Municipality of Amsterdam: taking a deceased person out of the Netherlands

The person passed away in outside the Netherlands

Did the person pass away in outside the Netherlands? And do you want to transport them to the Netherlands? If so, you need to contact the municipality or local authority where the person passed away.

You (or a funeral director) must also register the death. You must do this in person (?) in the municipality where the deceased person is registered. To do so, you must make an appointment with the municipality.

The person passed away in Amsterdam

Did the person pass away in Amsterdam? And do you want to have them transported outside the Netherlands? If so, you (or a funeral director) must register the death.

Registering a death

You will need the following documents to register a death:

‘a medical certificate from the doctor stating that the person has died.
a valid proof of identification for yourself (such as a passport, ID card or driving licence).

Transporting a deceased person outside the Netherlands

You will need the following documents to transport a deceased person outside the Netherlands:

The Overlijdensakte (death certificate).
A statement issued by the competent authority, for example:
* a medical certificate from a doctor or coroner
* a certificate of natural death or a statement from the public prosecutor.
Was the certificate drawn up in a language other than Dutch, German, English or French? If so, you must have the certificate translated by a sworn translator.
A Verlof tot begraving of verbranding (burial or cremation licence), or a laissez-passer.
- Are you transporting the deceased person within the Benelux region? If so, you will need a burial or cremation licence.
- Are you transporting the deceased person to a country outside the Benelux region? If so, you will need a laissez-passer.

Are you transporting the deceased person to the Netherlands from a country outside the Benelux region? If so, you will need.

Declaration by surviving dependants

You can register the death yourself. You must do this in the municipality where your loved one died. In Amsterdam, you must do this in person at one of the City Offices. You must make an appointment.

Online registration by funeral directors

You can also ask the funeral home to register the death for you. Funeral homes who are located in the Netherlands can register deaths online.

Online registration

The following rates apply:

A death registration is free of charge.

A copy of a death certificate costs: €17.10

A laissez-passer costs: €24.50

As a surviving dependant, you receive the extract from the death certificate and the verlof tot begraven of cremeren (permission for burial or cremation) immediately.
Funeral homes should receive the extract and any other documents on the same working day or, at the latest, the next working day.