Repatriation to the United States
We repatriate the deceased from Germany to the United States by air freight from Frankfurt, Munich or Düsseldorf. We clarify the CDC requirements and the rules of the destination state in advance with the receiving funeral home.
Available around the clock · CDC requirements checked · Fixed price within 2 hours · English, German, Russian, Ukrainian
What does it cost?
Repatriation to the USA — the order of magnitude
Repatriation to the United States is by air freight only. The price depends strongly on the destination state: the East Coast is closer and usually cheaper than the West Coast or Hawaii.
Services
What we take care of
From collection in Germany to handover to the funeral home in the USA — one contact, one invoice.
Coffin & urn repatriation
Air freight to every US state, with onward domestic transport where the destination is not near an airport.
CDC requirements
We make sure the container, embalming and documents meet the requirements of the US health authority.
English translations
The German death certificate is translated into English by a certified translator — otherwise it will not be accepted.
Liaison with the funeral home
We speak directly to the receiving funeral home in the USA and confirm its requirements and those of the state.
Support in your language
English, German, Russian and Ukrainian — around the clock. We handle the time difference.
Documents for the USA
We prepare the paperwork so that customs and the funeral home accept it without queries.
Transparency
What determines the price
For the USA, three factors matter above all.
Destination state and airport
New York, Chicago and Miami are served directly from Germany. Texas, California or Hawaii usually involve a connecting domestic flight — that is the biggest difference in price.
Coffin or urn
A coffin requires preparation, a soldered zinc liner and a leak-proof container. An urn is lighter and considerably cheaper — the cremation then takes place in Germany, see urn repatriation abroad.
Documents and translations
All documents must be in English. If the deceased has not been embalmed, the CDC additionally requires a death certificate stating the cause of death.
How we work
Guided step by step
From the first call to handover in the USA — you never have to deal with an authority yourself.
First contact & destination
Tell us where the deceased is to be taken. We need the name of the receiving funeral home in the USA early on, because the shipment must be consigned directly to a licensed establishment.
German documents
Death certificate in the international format, corpse passport, certificate of no objection and proof of coffining with zinc liner.
Translations & US requirements
Certified English translations, liaison with the funeral home and confirmation of the destination state’s requirements.
Air freight & handover
Booking of air freight, air waybill, customs clearance and handover to the funeral home at the destination.
Documents
What is required
Repatriation to the USA generally requires the documents listed here. We obtain, check and translate them.
- German death certificate in the international multilingual format
- certified English translation of the death certificate
- corpse passport from the competent authority at the place of death
- certificate of no objection from the public health office
- proof of coffining with soldered zinc liner or of embalming
- passport of the deceased
- air waybill
- name and address of the receiving funeral home in the USA
- where the deceased has not been embalmed: death certificate stating the cause of death
Good to know
What is specific to a repatriation to the USA
The CDC rule always applies
The US health authority requires a leak-proof container and direct consignment to a licensed establishment. Where the deceased has been embalmed or cremated, no separate CDC permit is needed.
Each state has its own rules
Unlike Europe, there is no single rule for the whole country. What applies in Texas does not apply in New York. We confirm the requirements in advance with the receiving funeral home.
The Berlin Agreement does not apply
The United States is not a contracting state. Instead, the federal CDC rule, the rules of the destination state and the airline’s requirements govern.
Frequently asked questions
What families ask us most often
What does repatriation to the USA cost?
Can relatives collect the coffin at the airport?
Is a CDC permit required?
Does the death certificate have to be translated?
How long does it take?
Is an urn simpler?
When it has to be quick
One call is enough
We take over from the first step — around the clock, including Sundays and public holidays. Free initial advice, liaison with the funeral home in the USA, in English, German, Russian and Ukrainian.
+49 151 17463888
