Exhumation in Latvia and Reburial in Ukraine

The short version, in 30 seconds.

The application is submitted to the municipality (pašvaldība) by the grave right holder (kapavietas turētājs), the spouse, or a relative with the written consent of the grave holder.
A body can be raised no earlier than one year after burial, except in cases provided for by legal acts.
Exhumation is carried out under the supervision of the cemetery manager.
To take a body out of Latvia, a transportation permit from the Health Inspectorate (Veselības inspekcija) is required.
Our exhumation service starts from 500 € plus transportation from Latvia. No prepayment for transportation.

Call +380 77 882 77 77 Ask about exhumation

Who Can Request an Exhumation

The answer is in Section 13 of the Law on Cemeteries (Kapsētu likums). An application to the municipality can be submitted by:

the grave right holder (kapavietas turētājs);
the spouse of the deceased;
if there is no spouse, a relative. However, written consent from the grave right holder is then required.

The application must state the cemetery where the person will be reburied, or the place where the urn will be placed. For us, this is a cemetery in Ukraine.

An important detail for Riga. If the grave becomes empty after exhumation, its holder loses the rights to it, and the grave maintenance contract is terminated. This is stated in the Riga municipality service description. If there are plans to bury another family member in this grave, discuss this in advance.

If the Family Lives in Ukraine

Traveling to Latvia is not mandatory. You arrange a power of attorney and written consents, and we pass them to our partners in Latvia. They submit the application and work with the cemetery. Ukrainian documents for Latvian authorities are translated into Latvian. Whether notarization of the translation is required is something we clarify before submission.

Law and Permits

The Law on Cemeteries (Kapsētu likums) was adopted by the Saeima on April 1, 2026, and entered into force on April 29, 2026. Detailed rules for each cemetery are set by the municipality through its binding regulations (saistošie noteikumi).

Example for Riga. Exhumation in municipal cemeteries is organized by the Cemeteries Administration of the Housing and Environment Department (Mājokļu un vides departamenta Kapsētu pārvalde). The procedure is as follows:

You submit an application to the Cemeteries Administration.
The Administration makes a decision on the permit and notifies you in person, electronically, or by mail.
After the permit is granted, an exhumation order is placed, and it is carried out by the Cemeteries Administration.

The Administration's decision can be appealed to the Department Director, and their decision can be appealed in an administrative court.

Whether separate consent from the Health Inspectorate is needed for the exhumation itself depends on the municipality's rules. We clarify this for the specific cemetery.

How long it takes to get a decision is not stated on the service page. We clarify this with the Cemeteries Administration.

When It Is Possible

Minimum period: one year after burial (Section 13 of the Law on Cemeteries). It is possible earlier only in cases provided for by other legal acts.

For comparison: a new burial on top of an existing grave (virsapbedījums) is allowed by law only after 20 years, or after 15 years with a permit from the Health Inspectorate (Section 14). This refers to reusing a grave, not exhumation.

We found no prohibited seasons in the law. A cemetery may have its own work schedule, which we check.

Infectious diseases. If the person died of smallpox, cholera, plague, anthrax, viral hemorrhagic fevers, SARS, Covid-19, or another dangerous infection, the Health Inspectorate informs everyone working with the body about safety requirements (Cabinet of Ministers Regulation No. 523, Paragraph 10).

Urn or coffin. The law allows both transferring an urn and exhuming a body under the same application. The law also allows raising a body to cremate it.

How Exhumation Works

All work on the cemetery grounds takes place under the supervision of the cemetery manager (Section 13). After the work is done, the grave right holder must immediately tidy up the grave.

To take a body out of Latvia, Cabinet of Ministers Regulation No. 523 requires a special coffin:

the coffin is hermetically sealed and filled with liquid-absorbing material (dry sawdust, wood shavings, peat);
if necessary, equipped with a pressure-equalizing and air-purifying device;
a wooden coffin with walls at least 20 mm thick if there is a soldered zinc coffin inside, or at least 30 mm thick if it is lined on the outside with soldered zinc plates;
the coffin is placed in a tight wooden box that does not resemble a coffin in shape, marked "handle with care".

We prepare a hermetically sealed metal coffin for transportation to meet these requirements. Whether relatives can be present is decided by the cemetery.

Cremation After Exhumation

The Law on Cemeteries directly allows raising a body for cremation. Then an urn can be transported to Ukraine, making the journey simpler and cheaper. We check the possibility and timelines with the cemetery and the crematorium.

Documents for Transporting to Ukraine

For a body, a permit for transporting the body of a deceased person (miruša cilvēka ķermeņa pārvadāšanas atļauja) from the Health Inspectorate is required. Under Cabinet of Ministers Regulation No. 523, the following are attached to the application:

a medical certificate stating the cause of death with the ICD-10 code, or a death certificate with the cause and code;
a certificate from the funeral home confirming that the body has been placed in the coffin according to the regulation requirements and that the coffin contains only the body and personal belongings.

Without these, the Inspectorate will not issue a permit. The permit is completed in Latvian and one of the official languages of the Council of Europe.

Since July 1, 2019, apostilles on Latvian documents are issued by sworn notaries (zvērināts notārs). Latvia and Ukraine are parties to the Hague Convention. We handle the translation into Ukrainian.

The Embassy of Ukraine in Latvia operates in Riga. The consular section can advise on what certificates are needed to bring the remains into the country. We provide a full list of documents to every family.

Reburial in Ukraine

A permit is also needed in Ukraine. Reburial is authorized by the executive committee of the local council at the new burial place. We handle this part together with the family.

The Latvian application requires naming the cemetery for the new burial. Therefore, arrange things with the cemetery in Ukraine first. Upon arrival, we take the coffin to the cemetery or to the morgue, as agreed. Read about delivery on the body repatriation from Latvia page.

How Much It Costs

Rates for Riga municipal cemeteries (service description updated on 05.01.2026):

Service (in Latvian)	What it is	Price
Mirstīgo atlieku izrakšana, veicot pārapbedīšanu	digging up remains for reburial, 1 grave	249 € incl. VAT (with discount 140 €)
Dokumentu sagatavošana	document preparation, 1 exhumation	10 €
Atļauja autotransporta iebraukšanai	hearse entry to the cemetery	5 €

Other municipalities have their own prices. The coffin, documents, apostille, translations, and transportation are paid separately.

Our price: exhumation from 500 € plus the cost of transportation (repatriation) from Latvia. We calculate the exact amount for your situation. No prepayment for transportation: payment is made after handover under the contract.

How Long It Takes: From Call to Funeral

Stage	Estimate
Consultation, consents, power of attorney	1-2 weeks
Certificate for the plot in Ukraine	1-2 weeks, in parallel
Application to municipality and decision	several weeks
Exhumation	according to cemetery schedule
Health Inspectorate permit, apostille	1-2 weeks
Transportation to Ukraine	1-3 days
Executive committee permit and burial	1-3 weeks

Timelines are approximate and depend on the municipality and the inspectorate. At every stage, we will let you know where things stand.

Frequently asked questions

Is it possible to exhume a body in Latvia and transport it to Ukraine?

Yes. The Law on Cemeteries allows reburial, and a permit from the Health Inspectorate is required to take the body out of the country. The decision is made by the municipality, so there is no guarantee.

How much time must pass after the burial?

At least one year, except in cases provided for by legal acts.

Who can submit the application?

The grave right holder, the spouse, or a relative with the written consent of the grave holder.

How much does exhumation cost in Riga?

Digging up remains for reburial costs 249 € incl. VAT, plus 10 € for documents and 5 € for hearse entry. Our work starts from 500 € plus transportation.

What happens to the grave in Riga after exhumation?

If it becomes empty, the holder loses the rights to it. Keep this in mind if other relatives are buried there or if future burials are planned.

Do we need to travel to Latvia?

No. A power of attorney and consents are enough. Our partners submit the documents.

What to Do Now

Call us and tell us where the person is buried: city, cemetery, date of burial.
Find out who holds the rights to the grave and locate the death certificate.
Collect written consents and arrange a power of attorney.
Agree on a plot with the cemetery in Ukraine. We will take care of the rest.

Call +380 77 882 77 77 Ask about exhumation

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Exhumation in Latvia and Reburial in Ukraine: Application, Timelines, Documents