What to Do When a Polish Citizen Dies in Germany: 5-Step Official Checklist

1. 1

   Medical examination of the body and death certificate in Germany (immediately)

   First, a physician must officially examine the deceased (ärztliche Leichenschau) and issue the German medical certificate of death (Todesbescheinigung or Totenschein, comprising a confidential medical section and a non-confidential section) [1][2]:

   • Death in a hospital, nursing home, or hospice: The facility arranges the medical examination and issuance of the death certificate on site and provides initial care in its mortuary cooling room [1][2].
   • Death in a private home, at work, or in a public place: Immediately contact the on-call medical service (ärztlicher Bereitschaftsdienst, nationwide number 116 117), emergency services (112), or the family doctor so the examination can be performed [2]. A funeral director may only collect the deceased and transfer them to a mortuary once the medical certificate of death has been issued.
   • Unexplained or non-natural cause of death: If the physician records an unexplained or non-natural manner of death (such as a sudden death or a workplace or traffic accident), the police and public prosecutor's office (Staatsanwaltschaft) are notified. In such cases, cremation, burial, or international repatriation cannot proceed until the public prosecutor's office issues a written release [1][4].
2. 2

   Check insurance coverage and appoint a licensed funeral director

   Before signing contracts, check whether the deceased held travel health insurance, accident or repatriation insurance, a Polish or German funeral insurance policy, or breakdown/assistance cover that pays for international repatriation costs:

   • Coordination between Germany and Poland: For international repatriation to Poland, you can instruct either a licensed funeral director in Germany or a Polish funeral company (zakład pogrzebowy) specialising in international repatriations, which will handle the formalities with the German authorities, the Polish consulate, and the Polish county administration [2][4].
   • Neutral professional directories: Clarvia does not recommend, endorse, or rank commercial providers. You can locate a qualified funeral director in Germany through the German funeral association Bundesverband Deutscher Bestatter e.V. (Federal Association of German Undertakers, phone +49 211 16008-10, 24-hour helpline +49 211 16008-86, email [email protected]) [2]. In Poland, you can search for a licensed funeral company through the Polish funeral industry chamber Polska Izba Branży Pogrzebowej (Polish Chamber of the Funeral Industry, phone +48 798 198 997, email [email protected]) [3].
3. 3

   Register the death at the German civil registry office (*Standesamt*) within 3 working days

   Under Section 28 of the German Civil Status Act (Personenstandsgesetz - PStG), a death in Germany must be reported to the civil registry office (Standesamt) of the place of death no later than the third working day following the death [1]:

   • Who reports the death: When a death occurs in a hospital or nursing home, the facility usually submits the written notification; otherwise, the funeral director appointed by the family registers the death with the Standesamt [1][2].
   • Required documents: You must present the medical certificate of death, the deceased's Polish national identity card (dowód osobisty) or passport, and civil status records (birth certificate and, where applicable, marriage certificate or proof of dissolution of marriage) [1].
   • Multilingual death certificate (Form C): In addition to several German death certificates (Sterbeurkunden), be sure to request multilingual extracts from the death register on Form C (mehrsprachiger Auszug auf Formblatt C) under the 1976 Vienna CIEC Convention [4][6]. Because both Germany and Poland are contracting states to this convention and EU Regulation 2016/1191 also applies, the international death certificate (Form C) is directly recognised in Poland without an Apostille or certified translation [4][6].
4. 4

   Choose between burial/cremation in Germany and repatriation to Poland

   Depending on the wishes of the deceased and the family, there are two main options:

   • Option A - Burial or cremation in Germany: If the funeral takes place in Germany, the minimum waiting period (typically 48 hours after death) and the statutory burial deadline are governed by the burial act (Bestattungsgesetz) of the relevant German federal state (Bundesland) [2]. For cremation in Germany, almost all federal states require a second medical examination (zweite Leichenschau) at the crematorium [2].
   • Option B - Repatriation of the body or urn to Poland: Repatriating human remains or ashes to Poland requires a multi-stage permit procedure between Polish and German authorities [4]:
     • Permit from the Polish County Governor or City President (pozwolenie starosty lub prezydenta miasta): First, an application must be submitted to the County Governor (Starosta) or City President (Prezydent miasta) competent for the intended burial place in Poland to authorise the import and burial of the body or ashes (this is usually handled by the instructed funeral company on the family's behalf) [4].
     • Polish Consular Certificate (zaświadczenie konsula): Once the permit from the Polish Starosta or Prezydent miasta and the German death certificate (or an interim certificate of deferred registration from the Standesamt) have been obtained, the consular repatriation certificate is issued by the Consular Section of the Botschaft der Republik Polen in Berlin (Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Berlin, phone +49 30 22 313 0, email [email protected]) or by the territorially competent Polish Consulate General in Hamburg, Cologne, or Munich [4][5]. Due to urgency, no prior appointment in the e-Konsulat system is required for death repatriation matters; the consular fee is 50 EUR [4].
     • German corpse transit permit (Leichenpass) or urn certificate: For cross-border transport of a body, the competent German authority at the place of death (public order office Ordnungsamt, Standesamt, or health authority Gesundheitsamt) issues a multilingual Leichenpass on the basis of the medical death certificate and civil death certificate; the body must be placed in a hermetically soldered zinc-lined coffin in accordance with regulations [2][4]. If cremation takes place in Germany followed by transport of the urn to Poland, you will need the death certificate, the cremation certificate from the German crematorium (Urnenbescheinigung), the permit from the Polish Starosta, and the Polish consular certificate [4].
5. 5

   Civil registry transcription, Polish funeral grant (*zasiłek pogrzebowy*), pensions, and estate

   Once the initial repatriation or funeral arrangements are underway, the following administrative steps apply in Poland and Germany:

   • Transcription of the death certificate in Poland (transkrypcja aktu zgonu): Prior transcription is not mandatory simply to obtain the consular repatriation permit [4][6]. However, for subsequent inheritance, banking, and administrative proceedings in Poland, the German death certificate must be transcribed into the Polish civil status register [6]. The application can be filed at any civil registry office (Urząd Stanu Cywilnego - USC) in Poland (administrative fee of 50 PLN) or through a Polish consulate in Germany [6].
   • Polish funeral grant (zasiłek pogrzebowy) and survivor's pension (renta rodzinna): If funeral and repatriation costs were paid by family members or other parties and the deceased (or an applying family member) was covered by Polish pension or social insurance, you can apply to the Polish Social Insurance Institution, Zakład Ubezpieczeń Społecznych (Customer Contact Centre CKK at phone +48 22 560 16 00, email [email protected]), for the Polish funeral grant (zasiłek pogrzebowy, form Z-12) [7][8]. The application deadline is 12 months from the date of death (or from the date of burial if identification or repatriation was delayed) [7]. Eligible survivors can also apply there for a Polish family survivor's pension (renta rodzinna) [9].
   • Notification of German pension authorities, health insurance, banks, and estate settlement: If the deceased worked, lived, or received a statutory pension in Germany, report the death with the death certificate to the Deutsche Rentenversicherung (German Statutory Pension Insurance, toll-free within Germany 0800 1000 4800 or +49 30 865 0 from abroad) [10] or through the Renten Service der Deutschen Post (Pension Service of Deutsche Post, phone +49 221 569 2777) to stop ongoing payments and, where applicable, apply for the three-month survivor transition payment (Sterbevierteljahr) or a widow's, widower's, or orphan's pension [10][11]. Also notify health insurers and banks in Germany and Poland; the transcribed death certificate is required to settle the estate (poświadczenie dziedziczenia before a Polish notary or a judicial certificate of inheritance under EU Succession Regulation No 650/2012) [6].

Official Authorities & Verified Contacts

Official Sources Checked by Clarvia

1. [1]
   German Civil Status Act (Personenstandsgesetz - PStG) § 28 Reporting a death to the Standesamt — Bundesministerium der Justiz (Gesetze im Internet)
2. [2]
   Contact and immediate bereavement assistance - Bundesverband Deutscher Bestatter e.V. — Bundesverband Deutscher Bestatter e.V.
3. [3]
   Contact - Polska Izba Branży Pogrzebowej (Polish Chamber of the Funeral Industry) — Polska Izba Branży Pogrzebowej
4. [4]
   Consular certificate for transporting remains or ashes to Poland (Zaświadczenie na sprowadzenie zwłok lub prochów do kraju) — Portal Gov.pl - Polska w Niemczech (Ministerstwo Spraw Zagranicznych RP)
5. [5]
   Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Berlin - Consular and Polish Diaspora Section (Contact details) — Portal Gov.pl - Polska w Niemczech
6. [6]
   Transcription of a foreign death certificate into the Polish civil register (Transkrypcja zagranicznego aktu zgonu) — Portal Gov.pl - Polska w Niemczech
7. [7]
   Polish funeral grant (Zasiłek pogrzebowy) - Required documents and 12-month deadline — Zakład Ubezpieczeń Społecznych (ZUS)
8. [8]
   Contact - ZUS Customer Contact Centre (Centrum Kontaktu Klientów ZUS - CKK) — Biuletyn Informacji Publicznej ZUS (Zakład Ubezpieczeń Społecznych)
9. [9]
   Polish survivor's pension (Renta rodzinna) - Eligibility conditions — Zakład Ubezpieczeń Społecznych (ZUS)
10. [10]
    Survivor pensions - Widow's, widower's, and orphan's pensions — Deutsche Rentenversicherung
11. [11]
    Deutsche Post Pension Service - Reporting a death and applying for the Sterbevierteljahr advance — Deutsche Post AG - Renten Service