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Our funeral ambulance on a motorway in Germany
“Reliable, professional, a reasonable price, and most important of all, my brother arrived exactly on time.”
Gezimon Trustpilot
Our funeral ambulance on an English country road

By road, in our own funeral ambulances

Most repatriations to and from the UK go by road, driven by our own team, so your loved one stays in our care the whole way. We book a flight only where the road is not possible.

Everything in the estimate

  • The paperwork at both ends
  • Collection
  • Hygienic treatment
  • A sealed coffin
  • Transport, by road or by air
  • One specialist, start to finish
A written quote on a desk

One price, in writing, before anything moves

Before anything is booked you have an itemised quote in writing, and nothing is added to it afterwards, so you can plan without surprises.

In the families’ own words

“We were so worried about the process of getting my mum safely back home to Slovakia, but every detail was handled with care, compassion and professionalism.”
Sofia BartkovaUK to Slovakia
“Our loved one died on holiday in Egypt and what felt impossible was made possible. They kept us informed every step, translated everything, and their reps in Egypt worked so hard for us.”
NatEgypt to UK
“Their pricing was competitive and the process was incredibly fast. What stood out most was the attentive and caring staff who spoke Italian fluently.”
GenovesiUK to Italy
Two of our team at the front desk of our office

One specialist, from the first call to the last

The same person holds your case, deals with the offices at both ends and tells you when each step is done, so you never have to explain it twice.

Rated excellent, 4.8 out of 5

See reviews

Repatriation to and from Germany

£2,700

Estimated, all inclusive

Enquire now, no obligation
  • Usually 2 to 7 days
  • Agreed in writing
  • We answer any hour

  • Our fees, and one specialist from the first call to the last
  • Collection from the hospital or mortuary
  • Hygienic treatment, and care until your loved one travels
  • A sealed coffin that meets the route’s requirements
  • All the paperwork required
  • Transport by road in our own refrigerated funeral ambulances, or by air where the road is not possible

When your loved one needs an urgent collection, usually from a home: the estimate covers collection from a hospital or mortuary. Tell us where they are on the first call and the written quote includes it, with any of the costs specific to Germany that apply.

The estimate for any country, in either direction, and what it covers.

Work out an estimate for another countryWork out an estimate for another country

How body repatriation works, step by step

Four steps between Germany and the UK, and we do all of them. You hear from us at each one, not only at the end.

  1. The first call

    You tell us where your loved one is, in Germany or in the UK. We tell you the cost and what happens next, at any hour.

  2. The paperwork

    The death certificate, the permit to travel and the papers the carrier needs. We obtain them in Germany and here.

  3. Care and transport

    Hygienic treatment and a sealed coffin. Most routes travel by road in our own vehicles, by air only where the distance calls for it.

  4. Arrival

    By road, we drive on to the funeral director you have chosen, or to ours. By air, collection at the destination is an optional extra.

The papers we obtain for you

This is the set most routes need. Where a country asks for something else, we tell you before we quote, and we obtain that too.

  • Out of England permission

    From the coroner, when the death happened in England.

  • Free from infection certificate

    Confirms there is no infectious disease, for the carrier and the receiving country.

  • Funeral director’s declaration

    Our signed declaration for the transport.

  • Embalming certificate

    Where the route or the receiving country requires one.

  • Apostille

    Where the receiving country asks for one.

  • Translations

    Certified, where a document is not in the receiving country’s language.

Procedures change from time to time, so this list may lag behind them. We keep up with every change and confirm what your case needs on the first call.

What we need from you

  • The death certificate

    Or the coroner’s interim certificate, where there is an inquest.

  • Their passport

    Or a copy to begin with. We tell you if the original is needed.

  • Your permission for us to act

    A short form we send you to sign, so we can deal with the offices for your family.

What we need from you

  • Their passport, or a copy

    Whatever you have to hand. We tell you what else is needed.

  • Any papers you already hold from Germany

    A death certificate or a hospital letter, if you have one. If not, we obtain it.

  • Your permission for us to act

    A short form we send you to sign, so we can deal with the offices for your family.

Repatriation between Germany and the United Kingdom

The whole route in plain terms, in both directions, written for someone reading it for the first time.

Repatriation from Germany to the United Kingdom

Germany has a large British community around Munich, Frankfurt, Cologne and the former garrison towns, alongside constant business travel. When a death occurs in Germany, bringing your loved one home to the UK brings together the German authorities, the receiving arrangements in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, and the transport itself. We coordinate all three, so the family does not have to travel to Germany or deal directly with German offices in a language they may not speak. If you are at the very start of this, our repatriation hub explains the process in plain terms.

Because Germany is a member of the European Union, the paperwork is well defined. The German death certificate is available in an international multilingual version, which the receiving funeral director and registrar in the UK can generally read without a separate translation.

The process in Germany: from the Sterbeurkunde to the Leichenpass

The death is reported to the local registry office (Standesamt) within a few working days, and the Standesamt issues the official death certificate, the Sterbeurkunde (an Internationale Sterbeurkunde with an English translation is available). For international transport, a Leichenpass (mortuary passport) is issued, authorising your loved one to be carried out of Germany. German rules require a sealed coffin. We obtain these on the family's behalf while your loved one is prepared by the German funeral director (Bestatter).

Preparation and transport

Your loved one receives hygienic treatment (embalming) and is placed in a sealed coffin as German rules require for international carriage. Most repatriations from Germany come to the UK by road in our own funeral ambulances, roughly 800 km with the Channel crossing. Where the road is not possible, or the family needs a faster option, we book a flight to a UK airport. Our team collects your loved one from the German funeral director or hospital and stays with them through to the receiving funeral director in the UK.

Bringing your loved one into the UK

Once in the UK, the family can arrange the funeral. For a burial, the foreign death certificate is generally sufficient. For a cremation, the coroner in England and Wales must give authority first: this is the Cremation Form 6, issued once the coroner is satisfied there is no need for further investigation (in Scotland this role falls to the procurator fiscal; in Northern Ireland, the coroner). You can read more about the coroner's role in England in our resource centre. We liaise with the coroner's office so this is in place without delay.

Timelines and what affects them

A repatriation from Germany usually takes 2 to 7 days from first contact to arrival in the UK, over a distance of roughly 800 km. The timing depends on the region of departure, registration at the Standesamt and issue of the Leichenpass, and the circumstances of the death: where the death is referred to the prosecutor for investigation, release can take longer.

This estimate is counted from when the death is registered, and our team does everything possible to complete the repatriation sooner.

Costs and financial support

We put a firm price in writing on the first call, and that is the figure on the invoice. The figure depends on the region of departure, whether your loved one goes by road or by air, the cause of death, and local funeral-home and administrative fees. Families are often unaware that a UK-based estate or insurance policy, or travel insurance held by your loved one, may cover part of the cost, and we help you check what the policy covers.

Authorities involved

  • The doctor: certifies the death (Totenschein), recording the cause of death.
  • Standesamt (registry office): registers the death and issues the official Sterbeurkunde, with an international multilingual version available.
  • Local authority issuing the Leichenpass: issues the mortuary passport authorising international transport of your loved one.
  • Bestatter (funeral director): carries out the hygienic treatment and provides the sealed coffin.
  • Prosecutor / court (in sudden or unexplained deaths): orders any investigation and authorises release of your loved one.
  • UK coroner / procurator fiscal: where a cremation is planned in England and Wales, authorises it via Cremation Form 6 (in Scotland, the procurator fiscal; in Northern Ireland, the coroner).

Documents required

  • Sterbeurkunde: the official German death certificate from the Standesamt, with an international multilingual version available.
  • Leichenpass: the mortuary passport authorising international transport out of Germany.
  • Medical certificate of cause of death and hygienic treatment certificate: for international carriage.
  • Free from infection certificate: confirming your loved one poses no public-health risk in transit.
  • Coroner's authority (Cremation Form 6): only where a cremation is planned in England and Wales.

Repatriation from the United Kingdom to Germany

When someone dies in the UK and is to be returned to Germany for the funeral, the process brings together the UK coroner's formalities, the requirements set by the German authorities, and the transport itself. Most of our repatriations to Germany go by road via the Channel, in our own funeral ambulances, with a flight arranged only where the road is not possible or the family needs it sooner. We manage the transport and the paperwork on both sides so that the family in Germany does not have to deal with UK offices in English. Our repatriation hub sets out the essentials if you are at the start.

Taking a loved one out of England and Wales follows a set UK procedure; the destination country's import requirements then set the standard for the documents that must accompany your loved one and for the way the coffin is prepared. For Germany, an EU member state, those requirements are well defined.

Telling the coroner: taking a loved one out of England and Wales

Before a loved one can be taken out of England and Wales, the law requires that the coroner for the district be given at least four clear days' notice (the Removal of Bodies Regulations 1954). The coroner then issues an acknowledgement, the "out of England" notice, confirming there is no objection to removal, and can release your loved one sooner where satisfied that no further enquiries are needed. We complete this notification and obtain the acknowledgement on the family's behalf. In Scotland the equivalent authority is the procurator fiscal; in Northern Ireland, the coroner.

Arriving in Germany: the receiving formalities

Your loved one travels after hygienic treatment (embalming), placed in a sealed coffin as German rules require, accompanied by the UK death certificate, the coroner's out-of-England acknowledgement, and certificates of hygienic treatment and freedom from infection. For carriage into Germany a Leichenpass (mortuary passport) is issued by the competent German authorities, and the receiving funeral director (Bestatter) handles the local formalities and registration with the Standesamt where the funeral will take place. We prepare the document file and coordinate directly with the funeral director in Germany. You can read more about repatriating a loved one from the UK in our guidance.

Preparation and transport

Your loved one receives hygienic treatment and is placed in a sealed coffin. Our team collects your loved one from the UK hospital, mortuary or funeral director and stays with them on the road to Germany, coordinating with the receiving funeral director. Where a flight is needed, the coffin goes into the outer case the airline requires, and we book the flight to the German airport nearest the destination and coordinate handling on arrival.

Timelines and what affects them

A repatriation from the UK to Germany usually takes 2 to 7 days from first contact, over a distance of roughly 800 km. The main factors are the four clear days' notice to the coroner (which can sometimes be shortened at the coroner's discretion) and transport availability to the destination region. Where the death has been referred to the coroner for investigation, the timeline can be longer.

This estimate is counted from when the death is registered, and our team does everything possible to complete the repatriation sooner.

Costs and financial support

We put a firm price in writing on the first call, and that is the figure on the invoice. The figure depends on the destination region in Germany, the mode of transport, and any UK funeral-home and mortuary fees. A UK estate, a life-insurance policy or your loved one's own arrangements may cover part of the cost, and we help you check what the policy covers.

Authorities involved

  • UK coroner (or procurator fiscal in Scotland): must be given at least four clear days' notice before your loved one is taken out of England and Wales, and issues the "out of England" acknowledgement.
  • UK registrar: registers the death and issues the death certificate that accompanies your loved one.
  • Embalmer / UK funeral director: carries out hygienic treatment and preparation and provides the sealed coffin.
  • Competent German authorities: issue the Leichenpass (mortuary passport) for carriage into Germany.
  • Bestatter and Standesamt in Germany: receive your loved one and register and arrange the funeral in the destination area.

Documents required

  • UK death certificate: issued by the registrar once the death is registered.
  • Coroner's "out of England" acknowledgement: after at least four clear days' notice.
  • Leichenpass: the mortuary passport for carriage into Germany.
  • Hygienic treatment and freedom from infection certificates: for international carriage.
  • Sealed coffin: as German rules require.

Questions families ask us about bringing someone home from Germany

The core documents are the Sterbeurkunde from the Standesamt (an international multilingual version is available) and the Leichenpass (mortuary passport) authorising international transport, together with the medical, hygienic treatment and freedom from infection certificates. German rules require a sealed coffin.

Where a cremation is planned in England and Wales, the coroner must also authorise it (Cremation Form 6). We obtain all of the German documents on your behalf.

Usually 2 to 7 days from first contact to arrival in the UK, over a distance of roughly 800 km. Germany's paperwork is well defined, which keeps the timing predictable.

The timing depends on the region of departure, registration at the Standesamt and issue of the Leichenpass, and the circumstances of the death. Where the death is referred to the prosecutor, release can take longer.

The Leichenpass is Germany's mortuary passport, the document that authorises a loved one to be carried across the border for international transport. It accompanies the coffin together with the Sterbeurkunde and the transport certificates.

We obtain the Leichenpass on the family's behalf as part of the documentation for the transport.

No. We deal directly with the Standesamt and the funeral director. The family does not need to travel or communicate with the German authorities.

The whole process is arranged remotely on the basis of a simple written authorisation sent by email or WhatsApp.

The quoted price covers the German documentation, hygienic treatment, a sealed coffin, the Leichenpass, transport to the UK and handover to your funeral director.

We put a firm price in writing on the first call, and that is the figure on the invoice. The figure depends on the region of departure, the mode of transport, the cause of death and local fees.

Questions families ask us about repatriation to Germany

Before removal, the coroner must be given at least four clear days' notice and issues an "out of England" acknowledgement. Your loved one then travels after hygienic treatment, in a sealed coffin, accompanied by the UK death certificate and certificates of hygienic treatment and freedom from infection.

For carriage into Germany a Leichenpass is issued by the competent German authorities, and the receiving Bestatter handles the local formalities. We prepare the file and coordinate both sides.

Usually 2 to 7 days, over a distance of roughly 800 km, most often by road. The main factor is the four clear days' notice to the coroner, which can occasionally be shortened at the coroner's discretion.

Transport availability to the destination region also affects timing, and where the death has been referred to the coroner for investigation the timeline can be longer.

Germany is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, so where the German authorities require a UK public document to be legalised, it can be apostilled in the UK rather than going through a longer legalisation chain.

In practice the receiving Bestatter advises on exactly which documents the destination area requires, and we prepare the file accordingly.

No. We handle the UK coroner's formalities and registration in English, and liaise with the receiving Bestatter and the Standesamt in Germany in German.

The family provides a simple written authorisation, and we coordinate both sides of the process remotely, so no one needs to travel to the UK.

The quoted price covers the coroner notification, hygienic treatment, a sealed coffin, the transport certificates, and transport to Germany by road, or by air where needed, with handover to the receiving funeral director.

We put a firm price in writing on the first call, and that is the figure on the invoice. The figure depends on the destination region and the mode of transport.

Every other country, in both directions

We bring loved ones home to the UK from anywhere, and from the UK to anywhere in the world. Three more routes written up in the same detail: repatriation to and from Greece, Hungary and Ireland. For the road across the continent, read about repatriation between Europe and the UK.

Talk to a specialistRepatriation routes for every country

“We were so worried about the process of getting my mum safely back home to Slovakia, but every detail was handled with care, compassion and professionalism.”

Sofia Bartkova
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