Family abroad

What if the only family lives abroad?

What happens regarding registering a death within 24 hours if the person dies in France and their close family live abroad? It would take them time to travel to France.

If someone dies in a retirement home or at hospital, the staff there can take charge of registering the death.

If the person dies at home and the relatives cannot get there immediately, there are several options, including:

• Ask a friend or neighbour to help

• Contact the mairie which may have someone who can help

• Call the local police

• Ask for help from the consulate of the person's nationality. The latter will in some cases send someone to help and liaise with officials like police and mairie.

• Honorary avocat Gerard Barron said registering a death late is a minor offence and penalties are never, to his knowledge, enforced.

He said the same applies to a funeral being held slightly later than the rules require due to relatives being abroad.

He said for elderly people living in relative isolation it is a help to their family if they take out a funeral plan in advance – with their bank, insurers or directly with a local funeral director's – so funeral funding and organisation is in place.

Should family either not come to know about the death, or not wish to be involved, the mairie will arrange a basic funeral and costs will be taken from the person's estate.