A loved one has died abroad: the first steps
Learning of a death far from home means living the shock without being able to be there. The formalities go through another country, another language, other rules: here is where to start.
The essentials
The death is first registered with the civil registry of the country where it happened. Inform your country's consulate straight away: it guides you, but does not pay the costs. Call the deceased's insurer before any quote, then choose between a funeral there and repatriation.
The steps, in order
- 01
Inform the consulate
Your country's embassy or consulate in the country of death tells you about the local formalities, gives you funeral director contacts and keeps you informed. If you learned of the death through a travel agency or the media, the crisis centre answers day and night: +33 1 53 59 11 10 for France, +1 613 996 8885 for Canada.
- 02
Have the death registered locally
The death is registered with the local civil registry, whether during a trip or while living abroad. This produces a local death certificate: ask for several copies.
- 03
Call the insurer before paying
Travel insurance, a bank card's assistance cover, a funeral plan, the employer: one of these may cover repatriation or a funeral there. Contact it before signing a quote: some policies only reimburse what they have approved.
- 04
Choose one person to make decisions
One person, there or from home, who talks to the consulate, the funeral director and the insurer. Decisions move faster, and the family doesn't have to repeat everything.
- 05
Choose: a funeral there or repatriation
A burial or cremation there is often cheaper and quicker. Repatriating the body or the ashes sometimes better respects the wishes of the deceased or of their religion. The consulate tells you the cost of each option.
- 06
Recover personal belongings
For France, the consulate returns identity papers to the authorities that issued them and sends back valuables. The rest of the belongings is repatriated at the expense of the family or the insurer.
- 07
Have the death certificate transcribed
For a French citizen, transcribing the local certificate into the French registers is not compulsory, but it simplifies the estate, the pension and the survivor's pension. The request is made to the consulate or, for some countries, to the Central Civil Registry in Nantes.
Frequently asked questions
Does the consulate pay for repatriation?
No. The costs of repatriation, of a funeral there and of transporting belongings fall on the family, unless an insurance policy covers them. The consulate informs, guides and issues the transport authorisation.
Why can repatriation take time?
It depends on the cause of death: after an accident, a crime or a suicide, a local investigation or forensic examinations may delay the release of the body. A natural death is usually settled more quickly.
Is a French death certificate needed?
It is not compulsory, but it is strongly recommended: banks, notaries and pension funds often ask for it. Once the certificate is transcribed, copies can be requested from the Central Civil Registry in Nantes or from the consulate.
Is it different when the deceased lived abroad?
Yes. If the deceased lived in that country, their papers, insurance and accounts are often there. Everyday formalities then follow that country's rules: ask the consulate.
Two countries, one list
In your Milele file, enter the country of death and the country of the funeral: the formalities of both countries are added automatically, with their deadlines. The family sees what has been done, wherever they are.
Open a file for freeRead also
- Repatriating a body: the steps in orderWhen the death and the burial do not take place in the same country: the funeral director, the consulate, the transport authorisation, the airtight coffin, the flight and the reception on arrival.
- Estate: where to startThe first steps of an estate in France: the bank, the notary, the choice to accept or renounce, and the estate declaration within six months.
- Financial help after a death in FranceThe CPAM death grant, the survivor's pension, the widowhood allowance, life insurance and protection plans: who is entitled, how much, and within what deadlines.
Official sources
- service-public.gouv.fr — Décès d'un proche à l'étranger
- diplomatie.gouv.fr — Décès d'un Français à l'étranger
- voyage.gc.ca — Décès à l'extérieur du Canada
Updated on October 25, 2026. This guide summarises the usual steps; it does not replace advice from a notary, a lawyer or your country's authorities. How we write our guides