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AmericasRepatriation to the USA and repatriation to Germany
Between Germany and the USA the apostille applies, and the import rules of the US health authority CDC are clearly defined. What is often more difficult is coordinating between the individual states, the local funeral director and the airline – we take care of that for you.
Rudolf Nordheimer and team – in German, Russian or English.
USA at a glance
- Transport route
- Air freight; coffin as cargo, urn as freight or via specialised shipping services
- US import authority
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), regulation 42 CFR § 71.55
- Certificates
- Apostille: the USA has been a contracting state since 1981; US death certificates are apostilled by the Secretary of State of the state in which the death occurred
- Agreements
- The USA is not a party to the Berlin Agreement of 1937 on the transport of corpses
- Representation in Germany
- US Embassy Berlin, Consulates General in Düsseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg, Leipzig and Munich
- German missions in the USA
- Embassy in Washington, Consulates General in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York and San Francisco
From Germany to the USA: what the CDC requires
The US health authority CDC distinguishes according to the condition of the remains. If the body has been embalmed or cremated, it requires neither a death certificate nor an import permit. For a body that has not been embalmed, a death certificate stating the cause of death is required. If it is not in English, an English translation is needed, certified by an authorised person in the country of death – such as a notary.
Every body that has not been cremated must travel in a leak-proof container, for example a coffin with a certified sealed lining or a sealed metal transport container. If the person died of an infectious disease, a CDC permit may be required if the body has not been embalmed. The CDC does not require an autopsy.
For US citizens who die in Germany, the US mission issues a Consular Report of Death Abroad and a Consular Mortuary Certificate. The cost of the repatriation is borne by the relatives or the estate. On the German side, we obtain the death certificate, body passport (Leichenpass) and apostille and coordinate the handover with the funeral director at the destination.
- German death certificate with apostillefor US authorities; for a non-embalmed body with cause of death and a certified English translation
- Embalming certificateexempts from the death certificate and permit requirements under CDC rules
- Body passportfrom the competent German authority
- Proof of a sealed coffinleak-proof container in line with CDC requirements
- Consular Mortuary Certificatefor US nationals, issued by the US mission in Germany
Death in the USA: repatriation to Germany
The death certificate is issued by the authority of the state in which the death occurred – not the state of residence. A county office often works faster than the state's central office. Some states distinguish between "certified authorized" and "certified informational" copies; both have the same content, and for Germany the more easily obtainable informational copy is usually sufficient. The apostille is issued by the Secretary of State of that state.
For the coffin, the German embassy or the competent Consulate General issues a body passport (Leichenpass). For this, the US funeral director submits, among other things, a certified death certificate, a medical certificate of the cause of death, the embalming certificate, confirmation of the absence of infectious diseases, the transport permit from the local health department, their licence and confirmation of a zinc-lined coffin. The airline, flight number and route are also entered.
The missions abroad do not organise the transport themselves. In Germany, a coffin may only be transferred by a licensed funeral home; we take it over at the arrival airport. Coffins, urns and customary flowers and wreaths are exempt from customs duty on import.
- Death certificate with apostillefrom the state where the death occurred, apostille from that state's Secretary of State
- Burial/Transit PermitTransport permit from the local health department
- Embalming certificatefrom the US funeral director
- Confirmation of zinc-lined coffin and funeral director's licencePrerequisite for the body passport
- Body passport (Leichenpass) from the German consulatefrom the German mission responsible for the place of death
Good to know: 50 states, one import rule
In the USA, civil registration and burial law are matters for the individual states. Forms and processing times therefore differ between Florida, California and New York. The death certificate always comes from the state where the death occurred: if someone resident in New York dies in California, California is responsible. Which German mission issues the body passport depends on the place of residence or stay within the respective consular district.
If a US citizen dies in Germany, the Consular Report of Death Abroad can take four to six months – it is not required for the repatriation itself, but is needed later for estate matters in the USA. The USA does not require embalming in every case, but some countries of origin do not allow shipment without embalming.
For entry into the USA, on the other hand, the CDC rules apply nationwide. For families this means that embalming or cremation in Germany considerably simplifies the formalities on the US side. You agree the details of the burial with the funeral director at the destination, whom we involve from the outset.
Urn transfer to the USA
Under CDC rules, cremated remains are exempt from the permit, death certificate and leak-proofing requirements. For the flight, the urn should be X-ray compatible; metal urns often cause problems at security checks. If an urn comes from the USA to Germany, the German mission issues an urn certificate. This requires the death certificate, the US funeral director's cremation confirmation for the sealed, numbered urn, a copy of the passport and confirmation from the German funeral director or cemetery. In Germany, only a funeral director or a cemetery administration may be the recipient.
More about urn transferFixed price for repatriation to the USA
Tell us where the deceased is now. We will check what the USA 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
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- Contact
- Phone call
Your enquiry goes directly to Rudolf Nordheimer. You will receive a written fixed price.
Frequently asked questions about the USA
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All questionsWhich documents are needed for repatriation to the USA?
Under CDC rules, the usual transport documents are sufficient for an embalmed or cremated body; a death certificate is then not mandatory. Without embalming, a death certificate stating the cause of death and with a certified English translation is required.
Where do I get the death certificate if someone has died in the USA?
From the authority of the state in which the death occurred, often faster via the county office. The apostille is issued by the Secretary of State of the same state.
Who issues the body passport for repatriation from the USA?
The German embassy in Washington or the Consulate General responsible for the place of death. For this, the US funeral director submits, among other things, the death certificate, the embalming certificate and confirmation of the zinc-lined coffin.
Can an urn be sent from the USA to Germany by parcel?
Only to a German funeral director or a cemetery administration, not to private individuals. There are specialised shipping services for this; the urn certificate is issued by the German mission.
Do German documents need legalisation for the USA?
No. Both countries have acceded to the Apostille Convention, so an apostille from the competent German authority is sufficient.
Sources: CDC – Importation of Human Remains into the U.S. for Burial, Entombment, or Cremation (04.12.2025) · U.S. Department of State – Death of a U.S. Citizen Abroad · German Missions in the USA – Deaths (body passport, urn certificate) · German Missions in the USA – Corpse/Urn Transport · German Missions in the USA – Apostille for civil status documents · German Missions in the USA – Consulate finder · German Federal Foreign Office – US missions in Germany · German Federal Foreign Office – Status list of the Agreement on the Transport of Corpses
Information provided without guarantee, as of 10/2026. Requirements of authorities and airlines change; we check them for each case.
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