Death Certificate and Death Notification of Foreigners

About the Death Certificate

When the death notification of the deceased foreign citizen is made to the population directorate, the residence permit card of the deceased is sent with the relevant file. In the absence of a residence permit card/identity card/passport of the deceased, the first-degree relatives of the deceased foreigner are asked to declare the identity information of the deceased in writing.

This is important for funeral transportation services abroad. No other documents other than this declaration are requested from first-degree relatives. The death certificate in the relevant regulation is also issued in case of death of foreign citizens. In this context, if the death took place in public health institutions or the foreigner's body was brought to the health institution, the document issued for the death is issued by the public health institution. If the death occurs in private health institutions, the death certificate issued by the relevant doctor is valid only when approved by the official institutions.

Other Information on Death Notification and Death Certificate for Foreigners

In case of the death of a foreign citizen residing in Turkey, the death must be notified to the consulate/embassy within the jurisdiction where the death occurred. There is no time limit specified in the international legislation for the notification of death and the death notification must be made as soon as possible. The death of a foreign citizen in Turkey must be notified to the population directorate within 10 days. The death notification to the relevant Population Directorate is an important situation within the scope of funeral procedures. The authorities to notify the death of the deceased foreign citizen are; those who will issue burial licenses in provinces and towns (official health institutions), and official physicians or health institution officials in villages, if any. If there are no official physicians or health institution officials, village headmen, supervisors in health institutions such as nursing homes, and officials to be authorized by the local authorities in case of natural causes. In case of accidents and judicial incidents, it is the Public Prosecutor's Office in charge of the location.

Within the framework of the Regulation on the Implementation of the Law on Population Services, the death notification of a foreigner who dies in Turkey is made to the relevant population directorate together with the death report in triplicate. This notification is also valid for funeral transportation services abroad. One copy of the death certificate is given to the first-degree relative of the deceased. The other is placed in the death file of foreigners and the third copy is sent to the provincial police directorate together with the residence permit card, if any.