In Germany, the cremation certificate (Einäscherungsbescheinigung) is issued by the crematorium after the cremation. It confirms whose ashes are in the sealed urn and is the key document for a burial abroad. There is no nationally regulated “urn passport” in Germany comparable to the corpse passport (Leichenpass) used for coffins: the term usually refers to the set of papers that travels with the urn to the destination country. This guide explains each document, who issues it and when you need it.
Documents for an urn at a glance
A cremation in Germany produces several documents with similar-sounding names. The table shows who issues them and what they are for.
| Document | Issued by | Purpose | When needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical certificate of death (Todesbescheinigung) | doctor after the first examination of the body | records the death, its manner and cause | always; basis for the death certificate |
| Death certificate (Sterbeurkunde) | registry office (Standesamt) where the death occurred | official proof of death | always; for use abroad usually the international version, with an apostille or legalisation depending on the country |
| Certificate of the second medical examination | doctor appointed by the health authority (varies by federal state) | confirms there is no indication of an unnatural death | before every cremation |
| Release by the public prosecutor | public prosecutor | permits cremation after an unnatural or unexplained death | only in those cases |
| Cremation certificate (Einäscherungsbescheinigung) | crematorium | confirms the cremation and identifies the ashes | practically always for a burial abroad |
| Urn accompanying slip (Urnenbegleitschein) | crematorium or funeral director (no uniform form) | travels with the urn and records each handover | while the urn is being transported |
| Declaration of urn contents | funeral director | states that the urn contains only the ashes of the deceased | required by many countries and airlines |
| “Urn passport” (Urnenpass) | no national document; some health offices issue a certificate on request | accompanying proof for transport | only if the destination country, a transit country or the airline asks for it |
| Corpse passport (Leichenpass) | health office or public order office, depending on the federal state | cross-border transport of a body in a coffin | only for coffin repatriation, not for an urn |
| Consular permit or legalisation | mission of the destination country | import permit or recognition of German documents | if the destination country requires it |
The cremation certificate: what it contains and who receives it
After the cremation, the crematorium issues a certificate. Depending on the crematorium it is called Einäscherungsbescheinigung, Kremierungsbescheinigung or Einäscherungsnachweis, but it is the same document. There is no standard national form, although the details are similar:
- name, date of birth and date of death of the deceased;
- date of cremation and name and location of the crematorium;
- the cremation number;
- stamp and signature of the crematorium.
The cremation number is what links the ashes to the person. Before cremation, a heat-resistant numbered stone is placed with the coffin and afterwards goes into the urn with the ashes. The same number normally appears on the urn lid and in the crematorium’s register. The urn is then closed and sealed. This makes it possible to prove, weeks later and in another country, whose ashes it holds.
You do not need to apply for the certificate separately. The crematorium hands it to the funeral director you have instructed, usually together with the urn. For a burial abroad the original is required; how many copies and certifications are needed is something we check in advance with the consulate and our partner funeral home in the destination country.
Before cremation: the second medical examination
Once a body has been cremated, the cause of death can no longer be examined. For this reason the burial laws of the German federal states require a further medical examination of the body before cremation (zweite Leichenschau). Only if it finds no indication of an unnatural death may the crematorium proceed.
In North Rhine-Westphalia, this examination is arranged by the lower health authority for the place where the death occurred or the body was found. The doctor issues a certificate stating that there is no indication of an unnatural death (Section 15(1) of the NRW Burial Act). If the cause of death cannot be established with certainty, the authority may order a post-mortem. If a deceased person is brought to NRW from abroad for cremation, the health authority where the crematorium is located is responsible; it may waive the examination if there is a clear certificate of natural death.
Other federal states regulate this in their own burial laws, and the examination is often carried out by public health or forensic doctors at the crematorium itself. The fee is set by state or municipal rules. If the death was unnatural or unexplained, the public prosecutor’s release takes the place of this certificate. More on this in our guide “Why the body is not released: post-mortem and the public prosecutor in Germany“.
Is there an official urn passport in Germany?
Not as a nationally regulated document. The corpse passport is based on international agreements on the transport of bodies: the Berlin Agreement of 1937 and the Council of Europe Agreement on the Transfer of Corpses of 1973. The latter expressly excludes the transport of ashes (Article 1(3)). There is no equivalent agreement for urns, and therefore no uniform urn passport.
The term is still used, in two senses. Most often families, and some funeral directors, mean the full set of accompanying papers: death certificate, cremation certificate and declaration of urn contents. In addition, some German health offices issue their own certificate for transporting an urn on request and call it an Urnenpass. The Region of Hannover, for example, uses one application form for both corpse passport and urn passport, and for an urn the cremation certificate must be enclosed. Whether such a document is needed depends on what the destination country, a transit country or the airline requires.
For the opposite direction, when an urn is brought from abroad to Germany, German missions abroad issue what is known as an Urnenbescheinigung. What applies in that case is covered in “Bringing ashes to Germany: import rules, documents and costs“.
Urn accompanying slip and proof of burial
The Urnenbegleitschein is not a uniform national form either. It is the paper that accompanies the urn from the crematorium to the cemetery or funeral director, showing the name of the deceased, the cremation number and the recipient. It often doubles as a return slip on which the cemetery confirms the burial. Its name and layout vary from one crematorium to the next.
The background is the duty of burial, which in Germany applies to ashes as well. In North Rhine-Westphalia, the crematorium may hand the sealed urn to the relatives or their representatives for transport; they must then prove to the crematorium within six weeks that the urn has been properly buried (Section 15(5) NRW Burial Act). Other federal states regulate this differently, and many crematoria release urns only to funeral directors or cemeteries.
For a repatriation abroad we therefore obtain confirmation of the burial place in advance and, after the burial, a confirmation from the cemetery or partner funeral home. How we collect, pack and accompany urns is described on our urn repatriation abroad page.
Corpse passport or cremation certificate: the difference
The corpse passport is intended for transporting a deceased person in a coffin. Depending on the federal state, it is issued by the health office or the public order office on the basis of the death certificate, the medical certificate of death and, where relevant, the prosecutor’s release. No corpse passport is issued for an urn. If a family first planned a coffin repatriation and then decides on cremation in Germany, different documents are needed. What applies to coffins is explained in “Corpse passport (Leichenpass): what it is, who issues it and which documents are needed“.
What the destination country may also require
Which documents must accompany the urn is decided mainly by the destination country. Commonly requested are:
- Declaration of urn contents. A statement from the funeral director that the sealed urn contains only the ashes of the named deceased. Airlines and customs often ask for it too.
- Apostille or legalisation. For countries party to the Hague Apostille Convention an apostille is usually sufficient; for others, consular legalisation is needed. Some countries require this only for the death certificate, others for the cremation certificate as well. See “Death certificate apostille and legalisation“.
- Consular permit. Some countries require an import permit or certification of the documents by their mission in Germany.
- Translations. Certified translations into the local language if the authorities there do not accept German documents.
- Proof of burial place. A confirmation from the cemetery or the family stating where the urn will be buried.
The combination differs from country to country and changes from time to time. For every repatriation we check the current requirements with the relevant mission. An overview of permits is given in “Taking ashes abroad from Germany: which permits and documents you need“.
Who applies for the documents and how long it takes
The funeral director applies for the cremation on behalf of the relatives. The application includes the medical certificate of death, the death certificate and a declaration that cremation reflects the wishes of the deceased. If the person rejected cremation during their lifetime, it is not permitted. The second examination, the cremation certificate and the declaration of urn contents are also arranged by the funeral director; you do not need to visit any authority yourself.
Before cremation, the minimum waiting periods under the relevant state law must be observed; the second examination and the cremation follow. The cremation certificate is usually ready when the urn is handed over. Certifications and consular appointments tend to take longest. An international repatriation typically takes 3 to 7 working days, and collection of the deceased in Germany usually happens on the same day.
An urn repatriation is available from €990. You receive a written fixed price for your destination country within a few hours. One note, because older guides still mention the post: Deutsche Post and DHL stopped carrying urns, both within Germany and internationally, on 1 October 2025.
Frequently asked questions
We take care of every document for the urn
Tell us the destination country and where the deceased is now. We obtain the death certificate, the cremation certificate and the confirmations the destination country requires, and we arrange the repatriation of the urn. You will receive a call back within the next hour.
- Call back within one hour
- Written fixed price within a few hours
- Around the clock, in four languages
A first conversation costs nothing and commits you to nothing.
This text reflects the published rules at the time of writing and does not replace legal advice. Document names and requirements differ by federal state, crematorium, destination country and airline, and may change.
