Guidance

Greece: bereavement information

Updated 14 April 2022

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 and Development Office, which applies to all countries.

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 and 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 and Development Office in London on 0207 008 1500.

If you are not in the UK, you can find the contact details of the nearest British embassy, high commission or consulate.

The priority of the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office is to provide assistance to British 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 and Development Office can help you do this.

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.

When someone dies in Greece and the next of kin is in the UK or abroad, Greek authorities normally notify the British Consulate in the area where the person has died. The British Consulate will do whatever they can to trace the next of kin as soon as possible and will 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 local friend of the deceased, a doctor, a social worker or a police officer.

There is no definition of next of kin in Greece. However, Greek authorities will recognise the following family relationships in this order:

1. a spouse/legal civil partner
2. an adult child
3. a parent
4. an adult sibling
5. an adult with sufficient relationship to the deceased
6. a partner may be considered as the next of kin in the absence of other relatives

Release of information to next of kin

The Foreign Commonwealth and 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 officers 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.

If a person dies in hospital, the medical death certificate (which is different to the local death certificate), stating the reason of death, is usually obtained by the next of kin, appointed funeral director or legal representative. Access to post-mortem and police reports is restricted. The Greek authorities will not normally provide this information directly to next of kin, or to third parties including our Consulates. Requests for this information should be made through a legal representative. Our consular staff can provide lists of English speaking lawyers throughout Greece. The release of any information can take up to or, in some cases, more than a year, and the documents will be in Greek. The British Consulate is not able to provide translations. You can find our lists of translations and interpreters in Greece.

Insurance

It is very important to check if the person who died had insurance. If they had insurance, contact the insurance company as soon as possible to establish if they are able to cover some or all 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 for the insurance company to appoint the funeral director both locally and in the UK. Please note that the insurance policy may be void if the death is alcohol or drug related.

If the person who died did not have insurance, the next of kin will usually have to appoint a funeral director and will usually be responsible for all costs. The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office cannot help with these costs.

Appointing a funeral director

A relative or a formally appointed representative must instruct a local funeral director in Greece or an international funeral director in the UK for the person who died to be repatriated to the UK, or buried or cremated in Greece. 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 repatriation expenses and make the necessary arrangements.

If you decide to bring the person who died to the UK for the funeral or cremation, you should contact an international funeral director based in the UK.

If you decide to hold a funeral or cremation in Greece, you should contact a funeral director in Greece

Most funeral directors in Greece 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, a certificate of embalming and a certificate giving permission to transfer the person who died to the UK.

Under Greek law, a deceased person must be buried within one month of death. However, in the case of foreign nationals the authorities will normally allow as much time as necessary. The Greek authorities have informed us that the death must be registered within 30 days; however, there may be slight regional differences.

Registering the death and obtaining a death certificate

In Greece, the funeral director will arrange for the registration of the death. A death is registered at the Registry office of the dimos (local municipality) in the location in which it occurred, in some circumstances it can be registered in the local municipality where the burial/cremation will take place. In Greece there is no central registry corresponding to the General Registry Office in the UK.

In order to register the death the funeral director will ask you for some information. This is likely to be the full name of the person who died, gender, date and place of birth, date and place of death, residential address, marital status, parent’s names and, if the funeral arrangements are in the UK, the town of final destination. The cause of death is normally stated on the death certificate.

The local authorities will need to be told if the person suffered from an infectious condition such as hepatitis or HIV so they can take precautions against infection.

The local death certificate can usually be used in the UK for most purposes, including probate. The death certificate will be issued in Greek. Your funeral director should be able to arrange for an official translation. Your funeral director can also obtain further copies of the standard death certificate on your behalf.

Consular death registration

You do not have to register the death of a British national that occurs overseas with the UK authorities. You can sometimes apply for a consular death registration. This is not mandatory and cannot be used instead of a death certificate from the country where the person died. If you wish to do this, you can find more information on registering a death and apply online.

Post mortem examinations (autopsies)

A post mortem, also known as autopsy, is normally performed when the cause of death is unclear. An autopsy is mandatory if someone dies suddenly or there is suspicion of violent death, including suicide. Post mortems are particularly crucial in cases where legal procedures may eventuate. They are carried out by court-appointed doctors/pathologists with forensic qualifications at the request of the Greek police. A doctor in a state hospital may also request a post mortem. Cultural or religious sensitivities may not be taken into account.

During a post mortem examination, organs or tissue samples may be removed for testing, including toxicological studies, at the discretion of the pathologist, without consent of next of kin. Next of kin are not informed about the removal of any organs. Sample removal is done in order to better understand the cause of death and to evaluate any disease or injury that might be present.

The Greek authorities will not charge next of kin to conduct a post mortem, which is usually carried out within a few days.

The completion of the post mortem report may take several months. In more complex cases this deadline may be extended. The completed report is in Greek and is sent to the Greek police as it forms part of the case file. The Greek police in turn send the completed report to the relevant court judiciary who has been allocated with the file. If the next of kin wishes to receive a copy of the report, they may submit an application via their appointed lawyer when the case file is with the Greek court. You will need to organise and pay for the translation of the report into English. You should be aware that an autopsy report is a factual, clinical document and as such you may find the contents distressing.

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.

The person who died can be buried or cremated in Greece or returned to the UK before tests on removed organs or samples are completed. Any organs / samples removed are retained for the duration of the tests, after which they are destroyed.

Organs cannot be removed for any purpose other than testing without prior consent of the deceased (for research) or next of kin (transplants).

Should the next of kin wish to request the return of any organs which have been removed, they need to appoint by Power of Attorney either a Greek lawyer or a funeral director in Greece in order for them to approach the respective Coroner’s office with an application for the organ(s) to be returned to the family once the toxicological reports are finalised. There are costs involved and this is a lengthy administrative procedure. The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office is not able to meet the costs of the repatriation of organs or any other fees. It is worth contacting the insurance company, if there was one, as they may be able to assist. No court or Public Prosecutor’s decision is necessary.

Find an English-speaking Greek lawyer and/or funeral director in Greece.

Mortuary facilities

Mortuaries in Greece are of a similar standard to the UK except in some rural areas where there may not be cold storage facilities. State mortuaries are usually attached to hospitals where post mortems are carried out. Family members will not be allowed to visit the person who died here. There are no private mortuaries nor Chapels of Rest.

There is no cost for next of kin when the person who died is kept at the mortuary however spaces are limited so families are encouraged to not delay arrangements.

Burial, cremation, repatriation

The next of kin of the person who has died will usually need to decide between a local burial, cremation or 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.

Local burial

If next of kin choose to proceed with a local burial, they will need to instruct a local funeral director. Our consulates in Greece can provide lists of funeral directors and can help with practical arrangements.

It is standard procedure in some cemeteries in Greece that remains are exhumed after three years from the time of burial and placed in a charnel house which is situated within the cemetery. It is advisable for family to seek further information on these procedures and the relevant costs from the local undertaker if they are considering a local burial in Greece.

If there is no family to pay for funeral arrangements in Greece and all avenues have been explored, then local authorities arrange a pauper’s funeral.

Cremation

Cremation is available in Greece. Please take advice from your local funeral director if you are thinking of arranging a local cremation.

If the next of kin wishes to take the ashes back to the UK themselves, the funeral directors will be able to arrange the necessary paperwork for the return of the ashes to the UK.

You do not need permission from local authorities to scatter the ashes.

When handling the ashes of your loved one, the ashes must be kept in a special urn. You must also make sure the ashes are either:

• kept in a designated space inside the cremation facilities or cemetery
• buried in a cemetery
• scattered in a special place (e.g. a fountain or a flower garden) inside the cremation facilities or in an outdoors space away from a residential area
• scattered at sea

To scatter the ashes at sea you must make sure:

• you are at least 1,5 nautical miles away from shore
• the urn is water soluble and will not pollute the sea

If you live in Greece, you may be able to keep the ashes of your loved one at home.

For further advice you can contact an English-speaking funeral director in Greece.

Please note if a local burial or cremation takes place, then an inquest in the UK will not be possible. For more information on inquests, see the information on UK coroners and inquests.

Repatriation

If you decide on a repatriation and the person who died is covered by travel 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 that there is a current policy 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.

If the person who died is not covered by insurance, you will need to appoint a funeral director in Greece or an international funeral director yourself.

Funeral directors in Greece have links with international funeral directors in the UK and they will work together to ensure that all the necessary requirements are met in Greece and in the UK. Funeral directors in Greece 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 civil registry death certificate, a certificate of embalming and a certificate giving permission to transfer the remains to the UK.

Local formalities for repatriation normally take 8 to 10 days to complete. In certain circumstances repatriation may not always be possible. Our consular staff will try and inform next of kin as soon as possible if this is the case.

Donation of bodies to medical science

There may be some restrictions on the donation of a body. More details can be obtained from the medical faculty or university hospital in the area where the donor lived.

Organ donation

Organ donation is encouraged in Greece. You can receive more information on procedures and requirements by contacting the Greek National Transplant Organisation helpline 1147.

Return of personal belongings

Personal belongings found on the person who died 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 to repatriate the person who died, it is advisable to instruct the local undertaker to collect the belongings from the police or court and to ship them together with the person who died.

If there is an investigation into the death, the clothing may be retained as evidence and is not returned until the court case is finished.

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

Steps to take in the UK

You can find more information on the steps to take in the UK online. This includes information on arranging the funeral, telling the government about the death, UK pensions and benefits, and dealing with the estate of the person who died. There is a step-by-step guide about what to do when someone dies.

British passport cancellation

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

The form and instructions on where to send the passport is available online.

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

There are no specific or separate procedures in Greece following the death of a child and a full investigation is carried out on the same basis as for the death of an adult.

Deaths in road traffic accidents

Police in Greece will hold an investigation into any road death. 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 and Development Office will be available to provide support, including by referring you to a specialised organisation. You can find more about how the FCDO can help with murder and manslaughter abroad.

You should note that if the deceased is repatriated to 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 Greece will investigate in full. Next of kin does not have the right of access to the case file and will not be kept informed of case developments by the Court. To acquire this right they will have to become a civil claimant. We strongly advise next of kin to appoint legal representation for authoritative information about this application process, advice and assistance with necessary steps to take. Investigations and judicial cases in Greece can take many months and in some cases, years.

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 His Majesty’s Coroner. Please note, an inquest will usually only happen in certain situations, for example, when someone has died in suspicious, unnatural, and violent circumstances or whilst in detention. If the person who died is cremated and only their ashes are brought home, there will not be an inquest.

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 FCDO guide on death abroad

Legal Aid

British nationals without the available means to appoint legal representation can apply for legal aid in most European countries. Read more about the Legal Services Commission in London for legal aid applications abroad.

Compensation

The Greek Authority for Compensation at the Ministry of Justice,Transparency & Human Right considers applications for compensation in serious crimes of violence and the victim can apply only under very specific and restrictive conditions.

You can find information on UK compensation for victims of terrorism overseas

Translation and Interpretation

The official language of Greece is Greek. English is used though not widely or fluently, with most local authorities and organisations lacking the ability to communicate well in English. The authorities will usually provide some level of interpretation for communication to non-Greek nationals following a death. They will not usually provide translations into English of documentation. English – speaking translators and interpreters are widely available in Greece.

Additional support

Local support organisations

Local support organisations for bereaved children in Greece

Smile of the child

Merimna

Local support organisations for deaths from road traffic accidents

Soste

Efthita - Rhodes

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 coping with death abroad.