At a glance
- City and federal state
- Vienna
- Competent service
- Hygiene centre of the Viennese Health Service
- International document
- multilingual Leichenpass
- Serbian consular mission
- Embassy of Serbia with consular department in Vienna
- Initial response
- within 10 minutes
Which information is required for a Vienna Leichenpass application?
The official Vienna portal states that the application for an international Leichenpass is submitted to the Hygiene centre of the Vienna Health Service. The application includes the identity of the deceased, age, place, date and cause of death, place of collection, final destination, type of coffin and method of transport. A copy of the death report accompanies the written request.
Vienna combines municipal and provincial powers in one statutory jurisdiction, so its public-health procedure differs from that of Salzburg or an Austrian administrative district. The federal portal explains the general rule for the multilingual Leichenpass, while the local source identifies the responsible Vienna service.
| Document | Issuer | Role in Vienna |
|---|---|---|
| Sterbeurkunde | Standesamt responsible for the recorded place in Vienna | Creates the civil record used in the subsequent procedure |
| Multilingual Leichenpass | Hygiene Centre of the Vienna Health Service | Contains the particulars required for international transfer |
| Receiving-state permit | Diplomatic or consular office with territorial competence | Confirms admission to the stated place of burial |
How is the Vienna document connected with Serbia?
The Embassy of Serbia with the consular department is located in Vienna. When the funeral is in Serbia, the Austrian Leichenpass and other originals are submitted for the Serbian consular procedure according to the consular jurisdiction. The Embassy does not replace the Hygiene centre and does not issue an Austrian document. The consular section processes the Serbian sprovodnica, while the Vienna authority issues the Austrian outward document.
If burial is to take place in BiH, Croatia or Montenegro, the permit required by that country applies. Vienna remains the point of departure, but the competent consular mission changes with the destination. The Vienna application and the destination-country file must therefore name the same city of burial. Changing countries after issue may require the documents to be reviewed again by the competent authorities.
Why is Vienna a special starting point for the region?
Vienna is a central European hub with connections towards Hungary, Slovenia and Croatia. The onward direction depends on whether the destination is Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia or Montenegro. The TEN-T network connects Vienna with neighbouring urban and cross-border corridors. Its position does not remove the civil-registration, public-health or consular requirements.
The route Vienna-Belgrade and the route Vienna-Zagreb have different destination-country permits, although the departure procedure is handled by the same Vienna service. That is why the specific city, state and mode of transport are specified in the request. The family receives an initial response within 10 minutes, and the stated 48-hour timeframe begins only after the competent authorities complete their decisions.
What should the family send for the case in Vienna?
The required starting details are the deceased person’s passport, the name and address of the Vienna institution, the city and country of burial and a contact telephone number. An initial response is provided within 10 minutes. The review then checks the death registration, medical evidence and the destination and coffin details requested by the Vienna authority.
For a straightforward case, routine documentation can be completed within 24 hours and arrival at the confirmed address can be organised within 48 hours. If a hospital, the police or another authority has not released the case, the timeframe cannot begin. The outstanding official decision determines when collection may proceed.
What does Vienna’s status as both city and federal state change?
Vienna combines municipal and state-level functions. An outward case is therefore handled by the Magistrat and the specialist offices named by Vienna, rather than by a Bezirkshauptmannschaft outside the city. The precise place of death within Vienna still controls the civil-status record.
The Vienna procedure cannot be extended to Lower Austria. An institution just beyond the state boundary may fall under a different district authority even when relatives describe Vienna as the nearest major city.
Process for this case
- Step 1 of 4
Viennese institution
The place entered in the death record, identity and status of the city report are determined.
- Step 2 of 4
Application data for the Hygiene Centre
Medical records, civil-status documents and the application details are brought together for the Vienna health authority.
- Step 3 of 4
Austrian Leichenpass
The Vienna Health Service issues the international Leichenpass after reviewing the required evidence.
- Step 4 of 4
Destination-country permission and handover
State of burial confirms entry and final handover address.
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.
- Stadt Wien – official guidance — Stadt Wien · reviewed
- oesterreich.gv.at – official guidance — oesterreich.gv.at · reviewed
- Ministarstvo spoljnih poslova Republike Srbije – official guidance — Ministarstvo spoljnih poslova Republike Srbije · 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
- European Commission — DG MOVE – official guidance — European Commission — DG MOVE · reviewed
Frequently asked questions
Who handles the application for the international Leichenpass in Vienna?
The official city portal refers to the Hygiene centre of the Vienna Health Service.
Does the Viennese request contain information about the coffin?
Yes. The type of coffin and the method of transport are among the published request data.
Does the Embassy of Serbia issue an Austrian Leichenpass?
No. The embassy acts for the competent Serbian consular authority, while the Vienna service issues the Austrian document.
Why does the Vienna request ask for a final destination?
Because the Leichenpass describes the international file, the mode of transport and the place where the deceased will be received.
When can the deceased arrive from Vienna within 48 hours?
In a straightforward case, the timeframe applies once Vienna's application is complete, the Leichenpass and destination-country permit are issued and the receiving address confirmed.