Repatriation of Body from Turkey: Complete Process and Costs

Bringing a loved one's remains home from Turkey requires coordinating with at least five different Turkish agencies, and every step must happen in a specific order. A single missing document at customs means the coffin doesn't fly. Here's the complete sequence.

The Six-Step Repatriation Process

1. Consular Transfer Permit

Contact your country's embassy or consulate in Turkey. They issue the official transfer permit and can recommend vetted funeral directors experienced with international repatriation.

2. Embalming

An authorized Turkish physician performs arterial embalming according to international sanitary regulations and issues a formal embalming report. This document certifies the body has been properly prepared for international transport.

3. Municipal Clearance

Submit the consular transfer permit to the Municipal Funeral Department (Belediye Cenaze Isleri). They issue two documents: a travel permit (yol izin belgesi) and a burial license (defin ruhsati), then seal the coffin.

4. Export Permit

A municipal doctor conducts a final inspection and issues the export health permit.

5. Zinc-Lined Coffin Preparation

International air transport regulations require the remains to be placed in a hermetically sealed, soldered zinc-lined coffin, which is then enclosed in an outer wooden transport box rated for air cargo. Standard coffins will not be accepted by airlines or customs.

6. Customs Clearance and Laissez-Passer

A customs officer examines the sealed coffin in the presence of a municipal doctor. Once the airway bill (AWB) is secured from the airline, the Municipal Health Office issues a laissez-passer certificate authorizing international transit.

The Document Dossier for Customs

You need all four of these at the airport — missing even one stops the process:

1. Turkish death certificate (from the Nufus Mudurlugu)
2. Consular mortuary certificate (from your embassy)
3. Physician's embalming report
4. Municipal transit permit

Expected Costs

Repatriation from Turkey typically costs between $3,000 and $8,000 depending on the destination country and airline. The major cost components:

• Funeral home preparation and embalming: varies by provider
• Zinc-lined coffin and transport container: a significant portion of the total
• Airline cargo fees: priced by weight and route
• Administrative fees: municipal clearance, export permits, customs processing

Check whether the deceased had travel insurance with repatriation coverage — many policies cover these costs. If the death occurred during a package holiday, the tour operator may also have obligations.

Timeline

Expect 5-7 working days minimum from death to departure, assuming all documents are in order. Suspicious deaths involving police investigation or mandatory autopsy can extend this significantly — the final autopsy report may take three to six months, though the body is typically released for repatriation within 24 hours of the initial examination.

The Alternative: Local Burial

If repatriation costs are prohibitive, non-Muslims can be buried in designated sections of Turkish municipal cemeteries. This is significantly less expensive but permanent. Note that cremation is completely illegal in Turkey — there are no cremation facilities in the country.

The Someone Died in Turkey: English Speaker's Emergency Guide includes a complete repatriation checklist, the exact document sequence, and contact information for funeral directors experienced with international transfers.

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