Ukraine → Portugal
Repatriation of a body from Ukraine to Portugal
When someone has died in Ukraine and the family wishes to say goodbye to them in Portugal, we will collect the deceased from your town in Ukraine and bring them there. We check the Ukrainian and Portuguese requirements for documents and the coffin in advance, so that not a single document is missing on the way.
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 Portugal requires when a body is brought in
For bringing bodies into the country, Portuguese law refers to the Berlin and Strasbourg agreements. Below is what official Portuguese sources say, with a link next to each point.
The legal basis
- Under Art. 1 of Decree-Law 411/98, the transport into Portugal of a body of a person who died abroad is governed by the Berlin Agreement on the transport of corpses (1937) and the European Agreement on the transfer of corpses (Strasbourg, 1973). pgdlisboa.pt
- Portuguese consular posts issue a licence for the transport of mortal remains (licença de transporte de restos mortais): it is a separate consular act in Portugal's official Table of Consular Fees (Art. 17 of the Table approved by Portaria 229/2021). portaldascomunidades.mne.gov.pt
Before the transfer, we check whether this licence is needed in your case.
Documents and language
- Foreign documents only take legal effect in Portugal once translated. Documents from countries party to the 1961 Hague Convention are legalised by apostille. portaldascomunidades.mne.gov.pt
We order the translation and apostille where they are needed.
The coffin under Portuguese law
For bodies brought from abroad, the law refers to the international agreements (see above); below are the general rules of Portuguese law on coffins.
- For burial in a vault (jazigo), Portuguese law requires a zinc coffin at least 0.4 mm thick; for burial in a grave, a wooden coffin; for cremation, a wooden coffin easily destroyed by heat (Art. 6, Decree-Law 411/98). pgdlisboa.pt
- Under Portuguese law (Art. 6(3), Decree-Law 411/98), when a coffin is carried as ordinary freight by rail, sea or air, it is placed in solid packaging that conceals its appearance, clearly marked "MANUSEAR COM PRECAUÇÃO" ("handle with care"). pgdlisboa.pt
The Portuguese Embassy in Ukraine
For Portuguese citizens there is one more formality:
- The death of a Portuguese national must be registered in Portugal even if it occurred abroad; the consulate registers it, including by transcribing the local death certificate. portaldascomunidades.mne.gov.pt
- If the death was not registered by the consulate, the foreign death record can be transcribed directly at any Portuguese civil registry office. portaldascomunidades.mne.gov.pt
The Ukrainian side
We prepare the Ukrainian documents for taking the body out of the country, so there is no need to look for anyone else to do it.
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 Portugal
We arrange the transport and hand the deceased over to the funeral home in Portugal that the family chooses.
- Relatives and other persons, in the order set by law, may request burial in Portugal; if the deceased was not a Portuguese national, the diplomatic or consular representative of the country of nationality also has this right. A person holding a power of attorney may also apply. pgdlisboa.pt
The farewell and the burial in Portugal are a matter for the family and that funeral home. The funeral home receives the deceased from us together with all the documents.
An urn with ashes
- In Portugal, transporting ashes outside a cemetery is unrestricted, provided they are carried in an appropriate container (urn) (Art. 6, Decree-Law 411/98). pgdlisboa.pt
We can also bring an urn with ashes from Ukraine to Portugal. For the price, use the button below.
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 Portugal
Do Ukrainian documents need to be translated for Portugal?
Yes. A foreign document has legal effect in Portugal only after translation, and an apostille legalises papers from countries of the 1961 Hague Convention. We will tell you which documents need translating before the paperwork starts.
What coffin does Portuguese law require for burial in a vault or in the ground?
It depends on the burial. Decree-Law 411/98 sets a zinc coffin at least 0.4 mm thick for a vault (jazigo), a wooden one for a grave and a wooden one that burns easily for cremation. We confirm the type of burial in advance.
Who deals with the cemetery in Portugal?
The relatives, in the order the law sets, or a person with a power of attorney. When the deceased was not Portuguese, the diplomatic or consular office of their country may ask too. We hand the deceased and the documents over to whoever the family has chosen.
A Portuguese citizen has died. Does the death need to be registered in Portugal too?
Yes, even though it happened abroad: the Portuguese consulate registers it and may transcribe the local certificate. The Ukrainian death certificate will be needed for this, so we make sure it is issued correctly.
Can an urn with ashes be taken to Portugal?
Yes, we can transport an urn as well. Portuguese law leaves ashes free to travel outside a cemetery as long as they are in a proper container.
Send a request for repatriation to Portugal
Thank you. We will call you back. For urgent matters, write to us on WhatsApp or call +380 77 882 77 77.