Home/Countries/Georgia
Caucasus and Middle EastRepatriation to Georgia and back to Germany
Would you like to lay a loved one to rest in their home town in Georgia, or bring a relative back to Germany from Tbilisi, Batumi or Kutaisi? We organise both directions together with our partner funeral director in Georgia – by air or by road.
Rudolf Nordheimer and team – in German, Russian or English.
Georgia at a glance
- Transport route
- Air freight to Tbilisi or by road; according to the German Embassy, preparing a repatriation usually takes 4–10 days
- Flight connection
- Air freight to Tbilisi, non-stop or with a transfer depending on the flight schedule
- Destination airports
- Tbilisi (TBS) for coffins; Kutaisi (KUT) also for relatives travelling there
- Certificates
- Apostille – the Hague Convention has applied between Germany and Georgia since February 2010
- Cremation
- Generally not possible in Georgia (German Embassy Tbilisi)
- Representation in Germany
- Embassy in Berlin; Consulates General in Frankfurt am Main (incl. for NRW, Hesse) and Munich; honorary consulate in Dresden
From Germany to Georgia: repatriation to the home town
Many Georgian families in Germany wish for a burial in the family grave, according to the rite of the Georgian Orthodox Apostolic Church, to which the great majority of the population belongs. We collect the deceased anywhere in Germany, take care of preparation and coffining, and apply for the international body passport (Leichenpass) from the municipality in whose district the death occurred. This requires the death certificate and the medical certificate of death.
For the coffin we usually use air freight to Tbilisi (TBS). Depending on the flight schedule there are non-stop or connecting flights; we clarify which of them accepts the coffin as freight when booking. For relatives travelling to the funeral in Imereti, Guria or Adjara, Kutaisi Airport (KUT) in the west of the country may also be convenient. Travelling by road is also possible but takes considerably longer. At the airport, our partner funeral director takes over the coffin and brings it to the home town.
Since February 2010 the Hague Apostille Convention has applied between Germany and Georgia. German documents such as the death certificate are therefore not legalised by the embassy, but receive an apostille from the competent German authority. The German Embassy in Tbilisi cannot itself place an apostille on German documents. We clarify before transport whether the Georgian side additionally requires a translation into Georgian.
- Death certificate with apostillefrom the German civil registry office; the apostille is issued by the competent German authority
- International body passportfrom the municipality at the place of death; we apply for it on your behalf
- Medical certificate of deathmedical certificate from Germany, basis for the body passport and death certificate
- Identity document of the deceasedGeorgian or German passport for identification
Death in Georgia: repatriation to Germany
If a relative dies in Georgia, the death is registered with the Public Service Development Agency – in Tbilisi at the Public Service Hall at 2 Sanapiro Street. According to the British government, this happens automatically once a doctor or hospital reports the death. The death certificate is usually available the following day, in Georgian and without stating the cause of death. For German authorities it needs an apostille, which for civil status documents is issued by the Georgian Civil Registry Agency.
If the cause of death is unclear or not natural, an autopsy is carried out, in Tbilisi usually at the National Forensic Bureau on Chavchavadze Avenue. Important: according to the German Embassy in Tbilisi, repatriation from Abkhazia and South Ossetia is currently (as of October 2026) not possible, as the Georgian government has only limited control there. The German Federal Foreign Office strongly advises against travel to these areas.
The embassy recommends first engaging a funeral home in Germany that works with a Georgian partner – which is exactly how we work. According to the embassy, preparation usually takes four to ten days. So only set the funeral date in Germany once we have confirmed the transport details to you. Relatives usually do not need to travel to Georgia themselves for this.
- Georgian death certificate with apostilleApostille from the Civil Registry Agency; obtained by our local partner
- Release after autopsyonly if the cause of death is unclear, by the police or forensic service
- Passport of the deceasedneeded for the repatriation – only have it cancelled afterwards
- Export documents from the Georgian sideour partner funeral director clarifies in advance which are required in the individual case
Good to know: funeral customs and particularities in Georgia
In the Georgian Orthodox tradition, the funeral usually takes place within three days of death. The burial is followed by the funeral meal, kelekhi, with traditional dishes and wine; memorial services are held on the third, ninth and fortieth day and on the anniversary. With a repatriation from Germany these timeframes shift – so we coordinate the arrival date closely with the family in Georgia.
According to the German Embassy and the British government, cremation is generally not possible in Georgia. Alongside the Orthodox majority, Georgia is also home to Muslims, for example in Adjara and among the Azerbaijani minority; we take their burial rules into account as well.
Urn transfer to Georgia
As there is no cremation in Georgia, urn transfer in practice only concerns the direction from Germany to Georgia. The cremation takes place in a German crematorium. The urn can then be sent as freight or – depending on the airline’s conditions of carriage – taken along by relatives. We clarify before booking which documents the airline and the Georgian authorities require, such as the death certificate with apostille and the cremation certificate.
More about urn transferFixed price for repatriation to Georgia
Tell us where the deceased is now. We check what Georgia requires and send you a written fixed price – free of charge and without obligation.
- Free and without obligation
- Written fixed price, no extra charges later
- Your data stays with us
- Request
- –
- Urgency
- Immediately
- Contact
- Phone call
Your enquiry goes directly to Rudolf Nordheimer. You will receive a written fixed price.
Frequently asked questions about Georgia
Your question isn’t here? Call us – we will answer right away.
All questionsIs cremation possible in Georgia?
According to the German Embassy in Tbilisi, cremation is generally not possible in Georgia. The alternatives are a coffin burial in Georgia or repatriation in a coffin to Germany. An urn for Georgia is therefore usually produced in a German crematorium.
How long does a repatriation from Georgia to Germany take?
The German Embassy in Tbilisi states that preparing a repatriation usually takes four to ten days. With an autopsy or around public holidays it can take longer. We confirm the transport date to you before you set the funeral date in Germany.
Does a Georgian death certificate need an apostille in Germany?
Yes. Since February 2010 the Hague Apostille Convention has applied between Germany and Georgia. For civil status documents, the apostille is issued by the Georgian Civil Registry Agency; legalisation by the embassy is no longer necessary.
Is repatriation from Abkhazia or South Ossetia possible?
According to the German Embassy in Tbilisi, not at present, as the Georgian government has only limited control there. The German Federal Foreign Office strongly advises against travel to these areas. Please contact us and we will look into your individual case.
Is the coffin flown to Tbilisi or to Kutaisi?
For coffins we usually use air freight to Tbilisi. For relatives from western Georgia, Kutaisi may be the shorter journey; we check case by case whether coffins can also be handled as freight there. From the airport, our partner funeral director brings the coffin to the home town.
Sources: German Embassy Tbilisi: Information sheet on deaths of German nationals (12.06.2025) · German Embassy Tbilisi: Information sheet on apostilles · German Federal Foreign Office: Georgia – travel and safety advice (as of 07.10.2026) · German Federal Foreign Office: Missions of Georgia in Germany · GOV.UK: Georgia bereavement pack (19.08.2024) · HCCH: Status table Apostille Convention · Georgia.to: Georgian Funeral Rites
Information provided without guarantee, as of 10/2026. Requirements of authorities and airlines change; we check them for each case.
We are here for you now
Day and night, including weekends. One call is all it takes to get the repatriation under way.