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Bereavement in North Cyprus

Memorial Candle

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. 

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.

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, you will also be given 3 copies of the Record of Deaths (Form XIII) part completed with the appropriate sections signed and stamped.  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.

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.

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:

  • 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. 

The doctor attending the death will issue the forms XV and XIII as per above.  The only difference is 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.  The procedures for next of kin are as per death in hospital.

 

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

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.  The Certificate of Cause of Death (Form XV) will not be issued until the Post-mortem is complete.

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.

 

Completion of Forms – Points to note

Form XV – check this document has the deceased’s name as per their passport and is signed and stamped by the doctor, as the form will not be accepted unless it is stamped correctly.

Completion of Form XIII

This form will be provided with the doctor’s section completed and stamped.  The remainder of the form should be completed as below and then signed by a relative of the deceased or their legal representative.

1 - This is the region where the death occurred – Girne, Lefkoşa, Gasimağusa, Iskele, Lefke, Güzelyürt

2 - This is the town or village  e.g. Lapta, Zeytinlik

3 - Date of Death as recorded

 

Detailed Information About the Deceased

 

4 - Full name – as per passport, all names to be included

5 - ID Card – this is the passport number

6 - Father’s Name

7 - Father’s ID Card – not required for foreigners

8 - Mother’s Name

9 - Mother’s ID Card – not required for foreigners

10 - Date of Death

11 - Place of Death – this is the hospital/Clinic or home address if the death occurred at home

12 - Place of Residence – this is the deceased home address in the TRNC

13 - Sex

14 - Date of Birth

15 - Place of Birth – from Passport

16 - Nationality -  Religion – not required to complete

17 - Education – not required to complete

18 - Marital status

19 - Occupation – Enter retired if not working

20 - Cause of Death – this is given on Form XV

 

The Section Notification of Cause of Death – will be completed by the doctor.  This section must be signed and stamped by the doctor/hospital

 

21 - Name of person who authorised the burial – This must be either a direct relative or the family’s legal representation (Friends cannot complete this section)

22 - Full name of the Informant – this is the person who is registering the death as in 21.

23 - ID / Passport number of the Informant

24 - Address of Informant

25 - Kinship with the deceased – type of relative or legal representative

26 - Signature and date of Informant

 

Funeral Arrangements

There are several organisations which can assist you to make funeral arrangements:

 

The Deceased’s Local Belediye – can arrange for burial in their cemetery.  The deceased can only be buried in the cemetery which covers their residence.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The British Cemetery Committee – you must have a British Passport to be buried in a Cemetery Controlled by the British Cemetery Committee.  The main Cemetery which is currently in use is the Greenhill Cemetery, near to Karmi.  Chairman: Andy May, Tel: 0548 888 2560

 

Contact details and details of their cemeteries are provided on their website

 

The British Cemetery Committee | St Andrew's Church, Kyrenia (standrewskyrenia.org)

 

The Foreign Residents in the TRNC Association (TFR)

The Chairman of the TFR Cemetery Committee is Graham Day, Tel: 0533 864 5085

 

Karmi Cemetery

This Cemetery is only open to residents of Karmi/Karaman.  The contact for this Cemetery is: Sylvia Austin, Tel: 0533 838 7367

 

Famagusta Cemetery

The contact for this Cemetery are: Anne Kelly, Tel: 0533 860 7258 or Lynette Orüc, Tel: 0533 8871417

 

Funeral Services

There are several Companies and Individuals who also provide funeral services.  The following is not a complete list but is a guide to possible assistance.  If you contact these people they can give you information on the services they provide and the charges.

 

Service Providers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Re-Patriation to a Foreign Country

Some people who pass away here do not wish to be buried on the island, but want to be repatriated to their home country.  If you want your loved one to be repatriated, we recommend you contact the Repatriation service in the TRNC prior to contacting funeral directors in your home country.  Many foreign funeral directors are unaware of the political situation on the island and will make contact with funeral services on the South of the island.  This can cause confusion and delay the return of a deceased person.  If you make initial contact with the re-patriation service here they will be able to contact your funeral director in your home country and ensure that the repatriation is organised quickly and smoothly.

 

Contact: Christina Gursöy Tel: 0533 870 2426

Re-Patriation to the TRNC

It is possible for people who pass away abroad to repatriated to the TRNC, the procedures for this depend on the country the person is being brought from.  You should contact a re-patriation service in the foreign country to arrange repatriation to the TRNC.

 

Please note there are no cremation facilities in the TRNC

Girne
Ozanköy, Doğanköy, Girne, Zeytinlik, Karaoğlanoğlu, Edremit, Karmi, Karakum
Lapta
Alsancak, Lapta, Karsiyaka, Çamlıbel, Gecitkoy, Hisarkoy, Karsiyaka, Kayalar, Kozankoy, Sadrazamkoy, Tepebasi, Akdeniz, Alemdag, Malatya-Incesu, Ilgaz, Yesiltepe
Çatalköy - Esentepe
Çatalköy, Esentepe, Aligadi, Bahçeli, Arapköy, Karaağaç
Tatlisu
Tatlisu, Küçük Erenköy
Iskele
Iskele, Boğaz
Famagusta
Famagusta
Lefke
Bademlikoy, Bagli koy, Cengizkoy, Camlikoy, Denizli, Doganci, Gaziveren, Gemikonagi, Lefke, Taspinar, Yedidalga, Yesilirmak, Yesilyurt
Güzelyurt
Ismet Pasa mahallesi, Lala Mustafa mahallesi, Piyale Pasa mahallesi, Yukari Bostanci, Asagi Bostanci, Yayla, Yuvacik, Zumrutkoy, Guneskoy, Aydinkoy, Mevlevi, Akcay, Gayretkoy, Serhatkoy, Sahinler, Kalkanli
Celebrants
Marion Stewart Tel: 0533 882 4313
James Clark Tel: 05338575595
Nick Vye (Spiritual Funerals) Tel: 05428733898
The Deceased local church, can provide a Priest of Minister to conduct the funeral service
Video Streaming
Steve or Lee 0533 875 6098
Service Organisers
British Cemetery Committee
Foreign Residence in the TRNC (TFR)
You can make arrangements yourself in conjunction with the Belediye
Washing & Dressing
Service organisers hold names of people who will carry out these requirements as part of the funeral arrangements. If you organise the funeral yourself, then you can perform these activities yourself.
Florist
Contact any local florist
Transport
The British Cemetery Committee have a hearse which they will use if you ask them to arrange your funeral For TFR and Belediye funeral, the Belediye funeral transport will be used
Headstones
It is recommended that 18 months is left to elapse before installing a headstone or other permanent grave decorations to avoid the risk of subsidence in the future. Most stone masons on the island will be happy to make a headstone etc.

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