Cremation in Portugal and Transporting an Urn with Ashes to Ukraine

In brief, in 30 seconds.

• Cremation is regulated by Decree-Law 411/98. It applies to Portuguese citizens and foreigners.
• The application is submitted in order of priority by: the executor of the will, spouse, partner, heir, or any relative. For a foreigner, the consul of their country can also submit the application.
• Cremation cannot take place earlier than 24 hours after death. If the body was immediately released to the family, the law allows up to 72 hours for cremation.
• The ashes are given to the person who requested the cremation. What happens to them next is up to that person, and the law allows free transport of ashes in a suitable urn.
• Urn transport to Ukraine costs from 800 €, with no prepayment.

Call +380 77 882 77 77Ask about an urn

Who Gives Consent for Cremation

Decree-Law 411/98 (Article 3) defines who has the right to request cremation. The right passes in the following order:

1. the executor of the will (testamenteiro), if the will provides for cremation;
2. the surviving spouse (cônjuge sobrevivo);
3. the person who lived with the deceased in a de facto union (unido de facto);
4. any heir (herdeiro);
5. any relative (familiar);
6. any other person or organization.

If the deceased did not have Portuguese citizenship, a diplomatic or consular representative of their country also has the right to submit the application. For a Ukrainian, this is the Embassy or Consulate of Ukraine.

The application can also be submitted by a person holding a power of attorney with special powers (procuração com poderes especiais) from someone on this list. Therefore, the family in Ukraine does not have to travel to Portugal. We arrange the cremation through local partners using your power of attorney. If the cremation has already taken place, we collect the ready urn from the crematorium or the family.

How Long to Wait for Cremation

The law sets both a minimum and a maximum time limit (Article 8):

• cremation cannot take place earlier than 24 hours after death;
• if the body was released immediately after death to the person entitled to apply, cremation is carried out within 72 hours;
• if there was an autopsy, within 48 hours after its completion.

Cremation earlier than 24 hours can only be ordered by a health authority if there is a threat to public health.

For a family from Ukraine, the time limit is very short. Therefore, the decision on cremation and the power of attorney must be arranged in the first few days. We will help prepare the documents so that everything is done in time.

Urn for Transport

The ashes are handed over in a suitable container (recipiente apropriado). The law does not specify the material of the urn. For travel, it is best to use a sturdy, tightly sealed urn that can be easily X-rayed: plastic, wood, or cardboard.

An urn in carry-on baggage is usually transported by agreement with the airline, and it is screened by X-ray at security. We check the carrier's rules before buying a ticket.

Can You Transport the Urn Yourself

Yes. Portuguese law directly allows the free transport of ashes in a suitable container.

Problems can happen at the airport and at the border. The airline might not approve taking the urn into the cabin. An urn made of metal or stone might not pass the X-ray. At the Ukrainian border, officials ask for documents with an apostille and translation; without them, the urn may be delayed.

Entrust the transport to us if no one from the family can travel, if the documents are not ready, or if you want to avoid risks at security screening.

Burial of the Urn in Ukraine

In Ukraine, an urn is buried in a grave, interred in an existing family grave, or placed in a columbarium. Permission from the cemetery is required, and for interment in an existing grave, you need the grave documents. Details: urn burial. Make arrangements with the cemetery while the apostille and translation are being prepared.