other one is put in the death file of foreigners and another one is sent to the provincial police directorate with the residence permit, if any. On the other hand, in the Regulation on the Construction of Cemetery Sites and Funeral Transport and Burial Procedures, it is stated that the death must be reported within ten days from the date of its occurrence. It must be notified to the population directorate electronically by the public health directorate.

About the Death Certificate

While the death events are reported to the population directorate, the original identity card/passport of the deceased person is also sent to the population directorate. In the event that the identity card cannot be found, the relatives of the deceased are requested to declare the deceased person’s name, surname and identity number in writing. This issue is essential for those who will carry out funeral transfers abroad. It is stated in the article that no other document other than these written statements will be requested from the relatives of the deceased person. The death certificate included in the Regulation on the Construction of Cemetery Sites and Funeral Transport and Burial Procedures also covers the death of foreigners. Accordingly, if the death occurred in official health institutions or if the funeral was brought to the health institution, the death certificate is issued by the health institution. It is also approved by the director or chief physician of the relevant institution. If the death occurred in private health institutions, the death certificate issued by the physician who treated the disease that caused the death is valid only if it is approved. The death certificate is the primary document requested within the scope of overseas funeral transfers.

The validity of death certificates issued in private health institutions is subject to the approval of the municipal physician. If not, the approval of the community health center physician or family physician is required. In case the death occurs outside of the health institutions, the death certificate is given by the municipality doctor in the place where the funeral is located. If there is no community health center in places where there is no municipality doctor, it is given by the family doctor, if they are not available, the death certificate is issued by the issuing authority. There are a few differences in the funeral procedures of foreigners who passed away in Turkey compared to Turkish citizens, and they are carried out as burial in Turkey or as a funeral transfer abroad to their country of citizenship.

Burial Procedures of Deceased Foreigners in Turkey

There are certain stages for the funeral of the foreigner who is wanted to be buried in Turkey. The first thing to do is to receive the death certificate received within the scope of the overseas funeral transfer process, again in this process. The death certificate is issued by different authorities according to the place of death of the deceased foreigner. If the death of the foreign person occurred at home due to natural reasons, a doctor is requested by applying to the district municipality. The death certificate is issued by the municipal doctor. If the foreign person died in the hospital due to natural causes, a death certificate is issued by the hospital doctor.

In case of death due to forensic events, a death certificate is issued by the Public Prosecutor’s Office or, if the place of death has been taken to the Forensic Medicine Institute for autopsy, by the Forensic Medicine Institute. The death certificate issued is received from the relevant institution by the relative of the deceased foreigner. A multilingual death certificate (Formula C) must be obtained by applying to the Community Health Center with the death certificate received. Formula C is among the documents required for international funeral transfers. Following the receipt of the necessary documents, you must submit the documents to the Provincial Governor’s Office where the burial will take place and get burial approval.

While the death notification of a foreign citizen is made by the Turkish authorities to the relevant country by the official authorities, the relatives of the deceased are also requested by various countries to notify the consulates or embassies. In death notifications to the consulates or embassies, it is necessary to present the death certificate of the deceased person and, if any, a passport or identity registration copy. You can bury the deceased foreigner by applying to the cemetery directorate with the necessary documents after the procedures.

Funeral Procedures Brought From Abroad

Funeral procedures brought from abroad, such as overseas funeral transfers, are also carried out by providing certain documents. For the funerals entering our country from abroad, transactions are carried out within the scope of the Transplantation Agreement and the provisions of the national legislation. The countries that are deemed to be risk-free in terms of public health are determined by the General Directorate of Health for Borders and Coasts by consulting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “The List of Risk-Free Countries at Funeral Entry” is notified to the civil authorities at the international points of entry, and the necessary procedures are requested to be carried out within this framework. The bodies transferred from other countries are evaluated in terms of public health risk.

The funerals brought from countries that are considered risk-free in terms of public health by the General Directorate of Health of the Turkish Borders and Coasts, complying with the international transport conditions, are not subjected to any health-related procedures at the entry points to Turkey. The funerals in question are considered as cargo, and entry procedures into Turkey are carried out by the relevant customs directorate. The burial procedures of the bodies of people who were brought from countries that were determined as risk-free and who died due to infectious diseases are evaluated by the health units in charge of the place where the body will be buried. The coffins of such funerals cannot be opened until the burial approval is given by the health units on duty.

Entry procedures for the bodies of deceased persons brought from countries that are considered to be risky for public health are carried out by the health inspection centers located at the airport, port and some land border gates of the General Directorate of Health of the Turkish Borders and Coasts. Funeral procedures brought from abroad in Turkey’s entry points where there is no center are carried out by health officials authorized by the General Directorate of Health of the Turkish Borders and Coasts. Bodies complying with international transport conditions are not subject to any health procedure when they are taken abroad from Turkey’s entry points.

Entries of Funerals from Risky Countries

If there is a Funeral Transfer Document for the entry to Turkey of the bodies brought from risky countries in accordance with the international transport conditions, a “Dormitory Entry Permit for Funerals” is issued to the funeral by the authorized health officer. If the dead body brought from abroad died due to a contagious disease or if it is stated that he has a contagious disease despite his death from another reason, a “Dormitory Entry Permit for Funerals” is issued for the funeral. In the said document, it is stated that direct contact should not be made with the corpse and that the burial of the body should take place within the framework of the provisions of the relevant legislation on death from contagious disease. The bodies brought from risky countries and entered into Turkey are recorded in the Turkish Borders and Coasts Health Information System by the authorized health officer. Entry documents of the dead bodies brought from risky countries to Turkey are archived by authorized personnel.

Documents of Funerals Brought from Risky Countries

It is obligatory to submit a “Certificate of Passage for Funerals” (Funeral Transport Document) for the entry procedures of the bodies brought from risky countries in compliance with the international transport conditions. If there is no Pass Permit for Funerals, the funeral owners and the relevant foreign representative office are contacted to ensure that the document is obtained as quickly as possible. If the said document cannot be obtained, the information about the funeral is recorded in the Border and Beaches Health Information System. However, “Permit to Enter the Dormitory Issued for Funerals” is not issued. In order to evaluate the entry of the corpse to Turkey, the relevant police units are notified with official documents. If there is a Funeral Transfer Document, but the information about the cause of death and whether an autopsy has been carried out is missing in the document;

• If the missing information is found in the documents attached to the “Funeral Transfer Document”, the document is accepted as complete.
• If the complete information is not included in the documents attached to the “Funeral Transfer Document”, the funeral owners and the relevant foreign representative office are contacted and the missing information is requested to be completed.
• If the information cannot be obtained, the existing information about the funeral is recorded in the system, but the “Entry Permit Document for Funerals” is not issued. In order to evaluate the entry of the corpse to Turkey, the relevant police units are notified with official documents.

Forensic Funerals Brought From Abroad

The forms of death are divided into groups as natural causes at home, natural causes in hospital or as a result of forensic events. If the funerals brought from abroad are included in the judicial event, the procedures to be done are as follows.

• If there is an autopsy report of the funerals from Risk-Free Countries, the entry procedures for the funeral are carried out by the relevant customs directorate. If there is no autopsy report, a notification is made to the security by the relevant customs directorate.
• The bodies brought to Turkey from risky countries are reported to the health authority by the relevant customs directorate. The body with an autopsy report is evaluated by the health authority and a “Dormitory Entry Permit for Funerals” is issued to those who find it appropriate.
• For funerals that do not have an autopsy report and are considered risk-free in terms of public health, a “Dormitory Entry Permit for Funerals” is issued by the health officer and the police are notified about the situation.

List of Countries Evaluated as Risk-Free in terms of Public Health on Entry of Funerals into Turkey

Member and Observer Countries of the Council of Europe

Observer Countries

You can contact us at +90 212 970 02 88 to get more detailed information and service about funeral transfers abroad and funerals brought from abroad .