International repatriation: process, duration & costs

When someone dies and is to be buried in another country, the questions quickly shift from saying goodbye to organisation: who reports what, which document is still missing, when can the flight go? Here we walk through the process step by step — with realistic timeframes, a document checklist and the points where delays most often arise in practice.

3–7 working daysis the typical duration of a repatriation abroad

Same daycollection of the deceased in Germany, as a rule

Fixed pricein writing within a few hours

30+ countriesmore than 20 years of experience, in both directions

Coffin on a dolly at an airport cargo terminal at dawn, a passenger aircraft in the background — Illustrative photo: handover as air freight at the cargo terminal.

The process in six steps

Tap a step to see the details. Timeframes are guide values for a typical case.

1
First call and collectionDay 1
You can reach us around the clock. As a rule, we collect the deceased on the same day — from home, hospital or care home — and place them in refrigerated storage.
In the first conversation we clarify four things, because everything else depends on them: destination country and place, burial or cremation, religious requirements and whether the destination country sets a deadline. Within a few hours you receive a fixed price from us in writing.
2
Medical death certificate and civil death certificateDay 1–2
The basis is the medical death certificate (Todesbescheinigung). With it, the registry office at the place of death issues the death certificate (Sterbeurkunde) — for use abroad in the international multilingual format, otherwise a certified translation will be needed later.
If the death cannot clearly be classed as natural, the public prosecutor must release the body. This is the most common cause of delay, and it cannot be speeded up. More in our article Why the body is not released.
3
Corpse passport and consulateDay 2–4
For repatriation in a coffin, the international corpse passport (Leichenpass) is the key document. It is issued by the authority at the place of death — depending on the federal state, the public health office or the regulatory authority. The legal basis is the Berlin Agreement on the Transport of Corpses of 1937. The Strasbourg Agreement of 1973, often mentioned alongside it, was signed by Germany but never ratified.
Next comes consular approval, if the destination country requires it. The consulate generally wants to see the finished death certificate and corpse passport before it agrees — so the order of steps matters.
4
Preparation and coffiningin parallel
For cross-border transport in a coffin, the Berlin Agreement requires a hermetically soldered metal inner coffin inside a sturdy wooden coffin, with a pressure equalisation valve for air transport. The soldering is often confirmed in the presence of the public health office; several consulates require this confirmation.
We arrange hygienic preparation through experienced partners on site. Whether embalming is necessary depends on the destination country and the transport time. Religious requirements take priority: an Islamic burial does not provide for embalming, but every hour counts — we plan such cases with fewer intermediate steps.
5
Transport1–2 days
Within Europe we often travel by funeral vehicle; over longer distances the coffin goes as air freight. Every air freight shipment has an air waybill; you receive its number, the flight number and the planned arrival from us as soon as they are confirmed.
For road transport, we let you know at departure and at handover.
6
Arrival and handover in the destination countryarrival day
Our partner funeral director receives the deceased at the airport or the agreed handover point, completes the import formalities and takes them to the funeral home or directly to the cemetery.
The partner usually settles the burial itself directly with the family on site. We remain your point of contact — even if something needs to be clarified locally.

Checklist: which documents are needed

Choose whether the deceased is repatriated in a coffin or as an urn, and tick what you already have. The list is not saved and is only for orientation — we take care of obtaining the documents.

Road or air freight?

By funeral vehicle

Usually the first choice within Europe.

usually cheaper than flying
no cargo terminal, no reloading
arrival time can be planned precisely
updates at departure and handover

As air freight

For longer distances and destinations outside Europe.

zinc-lined coffin with pressure valve
documents travel as freight papers
air waybill number for tracking
received by our partner at the destination airport

How long it really takes

A repatriation abroad typically takes three to seven working days. For distant destinations and complex consular procedures it can be two weeks or more.

What really causes delays — hardly ever the flight:a missing release from the public prosecutor, a death certificate in the wrong format, a consulate closed for a holiday, a translation that is not certified. That is why we check all documents before we book.

What it costs

The price depends mainly on distance, type of transport and the work required in the destination country. Our published guide prices for repatriating a coffin from Germany, excluding the collection surcharge and additional services:

As of September 2026. Full breakdown on the page What a repatriation from Germany costs.
Destination region	By vehicle	As air freight
Poland	€2,000 – €3,500	€3,500 – €5,000
Balkans	€2,500 – €4,500	€3,800 – €5,500
Ukraine	€3,500 – €8,500	currently not available
Turkey	€3,500 – €5,500	€3,500 – €5,000
Russia	€5,500 – €7,500	€6,500 – €9,500
Kazakhstan, Central Asia	€5,500 – €8,000	€6,500 – €9,500
Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan	air freight only	€4,500 – €7,500
North Africa	air freight only	€6,500 – €10,000
West and East Africa	air freight only	€10,000 – €17,000

Repatriating an urn costs roughly half. Also check whether travel or funeral expenses insurance applies: many policies cover repatriation, but often only up to a limit.

The reverse case: repatriation to Germany

If someone dies on holiday or while visiting relatives abroad, the same procedure runs in reverse: the paperwork is issued in the country of death, the German mission abroad provides the necessary certificates, and we organise transport and reception in Germany. German consulates advise but do not cover costs — these are borne by the family or the insurer.

Documents being handed to the partner funeral director on arrival — Illustrative photo: handover to our partner in the destination country.

Frequently asked questions

How long does an international repatriation take?

Typically three to seven working days. For distant destinations and complex consular procedures, two weeks or more. What decides the timing is the official steps, not the flight connection.

Who issues the corpse passport?

The competent authority at the place of death — depending on the federal state, the public health office or the regulatory authority. The basis is the Berlin Agreement of 1937. An urn does not need a corpse passport.

Is a zinc-lined coffin always required?

For cross-border transport in a coffin under the Berlin Agreement, yes: a soldered metal inner coffin inside a wooden coffin, with a pressure valve for air transport. This does not apply to an urn.

Can I track where the deceased is?

For air freight you receive the air waybill number, flight number and planned arrival from us. How much detail the airline shows online varies. For road transport, we let you know at departure and handover.

Will insurance pay?

Many travel and funeral expenses policies include repatriation, usually up to a fixed limit. For European destinations this is often enough, for intercontinental ones rarely. Only your insurer can give a binding answer.

Will the social welfare office pay?

Under Section 74 SGB XII, generally only the costs that would also have arisen for a funeral at the place of residence are covered. Air freight, the zinc-lined coffin and costs abroad are usually not included.

Contact · 24/7

We take care of the organisation

Authorities, consulates, the airline and our partner in the destination country: that is our job, not yours. You sign a power of attorney and have one fixed contact person — in English, German, Russian or Ukrainian. The first consultation is free of charge.