Repatriation from Austria to Moldova

Procedure

Both Austria and the Republic of Moldova are parties to the Strasbourg Agreement on the Transfer of Corpses (1973). The body therefore travels with a mortuary passport (laissez-passer) issued in Austria. Under the agreement, the country of destination may not ask for other documents beyond the laissez-passer and the usual transport documents.

According to Austria's declaration under the agreement, the laissez-passer is issued in Lower Austria by the mayor of the municipality where the death occurred, and in the other federal states by the district administrative authority (Bezirksverwaltungsbehörde). We confirm the current practice for your case.

Nine provinces, local rules

Austria is a federal state made up of nine provinces: Burgenland, Carinthia, Lower Austria, Upper Austria, Salzburg, Styria, Tyrol, Vorarlberg and Vienna. The language of the documents is German. Under the Strasbourg Agreement the laissez-passer is completed in German and in one of the official languages of the Council of Europe, English or French.

Austria's declaration divides the competence: in Lower Austria the laissez-passer is issued by the mayor of the municipality where the death occurred, and in the other provinces by the district administrative authority (Bezirksverwaltungsbehörde). If the death occurred in Vienna or in Tyrol, we therefore address the district authority, and in Lower Austria the mayor. The declaration dates from 1978, so we confirm today's practice for your locality separately.

Austria is a party to the Apostille Convention (in force from 13.01.1968), and the Republic of Moldova since 16.03.2007. If a document needs an apostille, we obtain it and prepare the translation from German.

With the family we choose the means of transport, plane or car, and the place of handover in Moldova, depending on the locality, the documents and the route. We set the timing once we have received the documents.