What to Do When a Citizen of France Dies in Turkey: 5-Step Official Checklist

1. 1

   Medical Death Certificate (ÖBS) and Forensic Clearance in Turkey

   The first step for official civil registration, local burial, or international repatriation is the issuance of an electronic Medical Death Certificate (Ölüm Belgesi / Defin Ruhsatı) by the authorized physician or judicial authority according to where the death occurred [1][2]:

   • Death in a hospital or healthcare facility: If the death occurred in a hospital from natural causes, the attending hospital physician issues the electronic Death Certificate via the Ministry of Health Death Notification System (Ölüm Bildirim Sistemi - ÖBS) [1]. Provide the deceased person's French passport (passeport) or national identity card (carte nationale d'identité), family record book (livret de famille) if available, and any Turkish foreigner identity number, T.C. Kimlik Kartı, or Mavi Kart to the hospital administration so that personal details match French civil records exactly [1][2].
   • Death at home, in a hotel, or in a public place: For deaths occurring outside a hospital, call the 112 Emergency Call Center (112 Acil Çağrı Merkezi) immediately or contact the relevant municipal physician (belediye tabibi) or community health center physician (toplum sağlığı merkezi hekimi) [1]. If the medical examination confirms natural causes, the physician issues the Death Certificate (Burial Permit) through the ÖBS system [1].
   • Suspicious, sudden, or forensic deaths: If the cause of death is unknown, sudden, or involves an accident or suspicious circumstances, the Police (155 / 112) or Gendarmerie (156 / 112) are notified and the case is taken over by the duty Public Prosecutor's Office (Cumhuriyet Savcılığı) [1][2]. Where deemed necessary by the prosecutor, an autopsy is performed by the Council of Forensic Medicine (Adli Tıp Kurumu); the body cannot be released or repatriated abroad until the prosecutor's office issues a written burial or transfer permit [1][2].
2. 2

   Travel Insurance, Appointing Funeral Directors, and French Consular Support

   Before signing an individual funeral or air cargo contract, check whether an existing insurance policy or mutual aid fund covers the arrangements, and appoint licensed funeral service providers to coordinate between both countries [2][3]:

   • Checking travel insurance and funeral mutual aid funds (Cenaze Fonu): Check whether the deceased person held international travel health/repatriation insurance (assurance voyage / rapatriement), bank-card assistance coverage, a French funeral insurance policy (assurance obsèques), or membership in a funeral mutual aid fund (such as Diyanet / DİTİB or other Cenaze Fonu foundations cited as publicly known orientation examples) [2]. If an insurance assistance unit or funeral fund applies, it directly appoints its contracted funeral transfer provider in Turkey and France.
   • Selecting licensed funeral providers in Turkey and France: In Turkey, municipal funeral services (ALO 188, such as the Cemeteries Directorates of the Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, or Antalya Metropolitan Municipalities) handle local funeral procedures, while an international funeral repatriation company (uluslararası cenaze nakil firması) is appointed for air repatriation to France [1][3][8]. That provider coordinates with a prefecture-licensed French funeral operator (opérateur funéraire habilité en préfecture) that will receive the coffin in France (for example in Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Strasbourg, or Bordeaux); licensed providers in France can be found through the national professional federations Fédération Nationale du Funéraire (National Funeral Federation - FNF, telephone +33 1 55 43 30 00, email [email protected]) and Fédération Française des Pompes Funèbres (French Federation of Funeral Directors - FFPF, telephone +33 1 46 60 24 24) [4][5][7]. Clarvia provides these directories and institutional references solely for guidance and does not endorse, recommend, or rank any commercial operator.
   • French missions in Turkey and consular support: If the deceased person was a French citizen, you may contact the French Embassy in Ankara or the French Consulate General in Istanbul according to consular jurisdiction (diplomatic network Ambassade de France en Turquie, Ankara consular switchboard +90 312 455 45 45, emergency duty phone +90 533 721 50 91, email [email protected]; as well as the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Ministère de l'Europe et des Affaires étrangères - MEAE / France Diplomatie) [2]. Consular offices provide guidance on transcribing the death into the French civil registry (transcription) and issuing mortuary transit authorizations, but do not pay funeral or repatriation expenses [2].
3. 3

   Civil Registration of the Death in Turkey (Form C) and Document Recognition in France

   Before burial, international transfer from Turkey, or official administrative steps in France can proceed, the death must first be registered in the civil registry in Turkey [1][2]:

   • District Civil Registry notification and Multilingual Death Certificate (Formül C): Under Population Services Law No. 5490, the death certificate issued via ÖBS is recorded within 10 days at the District Civil Registry Directorate (İlçe Nüfus Müdürlüğü) of the place of death, under the central authority Nüfus ve Vatandaşlık İşleri Genel Müdürlüğü (Directorate General of Civil Registration and Citizenship Affairs, domestic call center ALO 199, international telephone +90 312 591 21 00) [1]. The authorized funeral company or family member should request multiple wet-signed originals of the multilingual death extract under the 1976 Vienna CIEC Convention (Çok Dilli Ölüm Belgesi - Formül C) from the İlçe Nüfus Müdürlüğü [1][2]. Information on Turkish consular procedures is also available 24/7 from the Dışişleri Bakanlığı Konsolosluk Çağrı Merkezi (Ministry of Foreign Affairs Consular Call Center, telephone +90 312 292 29 29) [3].
   • Validity of Formül C in France and consular transcription (transcription): Because both Turkey and France are party to the 1976 Vienna CIEC Convention, the Multilingual Death Certificate (Formül C) issued in Turkey is directly valid in France without an Apostille or additional translation [1][2]. Whereas a death occurring inside France must be declared within 24 hours (excluding weekends and public holidays) at the town hall of the place of death (mairie du lieu de décès, as explained on the official French public portal Service-Public.fr, telephone 3939 or +33 1 73 60 39 39 from abroad) to obtain the full death certificate (acte de décès intégral) and multilingual Formule C, the death of a French citizen in Turkey is transcribed into the French civil registry (transcription de l'acte de décès) before the Ambassade de France en Turquie (Embassy in Ankara or Consulate General in Istanbul) upon presentation of the Formül C certificate and French identity/birth records [2][6].
4. 4

   International Repatriation from Turkey to France or Local Burial in Turkey

   Depending on the family's decision, the deceased person may be repatriated to France or buried locally in Turkey [2][7][8]:

   • Coffin repatriation from Turkey to France (rapatriement du corps): Turkey and France apply the provisions of the 1973 Strasbourg Agreement (Accord de Strasbourg) and the 1937 Berlin Agreement (Arrangement de Berlin) on the international transport of corpses [7][8]. The appointed international funeral repatriation company arranges mandatory embalming (tahnit / soins de conservation) in Turkey and obtains the embalming report, places the body in a hermetically sealed soldered zinc coffin (lehimli çinko tabut / cercueil hermétique), obtains the municipal or provincial/district health directorate Road Transit Permit (Yol İzin Belgesi), and completes the international Mortuary Laissez-Passer (Cenaze Nakil Belgesi / Laissez-Passer mortuaire) clearance through the border health inspection unit at the departure airport under the Türkiye Hudut ve Sahiller Sağlık Genel Müdürlüğü (Directorate General of Health for Borders and Coasts - THSSGM) and the consulate [2][3][8].
   • Entry into France and prefectural transfer permits (arrêté préfectoral): The receiving funeral operator in France collects the coffin at the arrival airport in France using the international Laissez-Passer and Formül C death certificate and transports it to the municipality of burial or cremation (conversely, for outbound transfers of a coffin or cinerary urn from France abroad, the prefecture, préfecture, of the place where the coffin is sealed issues an arrêté préfectoral de laissez-passer mortuaire) [6][7].
   • Local burial in Turkey and cremation availability: If local burial in Turkey is chosen, grave allocation and interment are carried out through the municipal cemeteries directorate (ALO 188) using the ÖBS burial permit [1]. Because there is no operating crematorium in Turkey, if cremation (crémation) is desired, the body must be repatriated to France [2][7].
5. 5

   Death Grants, Survivor Pensions, Taxes, and Estate Administration (*Succession*) in France and Turkey

   With the multilingual Formül C death certificate and the French consular death transcription (transcription), social security, tax, and inheritance procedures can be initiated in both countries:

   • Social security (CPAM), pensions (CNAV / Agirc-Arrco), tax, and notary (Notaires de France) procedures in France:
     • French health insurance and death grant (capital décès): If the deceased person was affiliated with French social security, notify the French health insurance fund Assurance Maladie (Caisse primaire d'assurance maladie - CPAM / Ameli.fr, telephone 3646 within France or +33 1 84 90 36 46 from abroad) to close the file and apply for the lump-sum death benefit (capital décès) for eligible beneficiaries [9].
     • French pension funds (caisses de retraite): If the deceased person received a French pension or worked in France, notify the general pension scheme Assurance Retraite (CNAV, telephone 3960 or +33 9 71 10 39 60 from abroad) and the supplementary pension fund (Agirc-Arrco) to claim the survivor pension (pension de réversion) for the surviving spouse [10].
     • Tax filing and estate settlement through a notary in France (règlement de la succession): For bank accounts, real estate, or last habitual residence in France, appoint a French notary through the official notarial network Notaires de France (High Council of the Notariat - Conseil supérieur du notariat, telephone +33 1 44 90 30 00) to draw up the deed of heirship (acte de notoriété) and file the inheritance tax declaration (déclaration de succession) with the French tax authorities (impôts) within 12 months when the death occurred outside France in Turkey (compared with 6 months when death occurs in France) [6][11].
   • SGK entitlements, certificate of inheritance, and inheritance tax in Turkey:
     • SGK funeral grant and survivor pension: If the deceased person had social security coverage or pension rights in Turkey (including entitlements under the bilateral Franco-Turkish Social Security Convention), eligible family members may apply to the directorates of the Sosyal Güvenlik Kurumu (Social Security Institution - SGK, helpline ALO 170) or via e-Devlet for the funeral grant (cenaze ödeneği) and survivor pension (ölüm aylığı / widow-orphan pension) [12].
     • Certificate of Inheritance (Mirasçılık Belgesi / Veraset İlamı) and Inheritance Tax (4 months): For bank accounts or real estate (Tapu) in Turkey, heirs must obtain a Certificate of Inheritance (Mirasçılık Belgesi / Veraset İlamı) from a Civil Court of Peace (Sulh Hukuk Mahkemesi) or from a notary office under the Türkiye Noterler Birliği (Union of Notaries of Turkey, telephone +90 312 218 80 00) (where foreign citizenship or a will is involved, the certificate is obtained from the Sulh Hukuk Mahkemesi) [13]. In addition, for assets in Turkey, an Inheritance and Transfer Tax return (Veraset ve İntikal Vergisi beyannamesi) must be filed with the competent Tax Office (Vergi Dairesi) of the Turkish Revenue Administration (Gelir İdaresi Başkanlığı, helpline ALO 189) within 4 months following the date of death (or within the extended statutory deadlines under Law No. 7338 where heirs reside in France) [14].

Official Authorities & Verified Contacts

Official Sources Checked by Clarvia

1. [1]
   Death Procedures, Death Notification System (ÖBS), and Multilingual Death Certificate (Form C) — T.C. İçişleri Bakanlığı Nüfus ve Vatandaşlık İşleri Genel Müdürlüğü (NVİ)
2. [2]
   Death Notification in Turkey, Death Transcription, and Funeral Procedures — Ambassade de France en Turquie (Ministère de l'Europe et des Affaires étrangères)
3. [3]
   Funeral Repatriation Procedures and Consular Guide — T.C. Dışişleri Bakanlığı
4. [4]
   French National Funeral Federation Contact and Legal Information (Fédération Nationale du Funéraire - FNF) — Fédération Nationale du Funéraire
5. [5]
   French Federation of Funeral Directors Contact Information (Fédération Française des Pompes Funèbres - FFPF) — Fédération Française des Pompes Funèbres
6. [6]
   Death Declaration in France (24 Hours), Medical Death Certificate, and Initial Steps (F16507) — Direction de l'information légale et administrative (Service-Public.fr)
7. [7]
   International Transport of Remains and Prefectural Mortuary Laissez-Passer (F35706) — Service-Public.fr
8. [8]
   Directive on International Funeral Repatriation Procedures and Mortuary Laissez-Passer (Cenaze Nakil Belgesi) — T.C. Sağlık Bakanlığı Türkiye Hudut ve Sahiller Sağlık Genel Müdürlüğü (THSSGM)
9. [9]
   Reporting the Death of a Relative and Applying for the Death Grant (Capital décès) — L'Assurance Maladie (ameli.fr)
10. [10]
    Reporting the Death of a Pensioner and Survivor Pension (Pension de réversion) — Assurance Retraite (CNAV)
11. [11]
    Estate Settlement in France (Règlement des successions) and Official Directory of Notaries — Conseil supérieur du notariat (Notaires de France)
12. [12]
    Application Guide for Funeral Grant (Cenaze Ödeneği) and Survivor Pension (Ölüm Aylığı) — Sosyal Güvenlik Kurumu (SGK)
13. [13]
    Issuance of Certificates of Inheritance (Mirasçılık Belgesi / Veraset İlamı) at Notary Offices — Türkiye Noterler Birliği (TNB)
14. [14]
    Inheritance and Transfer Tax Law No. 7338 and Filing Deadlines — Gelir İdaresi Başkanlığı (GİB)