Ukraine → Czechia
Repatriation of a body from Ukraine to Czechia
We take the deceased from your town in Ukraine to Czechia. We prepare the Ukrainian documents ourselves; the Czech requirements are set out below, with links to Czech law and the pages of the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
We will call you back within 5 minutes and quote the price once we have confirmed the route.
Get a price- Since 2015 repatriation in both directions
- Ukrainian company Company code (EDRPOU) 46261246
- Contract with a fixed price
- Own workshop coffins and funeral goods
- 24/7 one number from start to finish
What Czechia requires when a body is brought in
Some Czech rules apply only when the country where the death occurred is not a party to the international agreements on the transport of bodies. We will check which rules apply to your case before the journey.
Consent to the transport
- If the country where the death occurred is not bound by the relevant international agreements on the transport of bodies, bringing the body into (or through) the Czech Republic requires an accompanying letter (laissez-passer) with consent to the transport, issued by the Czech embassy or consulate abroad. mzv.gov.cz
- The consent may be issued once a document proving the death is presented, together with confirmation that there is no criminal-law or health objection to the transport, in particular that the deceased was not infected with a dangerous disease (Section 9 of Czech Act No. 256/2001 Coll. on Funeral Services). e-sbirka.gov.cz
Documents and language
- The Czech Embassy in Kyiv states that documents issued by Ukrainian state authorities can be submitted in the Czech Republic as the Ukrainian original (or a certified copy) with an official translation into Czech. No apostille or superlegalisation is needed for them, under Article 18 of the Treaty between the Czech Republic and Ukraine on Legal Assistance in Civil Matters. mzv.gov.cz
- A cemetery in the Czech Republic may accept a body for burial only if the death is proven by a death certificate, an accompanying letter for the transport of the body (body passport), a report of a competent foreign authority, or the post-mortem examination form (Section 22 of Czech Act No. 256/2001 Coll.). e-sbirka.gov.cz
The coffin and the journey through Czechia
- If the body is not embalmed or preserved and the transport exceeds the duration or distance set by law, the funeral service must place the body in a hermetically sealed coffin or carry it in cooling or freezing equipment (Section 8 of Czech Act No. 256/2001 Coll.). e-sbirka.gov.cz
- Czech law prohibits opening a final coffin with a body or an urn with ashes without authorisation (Section 4 of Act No. 256/2001 Coll.). e-sbirka.gov.cz
- On Czech roads a body may be transported only in a special-purpose vehicle approved as a hearse (Section 9 of Act No. 256/2001 Coll.). e-sbirka.gov.cz
The Czech Embassy in Ukraine
When an accompanying letter with consent to the transport is needed, it is issued by the Czech embassy. If the deceased was a Czech citizen, the application form for registering the death in Czechia is also available at the embassy.
- To have the death of a Czech citizen entered in the special register (zvláštní matrika), an application is filed; application forms are available at all Czech registry offices (matriční úřady) and at Czech embassies and consulates. mzv.gov.cz
The Ukrainian side
We prepare the documents for taking the body out of Ukraine and the official Czech translation.
The Ukrainian paperwork is the same for every country; it is all on the page “Repatriation of a body from Ukraine to another country”.
Who receives the deceased in Czechia
We arrange the transport and hand the deceased over to the funeral home in Czechia that the family chooses.
Tell us the town in Czechia and the funeral home you have chosen, and we will agree with them where and when to hand over the deceased.
An urn with ashes
- The Czech embassy's accompanying letter (laissez-passer) is issued for a coffin with a body; it is not used for transporting an urn with ashes after cremation. portal.gov.cz
- EU law: coffins containing a body and urns containing ashes are exempt from import duties when brought into the EU (Council Regulation (EC) No 1186/2009, Art. 113; source: the official Czech text from the EU Publications Office). publications.europa.eu
We can take an urn to Czechia too; we will tell you the cost after a short conversation.
The price for your route
Tell us the country and your city in Ukraine. Once the route is clear, we will give you the price.
Questions about repatriation from Ukraine to Czechia
Do Ukrainian documents need an apostille for Czechia?
No. Ukrainian documents are submitted as the original or a certified copy with an official Czech translation, and no apostille is required.
Which documents does a Czech cemetery need to accept the body?
The cemetery needs a document that proves the death, such as a death certificate or the accompanying letter for transporting a body (the "body passport"). The full list is in the section above.
Can the coffin be opened in Czechia?
Not without permission: a closed coffin or urn may be opened only with a separate authorisation.
Is an accompanying letter from the embassy needed for an urn?
No. The embassy issues that letter for a coffin with a body, and it is not used for an urn.
Send a request for repatriation to Czechia
Thank you. We will call you back. For urgent matters, write to us on WhatsApp or call +380 77 882 77 77.