Issuing authority and document: Benin is not among the 24 states listed for the Strasbourg Agreement on the Transfer of Corpses (1973; list on treatydatabase.overheid.nl, consulted 13.10.2026), so local rules and the requirements of the Republic of Moldova apply. According to UK government guidance (updated 16.04.2026), the death is registered at the local Beninese registry office, usually through the funeral director. If the person died in hospital, the hospital arranges the certificate; otherwise a coroner must first establish the cause of death. The guidance names no authority that permits the body to leave the country, so we do not name one. The list of missions on mfa.gov.md (consulted 13.10.2026; the page shows no date) has no embassy in Benin and does not name this country among those covered by another mission; we establish the competent mission at the start.
Transport: Cotonou is about 5,200 km from Chișinău in a straight line (our own calculation from the cities' coordinates). The destinations list of Chișinău airport (Wikipedia, consulted 13.10.2026) has no flights to Benin. The list for Cotonou airport (same source, last edited August 2026, several entries uncited) includes Paris and Brussels, and Paris and Brussels also appear in the Chișinău list; we have not verified that a through connection exists today, or which carrier accepts remains. We look at the route with the family once the documents are known.
Timing: UK guidance gives two timings: a hospital usually issues the certificate in about a week; if the death was outside a hospital, a coroner must first establish the cause, and no timeframe is given. It gives no timings for the steps needed to take the body out of Benin. We confirm the timeline once we have the documents.
Price: We will quote the price once we know the details.

Country status under the 1973 Strasbourg Agreement on the Transfer of Corpses: per the Council of Europe list (archived 20.05.2014) and the Netherlands treaty database; checked 11.10.2026.

Procedure

UK guidance (updated 16.04.2026) says the death must be registered at the local Beninese registry office, and that a funeral director can usually do this. The information asked for is the full names and dates of birth of the deceased and of the person applying, and passport numbers. Death certificates are issued in French; an English version and extra copies can be requested.

A post-mortem is carried out if the cause of death is unknown, unnatural, sudden or violent, or if the family asks for one. The guidance says government-appointed pathologists perform it, usually in a hospital, and that the report normally goes to the next of kin.

Required documents

The guidance gives no list of documents for taking a body out of Benin; it says only that funeral directors arrange the journey. So we do not state a Beninese list as fact: we establish it at the start from the place of death. According to the Moldovan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (consulted 13.10.2026), the mortuary passport is issued by embassies and consulates of the Republic of Moldova, and a foreign death certificate must be legalised by the authorities of the country where the death occurred.

Benin does not appear in the Hague Apostille Convention status table (HCCH, updated 30.06.2026), nor in the list of states on the legalisation page of mfa.gov.md (dated 02.02.2017), which says that documents of countries not on the list are recognised only after consular legalisation. We therefore plan for consular legalisation and confirm the order of steps with the competent Moldovan mission before sending any document.

Specifics of Benin

According to the guidance, the body is embalmed before it leaves Benin and placed in a galvanised tin coffin with a special filter, which goes into a packing case strong enough for the combined weight. Cremation is not possible in Benin because there are no facilities, so the choice here is burial in Benin or transport of the body.

Items the person had on them are normally handed to the family or to the Beninese police; a funeral director can collect them and carry them with the body.

Frequently asked questions

In what language is a death certificate issued in Benin?

In French, according to UK government guidance (16.04.2026). An English version can be requested; which translation Moldova needs we confirm with the competent mission.

Can the deceased be cremated in Benin?

The guidance says no: there are no cremation facilities in Benin. The options are burial in Benin or transport of the body.

What happens if the death occurred outside a hospital?

A coroner must first establish the cause of death. The guidance says this may take some time and gives no timeframe, so we do not estimate one.

Does Moldova have an embassy in Benin?

The list of missions on mfa.gov.md (consulted 13.10.2026) shows none and does not name Benin among countries covered by another mission. We establish the competent mission at the start.

Other countries

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Repatriation from Benin to Moldova