Notarizing deaths abroad for deaths on sea-going vessels

The application for subsequent certification of a death on a foreign sea-going vessel must be submitted to the competent German registry office.

• Contact the relevant German registry office in writing, by telephone or in person, describe your request and ask for the documents you need to submit.
• Submit the application for subsequent certification and enclose the required documents.
• The registry office will check the information you have provided and the documents you have submitted and, if necessary, carry out the subsequent certification of the death.
• You have the option of applying for a German death certificate from the same registry office for a fee.

• The registry office in whose area the deceased person had their (last) place of residence or habitual abode in Germany is responsible for the application.
• If the deceased person did not have a place of residence or habitual abode in Germany, the registry office in whose area you as the applicant have or last had your place of residence or habitual abode is responsible.
• If none of the above alternatives apply, you can submit the application to Registry Office I in Berlin.

• The death occurred on a foreign sea-going vessel.
• The death occurred during a sea voyage outside the sea-going vessel - but not on land or in a port in Germany - and the deceased person was picked up by a foreign sea-going vessel.
• The deceased had German nationality at the time of death.
• The deceased person had the status of a stateless person, a homeless foreigner or a foreign refugee within the meaning of the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees having their habitual residence in Germany.
• Eligible applicants are
  • the parents of a child who died abroad, the child of the deceased person and spouses or life partners,
  • persons who can assert a legal interest in the certification vis-à-vis the registry office and
  • the German diplomatic mission abroad in whose jurisdiction the death occurred.

In addition to the information to be included in the death entry, you must provide the necessary certificates or other documents that you have.

In particular, the following documents are required:

• Your identity card/passport as the applicant,
• the foreign death certificate of the deceased person (if necessary, with translation and certification by the competent foreign authority (apostille) or legalization by the German diplomatic mission abroad; within the European Union, the submission of a multilingual form may replace the translation),
• the marriage or civil partnership certificate of the deceased person's last marriage or civil partnership and, if applicable, proof of its dissolution
• the birth certificate of the deceased person,
• proof of the deceased's last place of residence,
• in the case of naturalized persons, persons entitled to asylum, stateless persons, homeless foreigners and recognized foreign refugees: Certificate of naturalization/proof of special status

• § Section 36 of the Civil Status Act (PStG)
• § Section 37 of the Civil Status Act (PStG)

27.08.2021