How to arrange a funeral: a step‑by‑step guide for families

Documents for the funeral

If the person died in Ukraine

The death is registered at the civil registry office (DRACS), on the basis of a document from a healthcare facility or a forensic medical institution confirming the death. As a general rule, the application to register the death is submitted no later than three days from the day of death, or no later than five days if that document cannot be obtained. The civil registry office will confirm the exact deadline for your case.

What the law says:

• In Ukraine a death is registered by the civil registry office (DRACS); the grounds include the medical certificate of death (form No. 106/o) or another document listed in the Rules for State Registration of Civil Status Acts in Ukraine. zakon.rada.gov.ua
• By law, the application to register a death is filed no later than three days after the death or the discovery of the body, or no later than five days if a document from a healthcare or forensic institution cannot be obtained. zakon.rada.gov.ua

We can take this on: registering the death, the death certificate and the certificates the cemetery needs.

If the person died abroad

The death of a Ukrainian citizen abroad is usually registered by the Ukrainian consul, who issues a Ukrainian death certificate without a consular fee. A foreign death certificate is recognised in Ukraine when it carries an apostille or has been legalised, and it is submitted to the civil registry offices together with a certified translation into Ukrainian. For more, see the articles “The Ukrainian consulate when someone dies abroad” and “Death certificate abroad”. What to arrange at home once the body has returned is in the article “Documents after a death abroad: what to arrange in Ukraine”.

What the law says:

• In Ukraine a notary certifies the accuracy of a document translation if the notary knows the languages; otherwise a translator translates and the notary certifies the translator's signature (Art. 79 of the Law on Notaries). zakon.rada.gov.ua

A tip for both cases: keep all the papers in one folder. That means the deceased's passport, the death certificate, the other certificates and the invoices. You will need them at the cemetery and for the funeral allowance.

The farewell: at home, in a church or in a hall

At home. Quiet and private, among your own people. But not every home is suitable, so think in advance about how to carry the coffin out and how it will be taken on afterwards.

In a church. If the family wants a funeral service. The time is agreed with the priest.

In a farewell hall. When the home is too cramped, or you want everyone to be able to come calmly, whatever the weather. We prepare the hall: we place the coffin, candles, flowers and stands for wreaths. A coordinator welcomes the family and guests, and after the ceremony we tidy the hall. If you wish, we will invite a priest, arrange music or someone to lead the ceremony, and give you more time in the hall.

We prepare the body for the farewell (washing and dressing) only with the family's consent. More on the page “Preparing the body”.

If the body is coming from abroad: what to prepare while it is on its way

The body's journey home to Ukraine takes from 24 hours after collection. You can use this time to prepare the funeral calmly, instead of doing everything on the last night. In most cases the family does not need to travel abroad for the body; the reasons are in the article “If the family cannot travel abroad”.

• The burial place. Decide where to bury and tell us. We will agree the time with the cemetery to match the arrival of the body.
• The farewell. Choose a home, a church or a hall. We book the hall as soon as we know the day the vehicle sets off.
• The priest. Give us the parish or the priest's name, and we will agree the time to match the arrival of the body.
• Documents. The documents from the country where the person died travel with the body, and we will hand them to you. Prepare your own: your passport and a document proving your relationship.
• The meal. Think about how many guests there will be and where to gather.
• Relatives. Tell everyone when and where to come. If relatives need transport, we will provide a bus.

When one team handles both the transport and the funeral, there is no gap between them. We know when the body will cross the border and what time it will reach the town. So the hall, the priest and the hearse are ready for exactly that time, and you get one plan with the time of every step.

The deceased arrives from abroad in a hermetically sealed coffin with a metal liner. Whether the farewell can be held with the coffin open depends on the condition of the body, how it was prepared and local rules. We will tell you before the vehicle sets off. For the transport itself, see the page “Repatriation of the deceased from abroad”.

How much a funeral costs

The price depends on what the family chooses:

• the kind of farewell: a church service, a hall, a farewell at home;
• the cemetery and the burial plot;
• the coffin, cross, wreaths and other funeral items;
• transport for relatives and the distance;
• the memorial meal.

We draw up the estimate together with you in advance and write down what it includes. We add nothing without your consent. If the body is coming from abroad, we price the funeral separately from the transport. More on the page “Funerals across Ukraine”.