Repatriation to Moldova: countries of departure

Why the country matters

The procedure depends on the country of death. Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czechia, France, Greece, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland and Turkey are parties to the Strasbourg Agreement on the Transfer of Corpses (1973), as is the Republic of Moldova. From these countries the body travels with a laissez-passer issued locally.

Italy, Germany, Romania, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Poland, Israel, the United States and Canada are not parties to the agreement. Their national rules and the requirements of the Moldovan consulate apply. We confirm the timeline once we have the documents. It depends on the local authorities, the Moldovan consulate where it is involved, and the transport available.

The agreement does not cover ashes: the rules for an urn differ from those for a body and vary from country to country.

According to the Moldovan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, most mortuary passports in 2020–2025 were issued for deaths in Italy, France, Turkey, Czechia and Romania.