Repatriation of the deceased from abroad
Body repatriation means bringing your loved one home from abroad. We take care of the documents, the preparation of the body, the coffin, the transport and the border. You will know the exact price within 5 minutes of your call.
When someone close dies far from home
A foreign language, unfamiliar offices, paperwork that makes no sense. And you have other things on your mind. So we take the whole case on ourselves. We handle the international transport of the deceased from your first call until we hand them over to the family in Ukraine.
You do not have to look for a funeral home abroad, an interpreter or a carrier. You speak to one person, who knows what is happening now and what comes next. Call us at any time: we answer 24/7, and we speak Ukrainian, English, Polish and German.
We work out your price
Call or leave your number.
What body repatriation includes, step by step
The first conversation
We ask which country and city the death occurred in, where the deceased is now, which documents you already have and whether there was insurance. We give you the exact price straight away.
Contact with local offices
We arrange things with the hospital and the morgue, and agree when and how the deceased will be released.
Documents from the country of death
We obtain the death document, the permit to take the body out of the country and any other certificates that country requires. We have them certified and translated. More about the paperwork.
The Ukrainian consulate
We agree the set of documents with the Ukrainian consulate or embassy. This is where the certificate of no prohibited items is legalised. Without it, the deceased will not be allowed across the border.
Preparing the body and the coffin
We prepare the body and, if needed, arrange embalming. The coffin is wooden, with a soldered metal liner, and it is put under official seal. That is how we meet the legal requirement. More about preparing the body.
The route
We choose the shortest route, by road or with an air leg. We agree the documents with the transit countries before booking.
The border and customs
We submit the documents and the written statement for customs clearance at the Ukrainian border.
Handing over to the family
We bring the deceased to your town or city: home, to a farewell hall or to a church. If you wish, we will also arrange the funeral anywhere in Ukraine (funerals in Ukraine).
Countries and “from” prices
The “from” prices cover the whole journey home; what is included is listed under “What the price includes” below. A funeral in Ukraine is separate. Choose a country to see how we bring the deceased home from there. If your country is not on the list, we also bring the deceased home from other countries. Call us.
We will tell you the exact amount for your case when we speak: call us or send a request.
What the price includes
The price includes:
- contact with the hospital and the morgue
- local, consular and border documents
- preparing the body for the journey
- hermetic coffin, soldered zinc liner
- sealing as the border requires
- transport by road, or part of the way by air, whichever is faster and better value for you
- handover to the family in your town
Farewell coffin: quoted separately.
The exact amount depends on the city we collect the deceased from and the town or city in Ukraine we take them to. It also depends on local rules for preparing the body and the coffin, on the documents you already have and on the route. We sort all of this out in our first conversation.
How we bring the deceased home: by road or with an air leg
Road transport
From Ukraine's neighbours (Poland, Slovakia, Romania, Moldova and Hungary) and from many other European countries, we bring the deceased home in a specialist vehicle. The coffin is secured inside the vehicle, and our drivers know the roads and the border crossings.
Air transport
From countries further away, part of the journey is by air. Airlines carry the deceased in the cargo hold of a cargo or passenger aircraft. We do not promise direct flights to Ukraine: the last stretch to your town is by road.
How long it takes
The air leg takes from 2.5 hours. The body's journey home to Ukraine takes from 24 hours after collection. Most of the time usually goes on the documents in the country of death. We will tell you how long your case will take after the first conversation.
Call us, day or night
Languages: Ukrainian, English, Polish, German. The same number works on Viber, WhatsApp and Telegram.
What the Ukrainian border requires
The rules at the Ukrainian border are the same wherever the deceased is coming from. You need a death document, a certificate of no prohibited items legalised by the Ukrainian consulate, a hermetic metal coffin under official seal and a written statement for customs.
The coffin is opened at the border only in exceptional cases: in a healthcare facility, in the presence of a customs officer and the accompanying person. Countries that are party to the Strasbourg Agreement issue a laissez-passer (a body passport) for the deceased, but the Ukrainian border checks the documents under Ukrainian law. That is why we prepare both sets.
More about the paperwork and about preparing the body and the coffin.
If there was insurance
Some policies cover the transport of the deceased, but the terms and limits vary a great deal. Often a policy pays only as far as the border or a transport hub in Ukraine, and the family pays the rest.
Tell us about the policy on your first call. The transport has to be agreed with the insurer, otherwise they may refuse to pay. Send us a photo of the policy: we will check the terms and deal with the insurer ourselves, so that you do not lose what you are entitled to. More in the article Insurance and bringing a body home.
Our work in photos
Transport, the coffin, loading.
Questions about body repatriation
How much does it cost to bring the deceased home to Ukraine?
It depends on the country. The “from” prices for most countries are on the Prices page; for the rest, we will quote the price on the phone. The price covers the whole journey home. A funeral in Ukraine is a separate service.
How long does it take?
The air leg takes from 2.5 hours, and the body's journey home to Ukraine takes from 24 hours after collection. The documents in the country of death usually take the longest. We will give you the exact timing once we know the country and the documents.
What should I do right now?
Call us. We will tell you what to say to the hospital or the police, and we will make the arrangements with them ourselves. If there was an insurance policy, tell us: together we will agree the transport with the insurer, so that you do not lose the compensation. Do not sign contracts with local funeral homes until you know exactly what you need. We will tell you what to do today. Step by step: What to do.
Which documents do we need from the family?
The deceased's passport, if you have it; your own passport; and documents that show your relationship, such as a birth or marriage certificate. We take care of the local documents, certification, translations and the consulate.
Do I have to travel abroad myself?
In most cases, no. We deal with the consulate and the local offices ourselves; from you we need signatures and copies of documents. In some countries and situations a relative has to be present. We will tell you this straight away.
Is embalming required?
It depends on the country and on the type of transport. Some countries require embalming before the deceased can leave the country; others do not. Some airlines accept only embalmed bodies. Ukrainian law requires a hermetic metal coffin. More on preparing the body.
Will we be able to say goodbye at home?
Yes. We bring the deceased to wherever you want to hold the farewell: home, a farewell hall or a church. Whether the coffin can be opened depends on the condition of the body, how it was prepared and local rules. We will tell you before departure.
Who pays, and how?
Usually the family, or the insurer if the policy covers it. The price is fixed in the contract before the transport starts, and we agree how and when to pay during the first conversation.
Do you work at weekends and at night?
Yes. We are available 24/7, with no days off. Call +380 77 882 77 77 or write to the same number on Viber, WhatsApp or Telegram.
Can you bring an urn with ashes instead?
Yes, if the cremation has already taken place abroad. Transport of an urn with ashes to Ukraine costs from €100, depending on the country. About urn transport →
Tell us what happened
Oleg Zdendiak and the team. We explain the next steps.
Send a request for body repatriation
Choose the country and, if you like, add the city in the comment. We will call you back.
Thank you. We will call you back. For urgent matters, please call: +380 77 882 77 77.
Popular destinations: repatriation from Poland, repatriation from Germany, repatriation from Czechia, repatriation from Italy and repatriation from Spain. The neighbouring countries have their own pages too: repatriation from Romania, repatriation from Hungary, repatriation from Moldova and repatriation from Slovakia.