Death Abroad; Applying for Retrospective Registration in the German Death Registry

A death that occurred abroad can be registered retroactively upon application to the competent civil registry office if the person who died abroad was a German citizen.

The registry office responsible for recording the death is the one within whose jurisdiction the person who died abroad had their last place of residence or habitual residence. If no jurisdiction can be determined based on this, the civil registry office in whose jurisdiction the applicant is currently or most recently resided or had their habitual residence will register the death. If jurisdiction cannot be determined based on the above criteria either, the Civil Registry Office I in Berlin will register the death.

Retroactive registration of a death is possible for

• German citizens
• stateless persons, stateless foreigners, and foreign refugees with habitual residence in Germany

Those eligible to apply are

• the parents of the deceased
• the children of the deceased
• the spouse or domestic partner of the deceased

• The relevant civil registry office will be happy to assist you.

Retroactive entry in the death registry: 50.00 EUR

Death certificate / certified printout from the death register: 12.00 EUR