Repatriation from Salzburg, Austria

Salzburg is the capital of the federal state (Bundesland) of Salzburg and Austria’s fourth largest city. It draws a substantial British market for three distinct seasons: the Salzburg Festival (Salzburger Festspiele, July to August), one of the world’s most prestigious classical music and opera events; the Advent Christmas markets (late November to 24 December), which attract large British day-trip and short-break visitors; and the winter ski season (November to April), with access to the Salzburg Ski Circus (Amadé) and Dachstein glacier areas. Salzburg is also a significant leisure and arts tourism destination year-round, built on its association with Mozart and its UNESCO-listed baroque old town.

The city of Salzburg is the administrative seat of the Bezirk Salzburg-Stadt (Salzburg City District), governed under the laws of the Bundesland Salzburg alongside federal Austrian law.

Consular coverage

The British Embassy Vienna (Jaurèsgasse 12, 1030 Wien) is the UK diplomatic mission for all of Austria. There is no resident British consular post in Salzburg; the Embassy handles all consular matters for deaths in Salzburg and the surrounding Bundesland.

British Embassy Vienna: +43 1 716 130. FCDO 24-hour emergency line: +44 (0)20 7008 5000.

What Austrian law requires

Strafprozessordnung (StPO BGBl. Nr. 631/1975): The Austrian Code of Criminal Procedure governs sudden, unnatural, or suspicious deaths. The Staatsanwaltschaft Salzburg (Public Prosecutor) orders forensic post-mortems when the cause of death is unclear or the circumstances are suspicious.

Standesamt (Civil Registry Office), Salzburg: Deaths in Salzburg are registered at the local Standesamt. The Sterbeurkunde (death certificate) is issued here.

Gerichtsmedizin Salzburg: Post-mortems in Salzburg cases are conducted at the Institut für Gerichtliche Medizin (IGeM) based at the Landeskrankenhaus Salzburg — Universitätsklinikum der Paracelsus Medizinischen Privatuniversität (PMU), or via the Vienna Gerichtsmedizin for complex cases. The Staatsanwaltschaft Salzburg specifies the examining institute.

Bestattungsgesetz Salzburg (LGBl. Nr. 84/1986 as amended): The Salzburg Burial Act governs transport of human remains. International transport requires authorisation from the Bezirkshauptmannschaft Salzburg-Stadt (district authority).

Strasbourg Agreement (Council of Europe, 1973): Applies for transfers within Council of Europe member states. A laissez-passer mortuaire is issued for movement to the UK.

Source: Strafprozessordnung BGBl. Nr. 631/1975 (Austria); Bestattungsgesetz Salzburg LGBl. Nr. 84/1986; 2024.

Medical coverage

Landeskrankenhaus Salzburg (LKH Salzburg / SALK, Müllner Hauptstrasse 48) is the main university hospital and trauma centre for Salzburg and the surrounding region. It handles major trauma cases from the ski resorts accessible from the city. Unfallkrankenhaus Salzburg (UKH, Dr.-Franz-Rehrl-Platz 5) specialises in accident and trauma cases and is the primary facility for ski and road accident injuries. Private clinics include Privatklinik Wehrle-Diakonissen.

The documentation chain

1. Sterbeurkunde from Standesamt Salzburg. 2. Staatsanwaltschaft Salzburg report (in sudden/violent deaths). 3. Gerichtsmedizin post-mortem (if ordered by Staatsanwaltschaft). 4. Staatsanwaltschaft release of the body. 5. Bezirkshauptmannschaft Salzburg-Stadt international transport authorisation. 6. Laissez-passer mortuaire (Strasbourg Agreement).** 7. Embalming certificate (if required). 8. IATA cargo documentation — SZG (Salzburg Airport W.A. Mozart) or VIE (Vienna International Airport) to LHR.

Salzburg Airport (SZG) operates direct UK charter services — TUI, Jet2, and easyJet — during the ski season and festival season. Year-round cargo typically routes via Vienna (VIE, approximately 3 hours by road or 45 minutes by air), which has daily direct LHR services via British Airways and Austrian Airlines.

Timeline from Salzburg

• Natural death, expected, hospital: 7 to 14 days
• Staatsanwaltschaft investigation, uncomplicated: 14 to 28 days
• Complex forensic case (avalanche, ski accident): 4 to 10 weeks

For repatriation guidance, contact our team via our enquiry form or WhatsApp.

See also the Austria repatriation guide and repatriation from Innsbruck.

Information based on Strafprozessordnung BGBl. Nr. 631/1975 and Bestattungsgesetz Salzburg LGBl. Nr. 84/1986. Last reviewed May 2026.