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

1. 1

   Official medical examination of the body, medical certificate of death, and forensic clearance in the Netherlands

   In the Netherlands, every death must first be formally established by a physician or municipal coroner (gemeentelijk lijkschouwer) before civil registration or transport is possible.

   • Death in a hospital or care facility (natural death): The attending physician (behandelend arts) performs the external examination (lijkschouwing) and completes the medical death certificate (verklaring van overlijden): the A-form (A-verklaring, certificate of natural death for the civil registry) and the B-form (B-verklaring, cause-of-death statistical form in a sealed envelope for Statistics Netherlands, Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek) [1].
   • Death at home or in a public place: In the event of an expected natural death at home, notify the general practitioner (huisarts) or the out-of-hours GP service (huisartsenpost). In the event of an unexpected death in a public place or an accident, call the emergency number 112 immediately [1].
   • Non-natural or unexplained death: If the attending physician is not convinced that the death was from natural causes, they must call in the municipal coroner (gemeentelijk lijkschouwer, a forensic physician from the regional public health service, GGD) [1]. The municipal coroner and the police report to the public prosecutor (officier van justitie); only after the public prosecutor has released the body in writing can the municipality issue a permit for burial, cremation, or transport to Germany [1].
2. 2

   Checking insurance, appointing funeral directors in the Netherlands and Germany, and informing the consulate

   Before incurring expenses, check whether the deceased held travel, repatriation, or funeral insurance (Auslandskrankenversicherung or Sterbegeldversicherung); the insurer's emergency assistance center will then normally appoint a contracted funeral director directly [3].

   • Certified funeral director in the Netherlands: You can appoint a Dutch funeral director (uitvaartondernemer, for instance a company affiliated with the Dutch trade association Branchevereniging Gecertificeerde Nederlandse Uitvaartondernemingen - BGNU) to arrange care of the deceased and civil registration within the statutory timeframe of the Dutch Burial and Cremation Act (Wet op de lijkbezorging): burial or cremation in the Netherlands takes place no earlier than 36 hours after death and no later than the sixth working day after death, unless the body is transported abroad within that period or the mayor (burgemeester) grants an extension [1].
   • Receiving funeral director in Germany: For repatriation to Germany, the Dutch funeral director coordinates with a German funeral provider (Bestattungsunternehmen), which you can locate through the official directory of the German trade association (Bundesverband Deutscher Bestatter e.V., Federal Association of German Funeral Directors), in compliance with the funeral legislation of the relevant German federal state (Landesbestattungsgesetz) and the German statutory cemetery obligation (Friedhofszwang) [2]. Clarvia lists trade associations and directories solely for orientation and does not endorse, recommend, or rank individual providers.
   • German consular assistance in the Netherlands: For consular information following the death of a German citizen in the Netherlands, you can contact the German diplomatic missions (Deutsche Vertretungen in den Niederlanden, German Embassy in The Hague and the Consulate General in Amsterdam acting as the legal and consular department, telephone +31 70 342 06 00) [3].
3. 3

   Registration with the Civil Registry in the Netherlands and recognition of certificates in Germany

   The death must be officially registered with the Civil Registry (Burgerlijke Stand) of the Dutch municipality where the person died.

   • Registration in the municipality of death and BRP notification: Typically, the appointed funeral director files the death declaration on behalf of the family with the civil registrar (ambtenaar van de Burgerlijke Stand) of the municipality of death (such as Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, or Maastricht) using the A-verklaring, the B-verklaring, and the deceased's German passport or identity card (Personalausweis) [1]. According to guidance from the central government portal (Rijksoverheid, Government of the Netherlands, telephone 1400), the municipality draws up the official death certificate (akte van overlijden), issues the permit for burial or cremation (verlof tot begraven of cremeren), and, if the deceased resided in the Netherlands, automatically updates the Personal Records Database (Basisregistratie Personen - BRP) [1]. For non-residents who died abroad or for national certificate transcriptions, the Municipality of The Hague (Gemeente Den Haag, National Tasks Department / afdeling Landelijke Taken, telephone +31 70 353 30 00) performs national civil registry duties [4].
   • Multilingual CIEC extract Form C: Request multiple multilingual extracts of the death certificate from the Dutch municipality of death under the 1976 Vienna Convention (meertalig CIEC-uittreksel Model C / CIEC Form C) [1][3]. This multilingual extract is recognized directly in Germany without an apostille and without a sworn translation [3].
   • Use and registration in Germany (Standesamt): Within Germany itself, deaths occurring on German territory must be reported to the civil registry office (Standesamt) no later than the third following working day pursuant to Section 28 of the Civil Status Act (§ 28 Personenstandsgesetz - PStG) [5]. For a German citizen who died in the Netherlands, the Dutch multilingual CIEC Form C extract can be used directly with German authorities; in addition, relatives may optionally apply for subsequent registration in the German death register (Nachbeurkundung im Sterberegister) via the Standesamt of the deceased's last German place of residence or Standesamt I in Berlin [3][5].
4. 4

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

   Together with the funeral director, you choose between transferring the body or ashes to Germany and holding the funeral in the Netherlands.

   • Repatriation of the body by coffin: For transporting a deceased person from the Netherlands to Germany, the mayor (burgemeester) of the Dutch municipality of death issues a mortuary laissez-passer (laissez-passer voor lijken) under the Strasbourg Agreement (satisfying the corresponding German requirements under the 1937 International Berlin Agreement for a Leichenpass) [1][3][6]. For general guidance on cross-border transport, you can also consult the Dutch government consular portal NederlandWereldwijd (part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs / Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken, telephone +31 247 247 247) and the information provided by the German Federal Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt) [3][6]. The Dutch and German funeral directors arrange a hermetically sealed transport coffin (with a zinc liner or approved barrier) and all border documentation [2][3].
   • Cremation and transfer of the urn to Germany: If cremation takes place in the Netherlands, under the Dutch Burial and Cremation Act (Wet op de lijkbezorging) the crematorium must in principle retain the urn (asbus) for one month before release, unless the public prosecutor (officier van justitie) grants an exemption for earlier release for transport abroad [1]. Please note: because of Germany's strict statutory cemetery obligation (Friedhofszwang), an urn may not be kept at home in Germany, and importing an urn into Germany requires a certificate of acceptance (Übernahmebescheinigung) from a German cemetery or urn burial site [2][3].
   • Local burial or cremation in the Netherlands: If the burial or cremation takes place in the Netherlands, the Dutch funeral director arranges this using the burial or cremation permit (verlof tot begraven of cremeren) issued by the municipality of death [1].
5. 5

   Post-death notifications, survivor pensions, taxation, and probate in Germany and the Netherlands

   Once the death certificates have been issued, pension, tax, and estate matters must be settled in both Germany and the Netherlands.

   • Pension termination, Sterbevierteljahr, and survivor pensions in Germany: If your family member received a German statutory pension, report the death immediately to the German Post Pension Service (Renten Service der Deutschen Post) to prevent overpayments; a surviving spouse or registered partner can also apply there within 30 days of the death for the advance payment of the three-month bereavement quarter (Sterbevierteljahr, paid at the deceased's full pension rate for three months) [7][8]. Applications for a German widow's or widower's pension (Witwen-/Witwerrente) or orphan's pension (Waisenrente) are submitted to the German Statutory Pension Insurance (Deutsche Rentenversicherung, toll-free service number within Germany +49 800 1000 4800) [7]; in addition, notify the deceased's German statutory health insurance fund (Gesetzliche Krankenversicherung).
   • German inheritance law (Nachlassgericht and Zentrales Testamentsregister): For assets located in Germany or if the deceased had their last habitual residence in Germany, the Central Register of Wills (Zentrales Testamentsregister of the Federal Chamber of Notaries, Bundesnotarkammer) can be checked for wills held in official custody, and a German certificate of inheritance (Erbschein) or a European Certificate of Succession can be requested from the probate court (Nachlassgericht, part of the German local court, Amtsgericht) [3][9].
   • AOW and Anw survivor benefits in the Netherlands: If the deceased had accrued state pension (AOW) or survivor benefit (Anw) rights in the Netherlands, the Dutch municipality automatically notifies the Social Insurance Bank (Sociale Verzekeringsbank - SVB) when updating a BRP registration; if the deceased lived in Germany, report the death directly to the Sociale Verzekeringsbank and apply there if eligible for a survivor benefit (Anw-nabestaandenuitkering) or orphan's benefit (wezenuitkering) [10].
   • Dutch estate administration, notary, court, and tax authority: You can check whether a will was drawn up in the Netherlands via the Central Register of Wills (Centraal Testamentenregister - CTR), and a Dutch civil-law notary affiliated with the Royal Dutch Association of Civil-law Notaries (Koninklijke Notariële Beroepsorganisatie - KNB / Notaris.nl) can issue a Dutch or European certificate of inheritance (verklaring van erfrecht) [11]. Heirs who wish to accept an estate under Dutch law with benefit of inventory (beneficiair aanvaarden) or renounce it (verwerpen) file a formal declaration with the district court registry via the Dutch Judiciary portal (de Rechtspraak; note that unconditional acceptance makes you personally liable for estate debts, and renouncing an inheritance under German law is subject to a strict deadline of 6 weeks, or 6 months if residing abroad) [3][11][12]. Finally, settle the final income tax return (F-biljet) and any inheritance tax return (aangifte erfbelasting) with the Dutch Tax and Customs Administration (Belastingdienst, Bereavement Tax Helpline / BelastingTelefoon voor nabestaanden: 0800 235 8354) [13][14].

Official Authorities & Verified Contacts

Official Sources Checked by Clarvia

1. [1]
   Bereavement - What to arrange when a death occurs in the Netherlands — Rijksoverheid
2. [2]
   Funeral Director Directory - Qualified funeral providers in Germany — Bundesverband Deutscher Bestatter e.V.
3. [3]
   Deaths of German citizens in the Netherlands — Deutsche Vertretungen in den Niederlanden
4. [4]
   Converting a foreign certificate into a Dutch civil status record (National Tasks Department) — Gemeente Den Haag
5. [5]
   German Civil Status Act (Personenstandsgesetz - PStG) Section 28 Notification of Death — Bundesministerium der Justiz - Gesetze im Internet
6. [6]
   Death abroad - Repatriation and required documents — NederlandWereldwijd - Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken
7. [7]
   Pensions and death abroad - Information for survivors — Deutsche Rentenversicherung
8. [8]
   Reporting a death and applying for the Sterbevierteljahr advance payment — Renten Service der Deutschen Post
9. [9]
   Information in the event of a death and notification of the probate court (Nachlassgericht) — Zentrales Testamentsregister der Bundesnotarkammer
10. [10]
    General Surviving Relatives Act (Anw) - Survivor benefit and orphan's benefit — Sociale Verzekeringsbank (SVB)
11. [11]
    Upon death - Certificate of inheritance and accepting or renouncing an estate — Koninklijke Notariële Beroepsorganisatie (Notaris.nl)
12. [12]
    Court procedure for accepting an inheritance with benefit of inventory or renouncing it — de Rechtspraak
13. [13]
    After a death - Arranging tax matters, F-form (F-biljet), and inheritance tax — Belastingdienst
14. [14]
    Accepting or renouncing an inheritance - Rights and obligations of heirs — Rijksoverheid