At a glance
- Territorial level
- Region Hannover, Lower Saxony
- Issuer of Leichenpass
- Team Allgemeiner Infektionsschutz Region Hannover
- Principal supporting document
- original Todesbescheinigung
- Special circumstances
- additional judicial decision when a non-natural death is suspected
- Destination-country permit
- accompanying document required by the country of burial
Why is the Leichenpass not issued by the city's Standesamt?
The official portal Region Hannover lists the health sector as a place for the international Leichenpass. It is a regional, not just a city, jurisdiction. The Standesamt still creates the death-register record, but the health service checks the medical and transport requirements before issuing the accompanying document.
Region Hannover includes the city and surrounding municipalities, so the facility's full address is essential. It identifies the Standesamt that records the death and the regional service responsible for the Leichenpass. A Hanover address for the family does not determine which authority is competent at the recorded place of death.
The issuer is confirmed before sending the original, so that the medical document is not sent to the wrong office.
What is checked in the Todesbescheinigung?
The regional procedure requires the original medical certificate of death. The health sector checks the identity, medical data and circumstances relevant to the transport. The death certificate confirms the event, but does not replace the underlying medical evidence, which is why both documents have a place in the file.
When the death is marked as unnatural or unclear, the decision of the competent judicial authority is required. Then Leichenpass is not seen as a way to circumvent the investigation. The pick-up date depends on the official release of the deceased and not on the requested collection time.
How are city, regional and consular roles divided?
The table follows the different levels of the German and destination systems. The exact list is supplemented only with a document requested by a specific authority.
| Document | Issuing authority | Role in the case |
|---|---|---|
| Todesbescheinigung | doctor | provides the original medical record |
| Sterbeurkunde | local Standesamt | register death |
| Leichenpass | Region Hannover — health sector | authorises international transport |
| receiving-country document | representative office of the country of destination | regulates entry and final handover |
How is the destination-country permit selected?
For Serbia, the German Leichenpass is accompanied by the Serbian sprovodnica, the consular document for repatriation. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Montenegro have their own authorities and supporting requirements. The regional health service deals with departure from Lower Saxony; it does not allocate a grave or confirm reception at a cemetery abroad.
The destination is therefore listed at the level of the city, not just the country. Changing the place of burial may change consular jurisdiction and proof of burial place. All documents are checked by name, passport number and final address before the case is closed.
Which details are needed to check a case from Hanover?
The passport of the deceased, the exact name of the institution, the municipality and the postcode, the original medical certificate if available, information about the circumstances of the death, the confirmed city of burial and the contact telephone number are required. This simultaneously determines the Standesamt, Region Hannover and the competent diplomatic mission of the destination country.
We respond within 10 minutes with the next steps. Routine document handling carries no separate fee. The timeframe of up to 48 hours applies only when no investigation, public-health restriction or missing official document prevents release. Fees charged by authorities or other institutions are paid according to their actual invoice.
What determines the onward route from Lower Saxony?
Hanover is connected to the network of northern and central Germany, so the continuation towards the region can have several transit options. The final choice is not determined by the health document, but by the destination and conditions on the day of travel.
For a reliable case assessment, the regional issuer, the original medical certificate and the destination-country documents are relevant. Together they show whether the legal conditions for onward transport have been met.
Process for this case
- Step 1 of 4
Determination of the municipality where the death occurred
The address determines the local registry within the region.
- Step 2 of 4
Verification of original certificate
The health sector reviews medical data and special circumstances.
- Step 3 of 4
Issuance of the regional Leichenpass
Region Hannover completes the international accompanying document.
- Step 4 of 4
Handover in the destination country
The required destination-country authorisation is checked before the final handover.
Sources and review date
The official sources listed below were reviewed for the statements on this page. Responsibilities and forms can change, so the current version published by the relevant authority remains decisive.
- Region Hannover – official guidance — Region Hannover · reviewed
- Niedersächsisches Vorschrifteninformationssystem – official guidance — Niedersächsisches Vorschrifteninformationssystem · reviewed
- Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg – official guidance — Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg · reviewed
- Ministarstvo spoljnih poslova Republike Srbije – official guidance — Ministarstvo spoljnih poslova Republike Srbije · reviewed
- Council of Europe – official guidance — Council of Europe · reviewed
- European Commission — DG MOVE – official guidance — European Commission — DG MOVE · reviewed
- Ministarstvo spoljnih poslova Republike Srbije – official guidance — Ministarstvo spoljnih poslova Republike Srbije · reviewed
- Ministarstvo vanjskih poslova Bosne i Hercegovine – official guidance — Ministarstvo vanjskih poslova Bosne i Hercegovine · reviewed
- Ministarstvo vanjskih i europskih poslova – official guidance — Ministarstvo vanjskih i europskih poslova · reviewed
- Vlada Crne Gore – official guidance — Vlada Crne Gore · reviewed
Frequently asked questions
Why does Region Hannover process the international Leichenpass?
The official instruction refers to the health sector Region Hannover.
Do the Standesamt and Region Hannover do the same job?
No. The Standesamt manages the civil registration, and the regional health service manages the international Leichenpass.
Why is the original Todesbescheinigung required?
The regional authority uses the original certificate to verify the medical information required before issuing the Leichenpass.
What happens when a non-natural death is suspected?
International transfer must wait until the judicial authority responsible for the case has completed its decision and released the deceased.
When does the stated 48-hour timeframe from Hanover begin?
It begins after the deceased has been officially released and the required documents, including the regional Leichenpass and Serbian sprovodnica, are complete.