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

1. 1

   Obtain the Medical Certificate of Death and Emergency or Forensic Clearance in Greece

   Before civil registration, burial, cremation, or international repatriation can proceed, a licensed physician or forensic medical examiner in Greece must issue the official Medical Certificate of Death (Ιατρικό Πιστοποιητικό Θανάτου) [1][2][3]:

   • Death in a Greek hospital or clinic: When a person dies in a public or private hospital in Greece (for example, in Athens, Thessaloniki, Heraklion, or Rhodes), the attending hospital physician verifies the death, completes the Medical Certificate of Death (Ιατρικό Πιστοποιητικό Θανάτου) stating the exact medical cause of death, and transfers the body to the hospital mortuary until an appointed funeral director arrives [2][3]. Provide the deceased's German passport (Reisepass) or national identity card (Personalausweis) so personal details match across Greek and German records [1][2].
   • Death at a hotel, private residence, beach, or public place: Call the National Centre for Emergency Care (EKAB on 166), the European emergency number (112), and the Hellenic Police (100) (or the Hellenic Coast Guard on 108 if the death occurred at sea or on a beach) [1][2].
   • Forensic autopsy (Ιατροδικαστική Υπηρεσία) for sudden, unattended, or foreign-national deaths: Under Greek law, whenever a death occurs outside a hospital without prior medical attendance, is sudden or unexplained, or involves a foreign national where Greek authorities require post-mortem clearance, the police or coast guard orders a mandatory forensic examination and autopsy by the regional Forensic Medical Service (Ιατροδικαστική Υπηρεσία) of the Ministry of Justice (such as the Forensic Medical Service in Athens, Piraeus, Thessaloniki, or Crete) [1]. The forensic pathologist issues the Medical Certificate of Death and release order once the examination is complete [1][2].
2. 2

   Check Insurance, Appoint Licensed Funeral Directors in Greece and Germany, and Contact the German Missions

   Before signing an independent funeral contract, check whether your family member held travel medical insurance (Auslandsreisekrankenversicherung with Rücktransport im Todesfall), credit-card repatriation cover, or an automobile club protection policy (Schutzbrief), and contact the insurer's 24-hour assistance team first [1]. Note that German diplomatic missions cannot pay or advance funeral, cremation, or repatriation expenses [1].

   • Appointing a licensed Greek funeral home (Γραφείο Τελετών): In Greece, a licensed Greek funeral home (Γραφείο Τελετών) collects the deceased from the hospital or forensic morgue, files the municipal death registration, and arranges embalming, a hermetically sealed coffin, and air or road transport permits [1][2][3].
   • Coordinating with a receiving funeral provider in Germany (Bestattungsunternehmen): For repatriation to Germany, the family can instruct a receiving German funeral home (Bestattungsunternehmen) in the destination municipality, which coordinates directly with a Greek partner funeral home in compliance with the funeral laws of the relevant German federal state (Landesbestattungsgesetze) and mandatory cemetery interment rules (Friedhofszwang) [1][4]. You can locate a qualified German funeral provider through the federal professional association Bundesverband Deutscher Bestatter e.V. (phone +49 211 16008-10, 24-hour emergency line +49 211 16008-86, email [email protected]) [4]. Clarvia lists official directories and consular resources for orientation only and does not endorse, recommend, or rank specific providers.
   • Contacting the German Embassy in Athens or Consulate General in Thessaloniki: Contact the German Embassy Athens (Botschaft der Bundesrepublik Deutschland Athen, Karaoli & Dimitriou 3, 106 75 Athens; phone +30 210 7285 111, emergency consular duty line +30 210 7285 264) or, for northern Greece, the German Consulate General in Thessaloniki (phone +30 2310 251 120) [1]. The German missions provide informational lists of local funeral homes experienced in international repatriation and assist with next-of-kin authorizations if family members remain in Germany [1].
3. 3

   Register the Death with the Civil Registry in Greece Within 24 Hours and Obtain Multilingual Extracts for Germany

   Under Greek civil registration law (Law 344/1976), a death in Greece must be declared within 24 hours of occurrence (or within 24 hours of the forensic pathologist's release) [2][3]:

   • Greek Death Certificate (Ληξιαρχική Πράξη Θανάτου): In practice, the appointed Greek funeral director submits the signed Medical Certificate of Death (Ιατρικό Πιστοποιητικό Θανάτου), the deceased's German passport or identity card, and family status details in person to the municipal Civil Registry Office (Ληξιαρχείο / Lixiarcheio) of the municipality of death (for example, the Municipality of Athens or Municipality of Thessaloniki) to obtain the official Greek Death Certificate (Ληξιαρχική Πράξη Θανάτου) and burial or transfer permit; once registered, digital extracts can also be accessed via the national portal gov.gr [2][3].
   • Multilingual CIEC Form C extract and recognition in Germany: Request several copies of the Greek Death Certificate together with a multilingual extract on Form C (Formblatt C) issued under the Vienna CIEC Convention of 8 September 1976 [1][6]. Because both Greece and Germany are contracting states to the 1976 Vienna Convention and EU Regulation (EU) 2016/1191 applies between EU Member States, the multilingual Form C death extract is accepted directly in Germany without a Hague Apostille or sworn translation [1][6].
   • German Standesamt rules (§ 28 and § 36 Personenstandsgesetz - PStG): Whereas a domestic death inside Germany must be reported to the local Standesamt no later than the third following working day under § 28 Personenstandsgesetz (PStG) [5], a death occurring in Greece is registered first at the Greek Lixiarcheio [1][3]. With the Greek Death Certificate (or multilingual Form C), surviving relatives (spouse, registered partner, parents, or children) may subsequently apply to the German Standesamt of the deceased's last German residence (or Standesamt I in Berlin if the deceased had no German residence) for optional subsequent registration in the German death register (Nachbeurkundung eines Sterbefalls im Ausland under § 36 PStG) to obtain a domestic German Sterbeurkunde and Form C extracts [1][6].
4. 4

   Choose Between International Repatriation to Germany and Local Burial or Cremation in Greece

   Depending on your family member's wishes and family arrangements, you may choose international repatriation to Germany or local burial or cremation in Greece [1][4]:

   • Repatriating casketed remains to Germany (Leichenpass / Mortuary Laissez-Passer): Both Greece and Germany apply international mortuary transfer standards (the 1937 International Berlin Agreement / Internationales Berliner Abkommen and the Strasbourg Agreement) [1]. The Greek funeral home arranges mandatory arterial embalming, places the body in a hermetically soldered zinc-lined coffin (verlöteter Zinksarg) inside a wooden outer casket, and obtains the non-contagious disease certificate and multilingual mortuary laissez-passer (Leichenpass) from the competent Greek Public Health Directorate, coordinated where required with the German Embassy Athens or Consulate General in Thessaloniki [1]. Because forensic and administrative formalities in Greece typically take 3 to 10 days, the German missions advise confirming a binding funeral date in Germany only after flight and transfer dates are finalized [1].
   • Cremation in Greece and transporting the urn to Germany (Urnenüberführung and Friedhofszwang): If the family chooses cremation in Greece (for example, at the licensed Ritsona Crematorium near Chalkida) followed by transferring the cremated ashes to Germany, note that all German federal states enforce mandatory cemetery interment (Friedhofszwang under the respective Landesbestattungsgesetze) [1][4]. Ashes cannot be kept privately at home in Germany; to ship or carry a sealed urn to Germany, you must obtain an official acceptance certificate (Übernahmebescheinigung) from the receiving German cemetery administration (Friedhofsverwaltung) or a licensed German funeral provider (Bestattungsunternehmen), accompanied by the Greek Death Certificate (Form C) and the official cremation certificate [1][4].
   • Local burial or cremation in Greece: If interment or ash placement takes place entirely in a municipal cemetery in Greece, the Greek funeral home arranges the municipal burial or cremation permit directly with the local municipality [2][3].
5. 5

   Complete Survivor Pension, Benefit, Tax, and Probate Steps in Germany and Greece

   Once the Greek Death Certificate and multilingual Form C extract are issued, complete the post-death benefit and estate administration steps in both countries:

   • In Germany (Deutsche Rentenversicherung, Renten Service, Health Insurance, and Nachlassgericht):
     • Pensions and Sterbevierteljahr (within 30 days): Notify Renten Service der Deutschen Post (phone +49 221 569 2777) and Deutsche Rentenversicherung (toll-free 0800 1000 4800 within Germany, or +49 30 865 0 from abroad) immediately so old-age pension overpayments stop [7][8]. A surviving spouse or registered civil partner can apply through Renten Service der Deutschen Post within 30 days of the death for the three-month bereavement advance payment (Sterbevierteljahr, paid at the full rate of the deceased's pension for the three calendar months following the month of death) [8], and apply to Deutsche Rentenversicherung for a survivor pension (Witwenrente or Witwerrente) or orphan's pension (Waisenrente) [7].
     • Statutory health insurance (Gesetzliche Krankenversicherung): Submit the Death Certificate to the deceased's German health insurance fund (Krankenkasse) to terminate membership and update any family co-insurance (Familienversicherung) [7].
     • Probate and Certificate of Inheritance (Nachlassgericht / Erbschein): Any person holding a handwritten will must deliver it promptly to the German probate court (Nachlassgericht at the local Amtsgericht of the deceased's last German habitual residence, which also receives automatic electronic notification from the Central Register of Wills / Zentrales Testamentsregister) [1]. To access German bank accounts or real estate where no trans-mortem power of attorney or notarized will suffices, heirs apply to the Nachlassgericht for a German Certificate of Inheritance (Erbschein) or a European Certificate of Succession (Europäisches Nachlasszeugnis under EU Regulation No 650/2012) [1]. Note that under German law (§ 1944 BGB), the deadline to renounce an inheritance (Erbausschlagung) is 6 weeks, extended to 6 months if the deceased had their last habitual residence only abroad or if the heir was abroad when learning of the inheritance [1].
   • In Greece (e-EFKA, AADE Inheritance Tax, and Κληρονομητήριο):
     • Greek social security (e-EFKA): If your family member was insured or receiving a pension in Greece, notify the Unified Social Security Fund (e-EFKA via gov.gr, phone 1555 in Greece) to claim the statutory reimbursement of funeral expenses (Έξοδα Κηδείας) and any Greek survivor pension (Σύνταξη λόγω θανάτου), coordinated with Germany under EU social security regulations [9].
     • Greek estate administration (Κληρονομητήριο and AADE): If the deceased held bank accounts, property, or other assets in Greece, heirs or an appointed Greek lawyer/notary obtain the Certificate of Closest Relatives and Certificate of Non-Publication of a Will via gov.gr, apply to the competent Greek court or notary for a Greek Certificate of Inheritance (Κληρονομητήριο) (or present a European Certificate of Succession), and file the Greek inheritance tax declaration with the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE) within 12 months if the deceased passed away abroad or the heirs reside abroad (or 6 months domestically; renunciation of a Greek inheritance must be filed within 4 months, or 12 months when the deceased lived abroad or the heir resided abroad) [10].

Official Authorities & Verified Contacts

Official Sources Checked by Clarvia

1. [1]
   Deaths of German Citizens in Greece (Todesfälle deutscher Staatsangehöriger in Griechenland) — German Missions in Greece (Auswärtiges Amt)
2. [2]
   Death Certificate (Ληξιαρχική πράξη θανάτου) - Digital Issuance — Hellenic Republic (gov.gr)
3. [3]
   Declaration of Death and Bereavement Procedures at the Municipal Civil Registry (Ληξιαρχείο) — Hellenic Republic (gov.gr)
4. [4]
   Contact and Funeral Director Directory - Bundesverband Deutscher Bestatter e.V. — Bundesverband Deutscher Bestatter e.V.
5. [5]
   Personenstandsgesetz (PStG) § 28 Notification of Death at the Standesamt — Federal Ministry of Justice (Gesetze im Internet)
6. [6]
   Personenstandsgesetz (PStG) § 36 Subsequent Registration of a Death Abroad (Nachbeurkundung) — Federal Ministry of Justice (Gesetze im Internet)
7. [7]
   Survivor Pensions (Witwenrente, Witwerrente und Waisenrente) — Deutsche Rentenversicherung
8. [8]
   Renten Service der Deutschen Post - Reporting a Death and Sterbevierteljahr — Deutsche Post AG - Renten Service
9. [9]
   Reimbursement of Funeral Expenses (Έξοδα κηδείας e-ΕΦΚΑ) — Hellenic Republic (gov.gr / e-EFKA)
10. [10]
    Filing an Inheritance Tax Return and Succession Procedures in Greece — Hellenic Republic (gov.gr)