Ukraine → Turkey
Repatriation of a body from Ukraine to Turkey
We take the deceased from your town in Ukraine to Turkey. On the Turkish side, the key document is the body transport document. We prepare the paperwork for it and arrange the translations.
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 Turkey requires when a body is brought in
Some of the requirements for bringing in a body are set by the state and some by the airline. They are listed separately below, with links to the sources.
The transport document
- A body brought into Turkey from abroad must be accompanied by a transport document (cenaze nakil belgesi) from the competent authority confirming that the transport is permitted and poses no health risk (Regulation on cemeteries, transport and burial, Art. 37). mevzuat.gov.tr
- Among other details, the transport document must state the deceased's identity number, name and surname, father's name, and the place and date of death (Regulation, Art. 37). mevzuat.gov.tr
- Turkish missions abroad can also issue the body transport document for foreign nationals who died abroad and are to be buried in Turkey (Turkish MFA page, 2023 archived copy). konsolosluk.gov.tr, archived copy
Public health control
- Entry of a body into Turkey is assessed from a public health perspective under the Directive on bodies brought from abroad ("Yurtdışından Getirilen Cenaze İşlemleri Yönergesi"). Under this Directive, countries are divided into risky and non-risky ones (the list is in its annex). A body from a non-risky country that meets the conditions for international transport enters without any additional procedure. For a body from a risky country, units of the Ministry of Health's General Directorate of Border and Coastal Health (Hudut ve Sahiller Sağlık Genel Müdürlüğü) issue an entry permit if the documents are complete (Turkish MFA page, 2023 archived copy). konsolosluk.gov.tr, archived copy
We check whether Ukraine is on the list of risky countries before each repatriation.
Airline requirements
- For international shipment of human remains, Turkish Cargo requires a death report certified by the consulate and translated into Turkish. turkishcargo.com
- If the death resulted from suicide, homicide or an accident, Turkish Cargo also requires the autopsy report. turkishcargo.com
Customs duty on the coffin and the urn
- Turkish Customs Law No. 4458 (Art. 167) exempts coffins, funerary urns and ornamental funeral items from customs duties. mevzuat.gov.tr
If the deceased lost Turkish citizenship
- If the deceased lost Turkish citizenship (acquired another citizenship while a refugee, or was deprived of it by government decision), burial in Turkey requires permission from the Turkish Ministry of Interior. roma-be.mfa.gov.tr
The Turkish Embassy in Ukraine
The body transport document is issued by Turkey's missions abroad. The information below comes from an archived 2023 copy of a page of Turkey's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- The application can be made to any Turkish mission in the country where the death occurred, regardless of consular district. konsolosluk.gov.tr, archived copy
- The list is for Turkish citizens: a petition; the applicant's Turkish ID card (T.C. kimlik), original and copy; the original and a copy of the local death document; the deceased's Turkish ID card (T.C. kimlik) and passport; a "body information form" from the transport company (vehicle, date, time, recipient in Turkey). Where the local authorities required an autopsy, a burial permit or an autopsy report from the local authorities (with certified Turkish translation) may also be requested. konsolosluk.gov.tr, archived copy
The Ukrainian side
We deal with everything needed to take the body out of Ukraine; from you we will need only the documents that the family alone can provide.
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 Turkey
We arrange the transport and hand the deceased over to the funeral home in Turkey that the family chooses.
The Turkish consulate's list includes a “body information form” from the transport company, and it states who receives the body in Turkey. So the family chooses the receiving funeral home in advance. That funeral home carries out the funeral; we do not arrange it.
An urn with ashes
Turkey has a separate rule for urns, and it is best to know it in advance.
- Importing ashes into Turkey is prohibited unless the deceased or a first-degree relative is a Turkish citizen. For the ashes of Turkish citizens, the family must have an accredited laboratory confirm that they are human cremated remains (Regulation, Art. 38). mevzuat.gov.tr
If this condition is met, we can bring the urn too. We will tell you the price once we have talked.
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 Turkey
Can the body of someone who was not a Turkish citizen be taken to Turkey?
Yes, it can. Turkish missions abroad may issue the transport document for a foreign national who died abroad and is to be buried in Turkey.
Which Turkish mission should you apply to?
Any Turkish mission in the country where the death happened; the consular district does not matter.
What language must the documents be in?
Turkish. Turkish Cargo wants a consulate-certified death report translated into Turkish when human remains are shipped internationally. We arrange the Turkish translation.
Can an urn be brought in if no one in the family is a Turkish citizen?
Generally no. Ashes may enter Turkey only if the deceased or a first-degree relative is a Turkish citizen, and an accredited laboratory has to confirm what the ashes are.
Is customs duty charged on the coffin?
No. Customs Law No. 4458 (Art. 167) exempts coffins and urns, as well as ornamental funeral items.
Send a request for repatriation to Turkey
Thank you. We will call you back. For urgent matters, write to us on WhatsApp or call +380 77 882 77 77.