How to Obtain a Death Certificate: Steps and Requirements
- Ricardo Batista
- Germany
- June 7, 2024
- Report the Death: As soon as the death occurs, it needs to be reported to a doctor who can certify it and issue a death notice (Todesbescheinigung).
- Inform the Standesamt: The local Standesamt (registry office) should be informed of the death within a few days. They will verify the identity of the deceased person and the death notice.
- Apply for the Death Certificate: Once the death has been reported and approved by the Standesamt, the death certificate can be applied for. You may be asked to provide proof of your relationship to the deceased person.
- Identification documents of the applicant (e.g. passport)
- Documents proving your relationship to the deceased (e.g. marriage or birth certificate)
- The death notice (Todesbescheinigung) issued by a doctor
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Table of Contents
Description
What is it?
A death certificate (Sterbeurkunde) is an official document that certifying the death of a person. It can be needed for a variety of legal and logistical processes after someone’s death.
Who needs it?
Anyone who is handling the legal and logistical matters following someone’s death may need to apply for a release of a death certificate. This often includes close relatives or legal representatives of the deceased.
Procedure
Required Documents
Note that if the death occurred outside of Germany, additional documentation may be required for the international death certificate application.
Providers that can do it for you
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Additional details
It’s important to note that it might take some time to receive the death certificate; the process could take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. Having multiple copies of the death certificate can also be useful, as they may be required by different institutions (banks, insurance companies, etc.). Remember that grieving can be a difficult process, and there are bereavement support services available if you’re finding it hard to cope.
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