Consular assistance
British Embassy contacts for Greece: when someone dies abroad
If a British national dies in Greece, the Embassy is usually the first official body to contact. A death must be registered with the local authorities in Greece before a body or ashes can leave the country. Consular staff will register the death with UK authorities, issue consular documents and give you a list of local funeral directors. They cannot meet any cost, arrange the repatriation, or authorise release of the body. If the person who died was not British, contact the embassy or consulate of their own country instead. The local emergency number is 112.
Emergency numbers
FCDO 24-hour line (from UK)
+44 (0)20 7008 5000British Embassy in Greece
+30 210 727 2600Handling a death in Greece
Local emergency number: 112
Authority that must release the body: Court-appointed doctors or forensic pathologists
When a post-mortem is ordered: A post-mortem is carried out at the request of the Greek police, or requested by a state hospital doctor, when the cause of death needs establishing. Samples may be taken without the family's consent.
Effect on the timeline: The body can be repatriated before tests finish. Permission to remove the body is issued by a coroner (GOV.UK, updated 30 Jan 2026).
Getting the report: Post mortem reports can take months to over a year to be released. Significant delays are common in the Greek system.
Documentation language: Greek. English: Good in tourist areas and on the popular islands. Young Greeks generally speak English well. Limited in rural mainland areas. Hospital staff in tourist areas usually speak basic English. Official documents are in Greek only.
Healthcare: Public healthcare system exists but is under-resourced. Tourist areas and private hospitals provide better care. EHIC/GHIC provides some emergency cover. Island medical facilities may be basic, with helicopter evacuation to Athens for serious cases.
British community: ~40,000-60,000 British residents in Greece. Many on Corfu, Crete, and Rhodes.
Most common causes of British deaths here: Natural causes (elderly tourists and retirees); Drowning (sea swimming, particularly in areas with strong currents); Road traffic accidents (motorcycle and quad bike accidents on islands); Falls (cliff edges, balconies, particularly alcohol-related); Alcohol-related incidents (young tourists on party islands); Heat-related illness (elderly tourists in summer); Boating accidents
Areas needing extra care: Crete: Largest island, highest volume. Elderly tourists, road accidents, drowning.; Corfu: Popular family and elderly destination. Natural causes, drowning.; Rhodes: Tourist volume, road accidents, drowning.; Zakynthos (Zante): Young tourist party island. Alcohol-related deaths, cliff jumps, quad bike accidents.; Santorini: Tourist volume, cliff falls.; Kos: Tourist volume, elderly visitors.; Mykonos: Party culture, alcohol-related incidents.; Athens: Tourist volume, heat-related illness in summer.
Always verify numbers before calling
Embassy phone numbers change. Confirm current details at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/greece before a trip. The FCDO 24-hour line (+44 (0)20 7008 5000) is the most reliable point of contact in an emergency.
Contact details
British Embassy and consulates in Greece
Consulate
Thessaloniki
Consulate
Corfu
Consulate
Rhodes
Consulate
Heraklion (Crete)
Consulate
Zakynthos
Consulate
Kos
What you need to know
What the British post in Greece can and cannot do
The British post covering Greece registers the death and can give you a list of local funeral directors. It cannot pay any repatriation cost, arrange the repatriation itself, release the body, or shorten a local timeline.
In Greece specifically: The body can be repatriated before tests finish. Permission to remove the body is issued by a coroner (GOV.UK, updated 30 Jan 2026).
The full list of what consular staff can and cannot do applies in every country.
Death registration in Greece
The Embassy can register the death separately under UK law. This is optional and does not replace the local certificate, but some families find the UK death certificate useful for administrative purposes.
Typical timeline from Greece
What the Embassy can and cannot pay for
Consular staff in Greece cannot pay repatriation costs, funeral director fees, or any local charges, and cannot lend money to cover them.
They can give you a list of local funeral directors, contact next of kin, and help you reach an insurer. If there is no insurance and no family funds, they can explain what limited options exist.
What repatriation from Greece involvesNeed help bringing someone home from Greece?
We can take over the arrangements from wherever you are in the process, and bring your loved one home to the UK, Ireland or any other country. Send us the details and we will come back to you with a quote.