When a Lebanese citizen or resident passes away abroad, heirs must follow additional legal steps before starting inheritance procedures in Lebanon. The process begins with obtaining a hospital death certificate in the foreign country and submitting it to the Lebanese embassy or consulate. The embassy then forwards the file to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beirut, which passes it to the Ministry of Interior to update civil records. This usually takes around two months. Once complete, heirs can proceed with obtaining the inheritance certificate, declaring the estate, and completing all financial and property transfers in Lebanon.
Steps:
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Obtain a hospital death certificate in the foreign country.
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Submit it to the Lebanese Embassy or Consulate.
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The embassy forwards the file to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beirut.
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The Ministry of Interior finalizes the update by removing the deceased’s name from Lebanese civil records.
This process typically takes about two months. Afterward, the heirs can continue inheritance procedures inside Lebanon (inheritance certificate, estate declaration, etc.).
Conclusion: Dying abroad does not block inheritance in Lebanon, but it adds a bureaucratic delay before local procedures can begin.
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