KNOWLEDGE BASE · INTERNATIONAL ESTATES

Who may be involved in an international estate?

An estate with an international dimension may require several kinds of expertise. What is needed depends on the circumstances, the countries involved and the information available about the deceased and potential heirs.

When an heir needs to be traced, family members live abroad or previously unknown heirs may exist, additional genealogical research can be necessary. Legal questions, family research and international documentation may all play a role in the same estate.

The notary

A notary may need to establish who the heirs are and who is authorised to act in relation to the estate. When relevant people or information are abroad, additional international heir research may be needed.

For example, a family member may have emigrated decades ago, leaving uncertainty about their current whereabouts, whether they are still alive or whether they have descendants. Establishing these facts may be necessary before the estate can be settled.

The international heir researcher

International heir research focuses on locating potential heirs, tracing family members abroad and investigating family relationships when information is incomplete or uncertain.

A name in an online family tree may provide a useful starting point, but it does not necessarily establish a person's identity or legal relationship to the deceased. Research may therefore involve examining foreign birth, marriage and death records, historical population registers, emigration records, probate files and other relevant sources.

Genealogical research can be combined with Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) to identify additional leads, trace individuals and examine information from publicly available sources. Findings are checked and supported by available evidence wherever possible.

For notaries, this specialist research can help clarify questions such as whether a person who emigrated is still alive, whether additional children or descendants exist and which family relationships can be substantiated through available records.

Research can also help identify previously unknown heirs by reconstructing family branches and tracing descendants who may have a potential interest in the estate.

The aim is not simply to collect names, but to provide a carefully researched and documented picture of the relevant family relationships and potential heirs. The scope and possibilities of the investigation depend on the country concerned, the available sources and applicable access restrictions.

The inheritance lawyer

A specialist inheritance lawyer may become involved where legal advice or a dispute arises concerning a will, administration or distribution of an estate, an executor or the position of heirs.

Vereniging Erfrecht Advocaten Nederland (VEAN) →

International document specialists

International estates may also require sworn translations, apostilles, legalisations or other formal document procedures. Through her work as co-director of Esperanto WBT, Annemiek Berends-Wagner has many years of experience with foreign civil-status records, wills, powers of attorney and other legal documents.

Esperanto WBT →

When no heirs are known

When heirs are unknown or cannot be located, additional heir research may help establish whether relatives or descendants exist who could potentially be entitled to an inheritance.

International Heir Research carries out research into possible international heirs for the Unclaimed Estates department of the Dutch Central Government Real Estate Agency (Rijksvastgoedbedrijf).

Different areas of expertise, one estate

International estate matters may require legal expertise, genealogical research and foreign documentation. Specialist heir research can support notaries, inheritance lawyers, executors and estate administrators by identifying potential heirs, investigating family relationships and obtaining relevant information from abroad.

For further information about tracing heirs and conducting international family research, visit the international heir research knowledge base.