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Valuable help in the event of a death

Valuable help in the event of a death

Important questions and answers on the subject of bereavement abroad

If you have a case of death abroad and do not know what to do, then give us a call.

We can assist you with all the necessary procedures to organise the transfer of the deceased person from abroad. With about five hundred completed repatriations per year, HORIZONT International is your quality certified team of experts – reliable, competent and fast.

Download a joint check list for documents and procedures as a PDF file

Documents that are usually required:

  • The original personal identification or also the passport of the deceased must always remain in the country of death for certification purposes.
  • We often also require the family register or the birth and marriage certificate to be able to organise the transfer. A copy usually suffices. However, some countries also require the presentation/subsequent submission of original documents. The competent embassy provides information on this subject.
  • The undertaker must be granted power of attorney in order to deal with the local authorities and foreign missions in your name to organise repatriation and funeral.
  • The relatives must grant a power of attorney for cremation abroad, if required.
  • The hometown's registration office will issue a registration certificate, if required.
  • Cemetery certificate / burial certificate / urn request – a certificate from your undertaker at the place of burial confirming the cemetery where the coffin or urn will be interred.

What to do in case of a death abroad:

Advice from HORIZONT International

Requirements differ from country to country so we are only in a position to provide you with an overview. Please contact us so that we can provide further information on respective requirements of the country where the bereavement has occurred.

A foreign undertaker has already been brought in

If a foreign funeral home has already been engaged, give us a call and allow our staff to advise you with no obligation. Do not hastily sign any documents at the funeral home abroad. Please consult us first about the necessity and the suggested costs. We also advise against signing any bills presented without checking them and agreeing on a memorial service date at the funeral location in advance.