Bereavement in North Cyprus

Bereavement can be a daunting time, the following guide explains the standard procedures in the TRNC.  These procedures vary slightly depending on where the person passed away and this is covered within the guide. 

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You may want to manage the bereavement of a person yourself, however, if you want a helping hand there are organisations such as the Foreign Residents in the TRNC (TFR) and the British Cemetery Committee, who offer services to assist people dealing with Bereavement and you may wish to consult them rather than undertake the process alone.

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Dying in Hospital

If a person dies in hospital the doctor treating the patient will prepare and sign a Medical Death Certificate (Form XV), which is produced in triplicate, and you will also be given 3 copies of the Record of Deaths (Form XIII) part completed with the appropriate sections signed and stamped.

Verify that the name on both of these forms is IDENTICAL to the name of the deceased in their passport.  The remainder of the form XIII must be completed by the relative dealing with the death.  English translations of the forms are shown below to assist in completion of the form.

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Once the relative (or legal representative) who is reporting the death completes the forms they need to take the papers to the mukhtar in the village/town where the bereavement took place who will sign and stamp the forms.

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When the forms are completed and stamped they should be taken to the District Office (Kaymakamlık) in the region where the death occurred who will register the death and issue the official Death Certificate.  This will normally be your local region e.g. Girne unless the death took place in a hospital in Lefkoşa in which case the death certificate will be issued from there.  In order to issue the Death Certificate the District Office requires the following:

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• 2 copies of Form XV

• 2 copies of Form XIII

• 2 photocopies of the deceased person’s passport photopage and

• 1 copy of the informant’s passport photopage,

• You must also bring the deceased person’s passport and the informant’s passport.

Once the death has been registered the Registrar will issue the Official Death Certificate (Form XVI),  this document is in English and Turkish (see below) and is recognised by the Administrations of most Foreign Countries.   Up to 5 copies of the Official Death Certificate are provided free of charge if you want additional copies these may be chargeable.    It is advisable to request more than one copy to assist with probate and other administrative requirements.

Note: it is not necessary to complete form XIII and register the death at the District Office before the funeral.  Provided you have the completed and stamped form XV you can make funeral arrangements.

One copy of Form XV should be retained by the Informant as this is required by the person who is arranging the funeral (either the Cemetery Committee Representative or the Belediye)

Dying at Home

If a person dies at home, regardless of whether they were under the recent care of a doctor, the police must be called.  To call the police, dial 155 from any Cypriot phone or mobile.  The police will attend and take details about the bereavement and the next of Kin.  The police will arrange for the deceased’s current Doctor if they are under current medical care or an on-call doctor to attend and certify the death.  The police will also arrange for the deceased to be taken to the State Hospital Mortuary.  If the death is sudden or unexpected a Post-Mortem may be required.  The Police will advise you if a Post-Mortem is necessary. 

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The doctor attending the death will issue the forms XV and XIII as per above.  The only difference is that the Police require a copy of form XV for their records and may wish to hold the passport of the deceased until their investigations are completed.  The police will contact you once their investigations are complete and you may be requested to attend the police station to confirm the statements made at the time or the incident and collect the deceased’s passport and any other paperwork they are holding. 

It is a good idea to have a photocopy of your passport available as the police may request a copy.

Form XV consists of the top page, which is filled in with a pen and two carbon copies. Always retain the top page and the first carbon copy to submit them when requesting the Death Certificate (details: see below) and make at least three copies as required to arrange the funeral. One copy of Form XV should be retained by the Informant (the person informing the police of the death) as this is required by the person who is arranging the funeral (either the Cemetery Committee Representative or the Belediye).

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Post-Mortems

All Post-Mortems take place in the State Hospital in Lefkoşa.  If a Post-mortem is required the next of kin or a friend will need to visit the Mortuary prior to the Post-mortem in order to identify the deceased.

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Post-mortems are chargeable, although the fee is nominal, currently approx. 250tl, but this may change.  Payment for the Post-mortem should be made at the Cashier’s Office in the Administrative Building at the front of Lefkoşa Hospital.  You must pay for the Post-mortem before the deceased can be released for burial.  You should retain the receipt and give it to the person who is carrying out the funeral as they will need to show the receipt when the deceased is transported from the mortuary. 

Once the Post-mortem is complete you will be able to collect the Certificate of Cause of Death (Form XV) and form XIII from Lefkosa Hospital.  The office is close to the cashier’s office so you can collect both pieces of paperwork together.

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