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

1. 1

   Medical examination of the body, death certificate, and police or prosecutor clearance in Germany

   • Death in a hospital or nursing home: When a death occurs in a hospital or care facility (for instance in Berlin, Frankfurt am Main, Munich, or Düsseldorf), the medical staff immediately arranges the medical post-mortem examination (ärztliche Leichenschau) and issues the official medical certificate of death (Todesbescheinigung / Totenschein) comprising a confidential and a non-confidential part [1][4]. Have the deceased person's Spanish national identity card (DNI) or passport (pasaporte) ready so that their personal details are recorded accurately [2].
   • Death at home, in a hotel, or in a public place: Immediately contact the emergency services via the emergency number 112 or the on-call medical service at 116 117 (ärztlicher Bereitschaftsdienst) so that a physician can perform the external examination on site and issue the Totenschein [4].
   • Unexplained or non-natural cause of death: If the physician records an unexplained or non-natural manner of death, the police and the public prosecutor's office (Staatsanwaltschaft) are called in [1][4]. The body is then initially taken into custody for forensic examination; civil registration at the Standesamt, cremation, or international repatriation to Spain may only proceed once the public prosecutor's office has issued written clearance for burial [1][4].
2. 2

   Repatriation insurance, funeral directors in Germany and Spain, and the Spanish consular mission

   • Checking travel, repatriation, or funeral insurance: Before commissioning a funeral provider yourself, check whether your family member held a Spanish funeral insurance policy (seguro de decesos), travel health or repatriation insurance, or an breakdown/assistance policy (Schutzbrief) [4][6]. If a policy exists, contact the insurer's 24-hour emergency assistance center first, as it normally appoints the funeral providers in Germany and Spain directly and covers the repatriation costs [4][6].
   • Appointing funeral directors in Germany and Spain: If there is no insurance coverage, appoint a licensed funeral provider in Germany (Bestattungsunternehmen) via the German professional association (Bundesverband Deutscher Bestatter e.V., Federal Association of German Funeral Directors, telephone +49 211 16008-10, 24-hour emergency number +49 211 16008-86, email [email protected]) in compliance with the relevant state funeral laws (Landesbestattungsgesetze) and the German statutory cemetery obligation (Friedhofszwang) [4]. For reception and burial at the destination in Spain, the German funeral director coordinates with a licensed Spanish funeral provider (empresa funeraria habilitada), which you can locate through the Spanish national funeral industry association (Asociación Nacional de Servicios Funerarios - PANASEF, telephone +34 91 576 31 55, email [email protected]) [6]. Clarvia lists professional associations and directories solely for orientation and does not recommend, rate, or rank individual providers.
   • Contacting the Embassy or Consulate General of Spain in Germany: Notify the Spanish diplomatic or consular mission competent for the German place of death (under the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores, Unión Europea y Cooperación - MAEC), such as the Consular Section of the Embassy of Spain (Embajada de España en Berlín, Lichtensteinallee 1, 10787 Berlin, telephone +49 30 254 007 0, email [email protected]) or the competent Spanish Consulate General in Düsseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg, Munich, or Stuttgart [2][3]. The consular mission assists with consular death registration and transit documents, but does not pay funeral or repatriation expenses [2][3].
3. 3

   Death notification at the German Standesamt (Form C) and civil registration for Spain

   • Notification at the German Standesamt by the third following working day (§ 28 PStG): Under Section 28 of the German Civil Status Act (§ 28 Personenstandsgesetz - PStG), the death must be reported to the civil registry office (Standesamt des Sterbeortes) in Germany no later than the third working day following the death; for a death in a hospital, the hospital administration or the appointed funeral director usually handles this filing [1][4]. In addition to the German death certificate (Sterbeurkunde), be sure to request several multilingual extracts on Form C (Formblatt C / Fórmula C) under the 1976 Vienna CIEC Convention [1][2]. Because both Germany and Spain are contracting states to the Vienna CIEC Convention and Regulation (EU) 2016/1191 also applies, the multilingual Form C is recognized directly in Spain without a Hague Apostille or sworn translation [2][7].
   • Registration in the Spanish Civil Registry (Registro Civil / Registro Civil Consular): Whereas a death occurring within Spain must be reported within 24 hours to the local Registro Civil of the municipality of death (under the supervision of the Spanish Ministry of Justice, Ministerio de Justicia) to obtain the Certificado Literal de Defunción and the multilingual Certificado Plurilingüe Fórmula C [7], the death of a Spanish citizen occurring in Germany must additionally be registered in the Spanish Consular Civil Registry (Registro Civil Consular) at the Embassy (Embajada de España en Berlín) or the competent Spanish Consulate General [2]. To do so, submit the completed data declaration sheet (Hoja declaratoria de datos), the international death certificate on Form C (internationale Sterbeurkunde), and copies of the deceased's last Spanish DNI or passport and the informant's ID (by post or via the consular section) to obtain the Spanish Certificado Literal de Defunción required for probate and pension procedures in Spain [2][7].
4. 4

   Choosing between international repatriation to Spain and local burial or cremation in Germany

   • International repatriation of the body in a coffin to Spain: For transport from Germany to Spain, the German funeral director applies to the competent authority at the German place of death (public health office or public order office) for the multilingual mortuary passport (Leichenpass / salvoconducto mortuorio) under the 1937 International Berlin Agreement (or the Strasbourg Agreement) in accordance with the guidance of the German Federal Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt) [4][5]. The body is hygienically prepared and hermetically sealed in a soldered zinc coffin (verlöteter Zinksarg / féretro de zinc sellado) inside a wooden transport coffin [4][5]. In coordination with the Spanish consular mission (Embajada de España en Berlín or MAEC Consulate General) and the Spanish border health authority (Sanidad Exterior), the receiving Spanish funeral company takes custody of the coffin at the destination airport in Spain [2][6].
   • Cremation in Germany and urn transfer to Spain (Friedhofszwang): If cremation takes place in Germany first (following the mandatory second medical post-mortem examination at the crematorium), note the statutory cemetery obligation (Friedhofszwang) applicable across all German federal states: German crematoria release the urn only against a certificate of acceptance (Übernahmebescheinigung) from a cemetery or proof of cross-border transfer handled by an authorized funeral provider [4]. For transporting the sealed urn to Spain (traslado de urna), the international death certificate (Form C) and the cremation certificate (certificado de cremación) from the German crematorium must accompany the urn [4][6].
   • Local burial or cremation in Germany: If interment is to take place at a German cemetery, the Standesamt of the place of death issues the burial permit (Bestattungsschein); the burial deadlines and cemetery obligation are governed by the respective German state funeral law (Landesbestattungsgesetz) [1][4].
5. 5

   Survivor pensions, register of wills, taxes, and probate in Spain and Germany

   • In Spain (INSS, Últimas Voluntades, Notary, and Impuesto sobre Sucesiones):
     • Spanish Social Security (INSS): If your family member was insured under Spanish social security or received a Spanish pension, report the death to the National Institute of Social Security (Instituto Nacional de la Seguridad Social - INSS) to apply for the one-off funeral grant (auxilio por defunción, claimable for up to 5 years) as well as ongoing survivor pensions (pensión de viudedad or pensión de orfandad; where insurance periods were completed in both Germany and Spain, they are aggregated under the EU social security coordination regulations) [8].
     • Central Register of Last Wills (Modelo 790), notary, and inheritance tax (6 months): Once 15 working days (15 días hábiles) have elapsed since the date of death, apply to the Spanish Ministry of Justice (Ministerio de Justicia) using official Form Modelo 790 (Code 006) for the Certificado del Registro General de Actos de Última Voluntad (certificate of wills executed in Spain) together with the certificate of life and bereavement insurance contracts [9]. With these certificates and the death certificate, contact a Spanish notary's office (notaría) through the General Council of Notaries (Consejo General del Notariado) to open the will or execute the notarial declaration of heirs and acceptance of inheritance [10]. Please note that Spanish inheritance tax (Impuesto sobre Sucesiones y Donaciones) must be declared within 6 months from the date of death (a 6-month extension can be requested within the first 5 months) [10].
   • In Germany (Deutsche Rentenversicherung, Renten Service, health insurance, and Nachlassgericht):
     • Pensions and Sterbevierteljahr (within 30 days): If the deceased received a German pension or had German insurance periods, immediately notify the pension payment service (Renten Service der Deutschen Post, telephone +49 221 569 2777) to prevent overpayments and, for surviving spouses or registered partners, to apply within 30 days of the death for the advance payment of the three-month bereavement quarter (Sterbevierteljahr) [12]. Submit applications for a German widow's, widower's, or orphan's pension (Witwen-, Witwer- oder Waisenrente) to the German Statutory Pension Insurance (Deutsche Rentenversicherung, toll-free service number 0800 1000 4800 in Germany or +49 30 865 0 from abroad) [11].
     • Statutory health insurance and German probate court: Report the death by submitting the death certificate to the German statutory health insurance fund (Gesetzliche Krankenversicherung / Krankenkasse) [11]. Where assets or real estate are located in Germany, the Standesamt electronically notifies the Central Register of Wills (Zentrales Testamentsregister) of the Federal Chamber of Notaries, which forwards information on wills in official custody to the competent probate court (Nachlassgericht at the local court, Amtsgericht); heirs can apply there if needed for a German certificate of inheritance (Erbschein) or a European Certificate of Succession [13].

Official Authorities & Verified Contacts

Official Sources Checked by Clarvia

1. [1]
   German Civil Status Act (Personenstandsgesetz - PStG) Section 28: Notification of Death at the Standesamt — Bundesministerium der Justiz (Gesetze im Internet)
2. [2]
   Consular Services in Germany: Deaths and Registration in the Consular Civil Registry — Embajada de España en Berlín (Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores, Unión Europea y Cooperación)
3. [3]
   Embassy of Spain in Berlin and Consulates General in Germany — Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores, Unión Europea y Cooperación (MAEC)
4. [4]
   What to do in the event of death: Medical examination, Standesamt, cemetery obligation, and repatriation — Bundesverband Deutscher Bestatter e.V.
5. [5]
   Consular assistance: Bereavement and international repatriation (Leichenpass) — Auswärtiges Amt
6. [6]
   Information on funeral services in Spain (PANASEF) — Asociación Nacional de Servicios Funerarios (PANASEF)
7. [7]
   Death Certificate and Registration in the Spanish Civil Registry (Registro Civil) — Ministerio de Justicia de España
8. [8]
   Death and survivor benefits: Funeral grant (auxilio por defunción), widowhood, and orphanhood pensions — Instituto Nacional de la Seguridad Social (INSS)
9. [9]
   Certificate of Last Wills (Certificado de Actos de Última Voluntad - Form Modelo 790 after 15 working days) — Sede Electrónica del Ministerio de Justicia de España
10. [10]
    Wills, declaration of heirs, and Inheritance Tax (Impuesto sobre Sucesiones) in Spain — Consejo General del Notariado
11. [11]
    Survivor's pension: Widow's pension, widower's pension, and orphan's pension — Deutsche Rentenversicherung
12. [12]
    Renten Service der Deutschen Post: Reporting a death and applying for the Sterbevierteljahr — Deutsche Post AG - Renten Service
13. [13]
    The Central Register of Wills (Zentrales Testamentsregister) in the event of a death — Bundesnotarkammer