Repatriation means taking the deceased from the country where they died to the country where they will be buried. For Turkey it usually happens in one of two ways: a family in Germany, the UK or elsewhere in Europe brings a relative home to be buried in Turkey, or someone dies in Turkey, often on holiday, and is flown home. This guide covers both.
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Someone died abroad and will be buried in Turkey
This is the most common case we handle. The work has two parts: formalities in the country of death, and the journey from the Turkish airport to the burial place.
In the country of death
A local funeral director usually prepares the body and the paperwork. In most European countries this includes:
- the local death certificate and an international (multilingual) death certificate
- a corpse passport or laissez-passer from the competent local authority
- hygienic preparation or embalming, where the airline or country requires it
- a hermetically sealed, zinc-lined coffin
- the Turkish consulate’s formalities for the transfer
- an air cargo booking (air waybill, AWB)
Many Turkish families in Germany and other European countries belong to a funeral assistance fund, such as those run by mosque associations, or have funeral insurance. Call the fund or insurer first. They often cover part or all of the costs and start the process with their own partner firms.
Arrival in Turkey
The deceased usually arrives at the cargo terminal of Istanbul Airport or Ankara Esenboğa. After customs clearance, the coffin is released to the family or the funeral service they have appointed. From there we take the deceased in a refrigerated vehicle to the place of burial, anywhere in Turkey. If washing and shrouding have not been done abroad, we arrange them in Turkey before the funeral prayer.
We also contact the mosque and cemetery at the destination in advance, so the burial time can be set as soon as the arrival time is known.
Someone died in Turkey and will be buried abroad
When a foreign visitor or a resident dies in Turkey, the steps are:
- Death confirmed and registered. A physician confirms the death. In hospital, the hospital issues the death certificate. If the death was sudden, violent or unexplained, the public prosecutor is involved and the body is released by the Forensic Medicine Institute (Adli Tıp).
- Multilingual death certificate (Formula C). Issued by the Turkish civil registry, it is accepted internationally.
- Embalming and coffin. Embalming is carried out by an authorised physician, and the deceased is placed in a sealed zinc-lined coffin for the flight.
- Transport document. An international funeral transport document is issued by the provincial health directorate.
- Consulate. Some countries require their consulate to approve the documents or register the death.
- Flight. The coffin travels as air cargo. Turkish Cargo, for example, runs a dedicated funeral and repatriation service.
For the UK, the government’s guidance on death abroad explains what families must do: get a certified English translation of the death certificate, get permission to remove the body, and tell a coroner in England or Wales if the cause of death was unknown, violent or unnatural. In practice the family’s funeral director at home and a funeral service in Turkey work together on the file.
Cremation: Turkey has no crematoria, so a body cannot be cremated in Turkey. Families who want a cremation arrange it after repatriation.
How long does it take?
Most repatriations take a few working days. The main factors are:
- how quickly the death certificate and release are issued, especially in forensic cases
- consulate and civil registry opening hours
- flight and cargo availability
- weekends and public holidays in either country
Road transport inside Turkey after arrival is quicker to plan. For approximate drive times from Ankara, see our intercity funeral transport page.
What does repatriation cost?
The total depends on the countries involved, embalming and coffin requirements, the flight and the distance from the airport to the burial place. A fund or insurance policy may cover part or all of it. We explain our part of the price item by item before any work begins.
Which documents should the family keep at hand?
- Passport or ID of the deceased
- ID of the relative handling the file
- The death certificate and any hospital or police reports
- Funeral fund or insurance membership details, if any
- The planned burial place in Turkey, or the funeral director at home
How we help
We coordinate international files from our office in Ankara: collection at Istanbul or Ankara airports, customs follow-up, washing and shrouding if needed, and road transport to any province. For deaths in Turkey, we prepare the Turkish side of the file and work with the family’s funeral director abroad. See our international repatriation service for details.
Sources
- GOV.UK, What to do after someone dies abroad
- Turkish Cargo, International funeral and repatriation services
- Republic of Türkiye, Public Health Law No. 1593
This guide gives general information. Requirements differ by country and change over time; check with the consulate and airline involved for your case.