The death certificate (acte de décès) provides information on where and when death took place but does not indicate the cause of death.
HOW TO APPLY
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Bureau de l'Etat-Civil
Mairie de Boulogne sur Mer
62200 Boulogne sur Mer, France
Direction des Franais l'Etranger
Service Central de l'Etat-Civil
11, rue Maison Blanche, 44000 Nantes
Tel: 0826 080 604 (from the U.S. tel: 00 33 1 41 86 42 47)
Fax: 02.51.77.36.99
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Death certificates are obtained from the Office of the Mayor (La Mairie) where the death occurred.
The request must include:
(a) the full name of the deceased;
(b) the date and place where the death occured. The request must be accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. There is no charge for a copy of a death certificate.
The death certificate (acte de dcs) provides information on where and when death took place but does not indicate the cause of death. Numerous copies of the death certificate are provided; these may be used when notifying authorities and service providers of the death.
Registering a death
In France, the death must be registered within 24 hours. Anyone can do this, but usually it is a close relative or, if the deceased died in a hospital or a care home, a member of staff will often carry out the task. A doctor must certify the death, thereafter it’s possible to register a death online, or in person or by letter at the mairie either where the death occurred or where the deceased resided. To do this, it is necessary to provide:
Once the death is registered, the town hall issues a burial permit (permis d'inhumer) indicating the time and date of death. Burial may take place in the 24 hours following the death.
Death records are especially helpful because they may provide important information on a person's birth, spouse, parents, age, and birthplace. Civil death records often exist for individuals for whom there are no birth or marriage records.
Civil registers are the vital records made by the government. Records of births, marriages, and deaths are commonly referred to as "vital records" because they refer to critical events in a person's life. French civil registration offices are excellent sources for accurate information on names, dates, and places of births, marriages, and deaths in their area. In addition, civil registration may include divorce records.