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EuropeRepatriation of the deceased to Romania and back to Germany
Germany and Romania are both parties to the Berlin Agreement of 1937 on the transport of corpses – the German body passport (Leichenpass) is therefore the key accompanying document. Since 2025, Romania has been a full member of the Schengen Area; regular checks at Romania's land borders have been lifted.
Rudolf Nordheimer and team – in German, Russian or English.
Romania at a glance
- Transport route
- By road via Austria and Hungary; Munich–Bucharest about 1,470 km, Düsseldorf–Bucharest about 2,000 km; air freight possible
- Border
- Full Schengen member since 1 January 2025, no regular internal border checks
- Certificates
- No apostille required (EU Regulation 2016/1191); multilingual CIEC certificates recommended
- Agreements
- Berlin Agreement of 1937 (Romania since 1943); CIEC Convention No. 16
- Representation in Germany
- Embassy in Berlin, Consulates General in Bonn, Munich, Stuttgart
From Germany to Romania: procedure and documents
Romania acceded to the International Agreement on the Transport of Corpses (Berlin, 10 February 1937) in 1942; it has been in force there since March 1943. Germany is also a party. Between the two countries, the coffin is therefore accompanied by the body passport (Leichenpass) issued by the German local public order office. In addition, there are the death certificate and the certificates on the encoffinment. We clarify in advance with the Romanian funeral director which additional documents the cemetery and municipality at the place of burial in Romania require.
We carry out most repatriations to Romania by road: from Munich via Salzburg, Vienna and Budapest, entering Romania at Nădlac – around 1,470 kilometres in total to Bucharest. Destinations in Transylvania or the Banat, such as Cluj-Napoca or Timișoara, are considerably closer. Since 1 January 2025, Romania has been a full member of the Schengen Area; regular checks at the land borders have been lifted. For long distances or great urgency, repatriation as air freight can make sense. We discuss with you what suits your situation.
For Romanian authorities, the German Embassy in Bucharest recommends multilingual certificates based on the model of the International Commission on Civil Status (CIEC). Otherwise, German-only certificates must be translated into Romanian. Since EU Regulation 2016/1191, an apostille is no longer required. We order the international death certificate from the civil registry office at the same time.
- Body passportFrom the German local public order office, recognised under the Berlin Agreement of 1937
- International death certificateMultilingual CIEC version from the German civil registry office, usable without apostille or translation
- Coffining and health clearance certificateConfirms that the body was placed in the coffin properly and that there are no health concerns
- Passport or identity cardOf the deceased, for registration in Romania
Death in Romania: repatriation to Germany
If a relative dies in Romania, the civil registry office (Starea civilă) at the place of death registers the death. On request, Romanian civil registry offices issue a national death certificate (certificat de deces) and a multilingual CIEC version. According to the German Embassy in Bucharest, Romanian civil status documents do not require an apostille in Germany. We have the multilingual certificate applied for at the same time.
For transport abroad, Romanian law requires a passport for the transport of a body (pașaport pentru transport cadavru uman). It is issued by the public health directorate of the county in which the death occurred (Direcția de Sănătate Publică, DSP). It is based on the death certificate and, if carried out, the embalming certificate. Romanian hygiene regulations (HG 741/2016) require a hermetically sealed metal coffin in a sealed wooden crate for international transport.
The German Embassy in Bucharest advises relatives in an emergency and keeps a list of funeral directors who speak German or English. Decisions about the place and type of burial are made by the next of kin. First clarify whether an insurance policy covers the repatriation, such as a funeral plan or travel protection cover. On request, we work together with the insurer and the Romanian funeral director.
- Certificat de decesRomanian death certificate from the civil registry office, preferably also as a multilingual CIEC version
- Pașaport pentru transport cadavru umanTransport passport from the county public health directorate (DSP) at the place of death
- Certificat de îmbălsămareEmbalming certificate, if carried out
- Release by the authoritiesIn the event of an accident or unexplained cause of death, after the investigation has been completed
Good to know: funeral customs and particularities in Romania
Most Romanians belong to the Romanian Orthodox Church. Catholic, Greek Catholic and Protestant communities also have a long history, for example among the Transylvanian Saxons and the Banat Swabians. In Orthodox families, the farewell includes a wake, a funeral service and later memorial services (parastas). Many families wish for a burial in the home village. Please tell us which church and which priest should be involved. We plan the arrival time accordingly.
According to Destatis, around 904,000 Romanian nationals were living in Germany at the end of 2025, slightly more than Polish nationals. Many of them are of working age and later wish to be buried in their homeland. A repatriation then often becomes necessary suddenly, for example after an accident at work. Clarify early on whether the employer, the employers' liability insurance association (Berufsgenossenschaft) or an insurance policy will cover the costs.
Urn transfer to Romania
We accompany an urn with the death certificate and the cremation certificate from the German crematorium. Under Romanian hygiene regulations (HG 741/2016), an urn may be placed in a designated area of the cemetery or crematorium, or buried at a depth of at least 0.5 m. A crypt is also possible. Whether the family may take the urn themselves, for example by car or on a plane, depends on the cemetery and the airline. We clarify this before departure and put the documents together.
More about urn transferFixed price for repatriation to Romania
Tell us where the deceased is now. We check what Romania 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 Romania
Your question isn’t here? Call us – we will answer right away.
All questionsIs the German body passport valid in Romania?
Yes. Germany and Romania are parties to the Berlin Agreement of 1937 on the transport of corpses; Romania has been a party since 1943. The body passport (Leichenpass) issued by the German local public order office is therefore the key accompanying document. We clarify any additional requirements of the cemetery in Romania in advance.
Are there still border checks since Romania joined Schengen?
Since 1 January 2025, there have been no regular internal border checks at the land borders with Romania. The authorities can nevertheless carry out spot checks. That is why all documents travel with the coffin in the original.
How long does the journey from Germany to Romania take?
From Munich to Bucharest it is about 1,470 kilometres via Austria and Hungary, from North Rhine-Westphalia about 2,000 kilometres. We plan the journey with a change of drivers and give you a realistic date before you place the order.
Who issues the documents in Romania for repatriation to Germany?
The civil registry office (Starea civilă) registers the death and issues the certificat de deces. The transport passport for the body is issued by the county public health directorate (DSP) at the place of death. We work with a local funeral director for this.
Does a Romanian death certificate need to be translated or certified in Germany?
Under EU Regulation 2016/1191, an apostille is not required. The simplest option is the multilingual CIEC death certificate, which Romanian civil registry offices issue on request. It is recognised in Germany without translation.
Sources: German Federal Foreign Office: Status list of the International Agreement on the Transport of Corpses (Berlin 1937) · German Embassy Bucharest: Help for Germans in emergencies (death) · German Embassy Bucharest: Civil status documents from Romania and Germany · German Embassy Bucharest: Certifications and apostilles (EU Regulation 2016/1191) · HG 741/2016 – Norme tehnice sanitare pentru serviciile funerare (Monitorul Oficial 843/2016) · German Federal Foreign Office: Romanian missions in Germany · eucrim: Bulgaria and Romania Fully Join Schengen · Destatis: Foreign population by nationality
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.