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EuropeRepatriation to Greece and repatriation to Germany
Greece requires an autopsy when a foreign national dies – this shapes every repatriation of holidaymakers. For Greek families in Germany, on the other hand, it is usually about a burial on the mainland or on an island.
Rudolf Nordheimer and team – in German, Russian or English.
Greece at a glance
- Transport route
- By road via the Balkans or through Italy with a ferry to Igoumenitsa or Patras; islands by ferry or air freight
- Time required locally
- According to the German Embassy, preparing the repatriation usually takes about 3 to 10 days
- Certificates
- No apostille for civil status documents within the EU (Regulation (EU) 2016/1191); in addition, a German-Greek agreement of 1938 waiving legalisation
- Agreements
- Greece has been a party to the Council of Europe Agreement of 1973 since 1983; Germany has only signed it, not ratified it – so it does not apply between Germany and Greece
- Representation in Germany
- Greek Embassy in Berlin; consulates general in Düsseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg, Munich and Stuttgart
- German missions in Greece
- Embassy in Athens, Consulate General in Thessaloniki, honorary consuls
Repatriation from Germany to Greece
At the end of 2025, around 347,000 Greek nationals were living in Germany, many of them for decades. If a relative is to be buried in their home village in the Peloponnese, Macedonia or Crete, we organise the transfer in a coffin with a body passport (Leichenpass) from the competent German authority and a German death certificate. Greek authorities do not require an apostille for this; within the EU, civil status documents are exempt under Regulation 2016/1191, and a multilingual form is available on request.
There are two routes: by road via the Balkan states, or through Italy to an Adriatic port and then by ferry to Igoumenitsa or Patras. For islands such as Crete, Rhodes or Corfu, an additional ferry crossing or air freight is needed. Which option is right depends on the place of collection, the destination, the ferry timetable and the shipping line's conditions – we coordinate this with the Greek funeral director and the parish at the destination.
Greek cemeteries have their own rules: in some municipalities, the remains are exhumed after about three years and placed in the cemetery's ossuary. Ask in advance what is customary at the destination and what costs are involved – we will gladly obtain this information for you.
- Death certificatefrom the German civil registry office, with a multilingual EU form on request
- Body passportTransport permit from the competent German authority
- Medical certificatesMedical certificate of death and certificate confirming the absence of infectious diseases
- Identity document of the deceasedGreek identity card or passport
- Details for the Greek civil registryMarital status and parents' names, if the death is to be registered retrospectively in Greece
Death on holiday in Greece – repatriation to Germany
If a German holidaymaker dies in Greece, the death is registered at the civil registry office (Ληξιαρχείο) of the municipality (Dimos) where it occurred. This is based on the medical death certificate (ιατρικό πιστοποιητικό θανάτου), from which the Greek death certificate, the ληξιαρχική πράξη θανάτου, is drawn up. For this, the marital status and the names of the parents must be known. Unlike in many countries, the Greek certificate usually states the cause of death, provided it is known when the certificate is issued.
In Greece, an autopsy is required by law when a foreign national dies. According to the German Embassy in Athens, preparations for the repatriation usually take three to ten days; you should only set a burial date in Germany once the repatriation details have been confirmed. For the departure, the funeral director needs the death certificate, the release of the body by the forensic medicine service, the passport and a certificate of embalming. The local funeral director will clarify which Greek authority issues the accompanying transport document; the Council of Europe Agreement of 1973 does not apply in relation to Germany, because Germany has not ratified it.
First check your health and travel insurance, state allowance (Beihilfe), funeral plan, any credit card cover abroad or an automobile club protection plan – the embassy also recommends this. The relatives must instruct a funeral company themselves. The Embassy in Athens and the Consulate General in Thessaloniki do not instruct funeral directors; according to the embassy, anyone claiming to be recommended by it is not reputable. As a rule, it is not necessary to travel to Greece to deal with the formalities.
- Ληξιαρχική πράξη θανάτουGreek death certificate from the municipal civil registry office
- Ιατρικό πιστοποιητικό θανάτουmedical death certificate, the basis for registration
- Release by forensic medicineafter the mandatory autopsy
- Embalming certificateProof of preservative treatment for transport
- Passport or identity cardof the deceased
Good to know: cremation only since 2019, islands and summer heat
For a long time, only burial in the ground was possible in Greece, as traditionally required by the Orthodox Church. According to the German Embassy, cremations have only been possible since 2019. If the body is to be cremated, the death certificate must be issued within three working days; for a burial, within 24 hours. According to the British government, ashes may be scattered in Greece without official permission.
Many deaths of holidaymakers occur on islands. According to the German Federal Foreign Office, medical care there may be patchy and distances are longer. Heatwaves above 40 °C are common in the summer months. For arrangements on Crete, Corfu, Kos, Rhodes or the Peloponnese, the embassy lists funeral companies that also correspond in German or English. German-speaking Protestant and Catholic congregations in Athens and Thessaloniki are available for funeral services.
Urn transfer to Greece
Anyone taking the urn back to Germany themselves after a cremation in Greece needs the death certificate and the cremation certificate and should inform the airline in advance. The funeral director compiles the documents for collecting the urn from the crematorium. For an urn travelling from Germany to Greece, we check in advance with the cemetery or the municipality at the destination whether an urn burial is accepted there – not every Greek cemetery is set up for this.
More about urn transferFixed price for repatriation to Greece
Tell us where the deceased is now. We check what Greece 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 Greece
Your question isn’t here? Call us – we will answer right away.
All questionsIs an autopsy always carried out in Greece when a tourist dies?
Yes. According to the German Embassy in Athens, an autopsy is required by law in Greece when a foreign national dies. The autopsy report goes to the judicial authorities and is often not available for months.
How long does it take to repatriate a deceased person from Greece?
According to the embassy, preparations for the repatriation usually take about three to ten days. From the islands it can take longer. Only set the burial date in Germany once the repatriation has been confirmed.
What is a ληξιαρχική πράξη θανάτου?
This is the Greek death certificate, issued by the municipal civil registry office (Ληξιαρχείο). It is issued in Greek and usually also states the cause of death. Within the EU, no apostille is needed for German authorities.
Is cremation possible in Greece?
Yes, since 2019. For this, the death certificate must be issued within three working days. Alternatively, the deceased is transferred to Germany in a coffin and cremated here.
Does the funeral transport vehicle travel to Greece by ferry?
That is one option: through Italy to an Adriatic port and by ferry to Igoumenitsa or Patras. Alternatively, the route goes overland via the Balkans. For islands, an additional ferry or air freight is needed.
Sources: German Embassy Athens / Consulate General Thessaloniki: Information sheet on deaths of German nationals (as of August 2025) · German Embassy Athens: Information sheet on the apostille (Regulation (EU) 2016/1191, 1938 agreement) · German Federal Foreign Office: Greece – travel and safety advice · German Federal Foreign Office: Greek missions in Germany · Εθνικό Μητρώο Διαδικασιών (mitos.gov.gr): Δήλωση θανάτου που συνέβη στην Ελλάδα · Verdragenbank (Netherlands): Overeenkomst inzake het vervoer van lijken (Council of Europe 1973) – parties and declarations · GOV.UK (FCDO): When someone dies in Greece (updated January 2026) · Destatis: Foreign population by nationality (reference date 31.12.2025)
Information provided without guarantee, as of 10/2026. Requirements of authorities and airlines change; we check them for each case.
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