In Germany, the heir proves his/her legal right by a Certificate of Inheritance which is issued by the competent German probate court upon notarized application. It is normally required by banks or land register if the inheritance includes real estate or bank account(s) in Germany.

To obtain a Certificate of Inheritance, you have to fill out the questionnaire, which can be found below and send it with the required copies of the documents (as indicated on the questionnaire) to the German Embassy.

Questionnaire for the preparation of a Certificate of Inheritance

For further information on inheritance matters in German, see Erbschaftsangelegenheiten