Guidance

Bereavement information for Cyprus

Updated 12 January 2021

Disclaimer

This information is not meant to be definitive, nor is it to be taken as a substitute for independent legal advice. Neither His Majesty’s Government nor its staff take any responsibility for the accuracy of the information, nor accept liability for any loss, costs, damage or expense that you might suffer as a result of relying on the information. Some of the information may not be relevant to your circumstances. The language used is intended to be general and factual, and is not meant to cause offence.

Introduction

When a relative or friend dies abroad, the different procedures, laws or language can cause additional distress. You may be uncertain about what to do or who to contact.

This country specific information is designed to help you through some of the practical arrangements you may need to make. It supplements the general information on death abroad produced by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, which applies to all countries.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coping-with-death-abroad

Please note, as each country has its own laws and customs when a death occurs, it may not be possible to make the arrangements that you prefer, or at the time you would like.

How to contact the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

There is a lot of information below, but you may have questions. You can speak to someone by phone 24/7, any day of the year by contacting the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office in London on 0207 008 1500.

You can find the contact details for the British High Commission in Nicosia below:

Consular Section, British High Commission, Alexander Pallis St., PO Box 21978, 1587 Nicosia, Republic of Cyprus

Tel: +357 22861100 (follow the Consular option & emergency option out of hours)
Fax: +357 22861200 (Consular)
Use our contact form
Website: www.gov.uk/government/world/cyprus

The priority of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office is to provide assistance to UK Nationals overseas who need the most help. The level and type of assistance they can offer is tailored to the individual circumstances of each case.

Next of kin

The next of kin of the person who died will usually need to make decisions and practical arrangements. The next of kin can sometimes appoint another person to act on their behalf.

If you are not the next of kin, they will need to be informed. If required, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office can help you do this.

When someone dies in the Republic of Cyprus and the next of kin is in the UK or abroad, Cypriot authorities normally notify the British High Commission. Consular staff will do whatever they can to trace the next of kin as soon as possible and would ask the UK police to pass on the sad news. However, you might also be notified about the death directly by someone else, for example a friend/neighbour, doctor, a social worker, a police officer or from social media/local news.

There is no legal definition of next of kin in the UK. Please note that if there is a disagreement over who is the next of kin, or the person who died did not choose a next of kin, this can cause additional complications and delays.

Release of information to next of kin

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office will try to obtain as much information as possible after your relative or friend has died abroad. Some of this may be only available to next of kin. Consular staff may be able to obtain this themselves, or they may put you in touch directly with the authorities overseas. They may be able to provide you with details of others who can advocate on your behalf such as lawyers, charities, or other organisations.

Inquiries into deaths in the Republic of Cyprus are not public. Access to information concerning a death such as post-mortem reports, toxicology and histopathology results, medical and police reports may be restricted until the police have concluded their investigation. The release of any information will usually take several months and in some more complicated instances, years and the Cypriot authorities charge a fee to obtain such reports. In some cases in order to have access to the investigation and obtain information from the court or police files, the next of kin may have to make their request via a lawyer.

In some cases, Consular staff may be informed of an inquest in Cyprus, which can take place up to two years after a death. The report from this can take several months to be made available. Consular staff can assist with making the request for the report.

Note that all reports will be in Greek.

Many local authorities in the Republic of Cyprus generally to not have the ability to make international calls and do not routinely use e-mail.

Insurance

It is very important to check if the person who died had any form of insurance. Be that local life insurance/funeral plan for a resident or travel insurance for a tourist.

If they had insurance or a funeral plan, contact the company as soon as possible to establish if they are able to cover the expenses and make the relevant arrangements.

You may need the insurance policy number and the associated 24-hour medical emergency contact number to do this. If the travel insurance company confirm that there is a current policy, you should not appoint your own funeral director or be pressurised by local funeral agencies to do so. It will be the insurance company that will appoint the funeral director both locally and in the UK.

If the person who died is not covered by insurance, the next of kin will have to appoint a funeral director in Cyprus or an international funeral director in UK and will be responsible for all costs. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office cannot assist with these costs.

Please note that an insurance policy may be void if the death is alcohol or drug related.

Appointing a funeral director

In general, Cypriot funeral directors are modern and well equipped, speak English and are used to working with UK Nationals.

Next of kin or a formally appointed representative must instruct a local funeral director in Cyprus or an international funeral director in the UK for the person who died to be repatriated to the UK, or buried in Cyprus. However if the person who died was insured you should immediately contact the insurance company to establish if they are able to cover for the burial or repatriation expenses and make the relevant arrangements.

If you decide to bring the person who died to the UK for the funeral or cremation, you may only need to appoint an international funeral director. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office produces a list of international funeral directors based in the UK.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/international-funeral-directors-in-the-uk

Funeral directors in Cyprus are equipped to carry out repatriation procedures and will provide the special caskets required. They will also arrange any necessary documentation such as a local Death Certificate and a certificate of embalming.

If you decide to hold a funeral in Cyprus, you can find a list of funeral directors here: Cyprus: funeral directors

There are no facilities for cremation in Cyprus.

Registering the death and obtaining a death certificate

The death needs to be registered with the local authorities in the country where the person died.

In Cyprus, usually the funeral director will arrange for the registration of the death with the District Administration Office in the district where the death took place, they will issue a Death Certificate which will be in Greek, Turkish and English. The funeral director can obtain extra copies on your behalf.

If next of kin require a copy of the Death Certificate at a later date, this can be obtained from the District Administration Office for a small fee per copy. This must be done in person; there is no facility to apply online or by phone. You must provide the full name of the person, gender, date of birth, date and place of death and may be asked to prove a familial relationship.

In Cyprus, the cause of death does not appear on the Death Certificate.

There is no obligation to register the death of a UK National that occurs overseas with the UK authorities. Information regarding obtaining a British Death Registration Certificate should you wish to can be found using the following link: www.gov.uk/register-a-death.

A Cyprus death certificate can usually be used in the UK for most administrative purposes, including probate.

The British High Commission in Nicosia cannot register a death in Cyprus.

Identification & Post mortem examinations (autopsies)

In Cyprus, it is not always necessary for the person who died to be identified by the next of kin. Identification can also be carried out by means of documentation such as a passport or by a friend.

If there is doubt about the identity of the person who died, a judge may order DNA testing or request information through police channels from abroad. This process could take several months.

Post mortems, also known as autopsies, are usually carried out within 1-4 working days of the death and are normally performed when death is not by natural causes or the local authorities cannot immediately confirm this.

Post mortems are carried out at a state hospital by forensic doctors appointed by the state, sometimes called pathologists or medical examiners. A doctor in a state hospital may also request a post mortem for a death by natural causes when the cause of death is unclear. Cultural or religious sensitivities may not be taken into account.

During a post mortem, small tissue samples and organs may be removed and retained for testing, including toxicological studies at the discretion of the forensic doctor, without the consent of the next of kin of the person who died. You will not automatically be told if this happens.

This is done in order to better understand the cause of death and to evaluate any disease or injury that might be present. It can be crucial to establish cause of death in cases where criminal or civil legal procedures may eventuate.

In some cases, it may be necessary to have a further post mortem in the UK even though one has been carried out overseas and, when repatriation is to England or Wales, it is probable that the UK Coroner will wish to hold an inquest. Please note if a local burial takes place, then an inquest in the UK will not be possible.

For more information on inquests, see the section on UK Coroners and Inquests.

After a post-mortem, Consular staff are usually informed by the police of the result but do not have sight of preliminary or full post mortem reports. These are not generally made available until many months later and Consular staff can assist you if you wish to request a copy, which will be in Greek.

Mortuary facilities

Mortuary facilities in Cyprus are of a good standard and are usually attached to local state hospitals.

Culturally, funerals are normally held as quickly as possible after death, usually within 24-48 hours. It is possible for the person who died to stay at the mortuary for longer if necessary, to give next of kin time to travel to Cyprus/make the arrangements etc however this is not encouraged by the hospital for long periods.

It is possible to visit the person who died with prior arrangement. The Cypriot authorities will not charge next of kin to conduct a post mortem or for mortuary facilities.

Burial, cremation and repatriation

The next of kin of the person who has died will usually need to decide between a local burial and bringing the person home, which is known as repatriation. Your funeral director will usually be able to explain the options available, the costs, and help you make arrangements.

Burial

If you choose a burial in Cyprus, you will need to appoint a local funeral director and they can make the necessary arrangements with either a privately or state owned cemetery. A ceremony can be organised by the funeral director or a registered celebrant. You can make specific arrangements depending on your cultural and/or religious beliefs.

If a family are unable to pay for funeral arrangements, Consular staff can request that the police apply to the Cyprus Ministry of Foreign Affairs for funds for a pauper’s burial. This can take up to a year during which time, the person who died will remain in the state mortuary. Consular staff are not informed when and where a person has ultimately been buried in these cases.

Cremation

There are no facilities for cremation in Cyprus. If you wish to bring cremains back to Cyprus to scatter, you will need to ask for permission from the local municipality of the area where you wish to do this.

Repatriation

If you decide on a repatriation and the person who died is covered by insurance, you should immediately contact the insurance company to establish if they are able to cover for the repatriation expenses and make the relevant arrangements. If the insurance company confirms cover, you should not appoint your own funeral director or be pressurised by local funeral agencies to do so.

The insurance company will normally have a standing agreement with an international funeral director in the UK to arrange repatriations who in turn will work with a local funeral director in Cyprus.

Note that embalming is a legal requirement for repatriation.

If the person who died is not covered by insurance, the next of kin will have to appoint a funeral director in Cyprus or an international funeral director in UK and will be responsible for all costs. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office cannot assist with these costs.

Return of personal belongings

Personal belongings found at the time of death are either handed over to the family, if they are present, or taken by the police. If the next of kin chooses repatriation, it is advisable to instruct the local funeral director to collect the belongings from the police on their behalf. If there is an investigation into the death, the clothing and other belongings can be retained as evidence and are not returned until the court case is finished.

Please note, the British High Commission cannot take responsibility for the personal belongings of the person who died.

Steps to take in the UK

There is a step-by-step guide here which includes information on arranging the funeral in UK, telling the government about the death, UK pensions and benefits, and dealing with the estate of the person who died: www.gov.uk/when-someone-dies.

British passport cancellation

In order to avoid identity fraud, the passport of the person who died should be cancelled with HM Passport Office (HMPO). To do this, you will need to complete a “D1 form”.

The form, and instructions on where to send it is available here: www.gov.uk/government/publications/what-to-do-with-a-passport-when-the-passport-holder-has-died.

If you plan to repatriate the person who died to the UK, you may require their passport to do this. In these circumstances, you should cancel the passport after they have been repatriated.

Child deaths

Police in Cyprus will hold a full investigation into any death, other than those of natural causes; there are no separate procedures for deaths involving children.

In Cyprus, a live birth is the birth of a child who showed any sign of life. Stillbirth means foetal death, namely death prior to the birth. Death is indicated by the fact that after such separation from its mother the foetus does not breathe or show any other evidence of life.

Cyprus Social Welfare Services can be involved on request of the family, Consular or hospital staff.

Deaths in road traffic accidents

Police in Cyprus will hold a full investigation into any death and there are no separate procedures for deaths involving road traffic accidents.

Deaths investigated as murder or manslaughter

If the local police have confirmed that they are investigating the death as a murder or manslaughter, a dedicated team within the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office will be available to provide support, including by referring you to a specialised organisations.

You can find more about what they can do here: www.gov.uk/government/publications/helping-british-people-abroad-murder-and-manslaughter.

You should note that if the person who died is repatriated to certain parts of the UK, a coroner or procurator fiscal may decide to hold an inquest. See the section on UK Coroners and inquests below.

If a death is regarded as suspicious, the police in Cyprus will investigate in full. If a perpetrator is identified, they will be charged by the relevant court and normally detained until the trial hearing. The time between arrest and trial can be lengthy and in some complicated cases can take many years though the average case will take between 12 and 24 months. A state prosecutor will be appointed to try the case against the perpetrator.

In Cyprus there are no family liaison police officers allocated to families of foreign nationals while the investigation is ongoing. There are occasions when the UK police appoint one although we cannot influence their decision.

The police, courts and state prosecutors are not generally forthcoming with updates and they do not proactively reach out to families. Consular staff can assist in requesting updates though these can be difficult to obtain.

UK coroners and inquests

If you repatriate the person who died to England and Wales there may be an inquest. The decision on when to hold an inquest is made by HM Coroner. Please note, an inquest will usually only happens in certain situations, for example, when someone has died in suspicious, unnatural, and violent circumstances or whilst in detention.

If you repatriate the person who died to Scotland, the Procurator Fiscal may decide to call for a Fatal Accidents or Injuries Inquiry.

If you repatriate the person who died to Northern Ireland, there will be no coronial inquest or further inquiry.

Please note, Procurators Fiscal and Coroners do not have jurisdiction in another country, nor do they seek to apportion blame to a named individual.

You can find more information on Coroners and the Procurator Fiscal in the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office guide on Death Abroad: www.gov.uk/government/publications/coping-with-death-abroad.

Support organisations in the UK

In the UK, there are many organisations that can help bereaved families. Some of these are listed in the guide: www.gov.uk/government/publications/coping-with-death-abroad.