Repatriation from Brazil to Moldova

Brazil is on another continent, so the route is long and in practice goes by air. The death is registered at a local civil registry office, and the urn and the preservation of the body follow the rules of the Brazilian health agency. We take the steps in order.

Issuing authority and document: Brazil is not on the public list of parties to the Strasbourg Agreement on the Transfer of Corpses (1973), which we consulted on 13.10.2026, so Brazilian rules and the requirements of the Republic of Moldova apply. The death is registered at the local civil registry office (Cartório de Registro Civil) on the basis of the doctor's declaration of death (declaração de óbito). For remains leaving the country the sanitary rules come from the national health agency ANVISA. The mortuary passport is issued by embassies or consulates of the Republic of Moldova; the list of missions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (consulted 13.10.2026) shows no Moldovan embassy in Brazil, so we first clarify with the Ministry which mission handles the case.
Transport: In practice by air. In a straight line it is about 10,900 km from São Paulo to Chișinău (our own calculation); from other Brazilian cities the distance differs. We have not verified whether there are direct flights to Chișinău, so the route and connections are planned for each case. Under the Brazilian resolution the remains travel in the cargo hold, in a funeral urn, with the conservation record attached to the papers.
Timing: We confirm the timeline once we have the documents. In Brazil it depends above all on whether an autopsy is needed: the death certificate is issued only after the first forensic report. Cremation, if chosen, needs a judge's approval.
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

The death is registered at the Cartório de Registro Civil, as a rule by the funeral director, on the basis of the doctor's declaration of death. According to the British government guide for Brazil (updated 08.04.2025), an autopsy is mandatory for violent or sudden deaths and for deaths outside a hospital; it is not mandatory if the person died in hospital or after an illness lasting more than a day. When an autopsy is needed, the certificate is issued only after the first forensic report.

The same guide says that cremation requires a judge's approval, that the rules differ from one part of Brazil to another, and that for violent, accidental or unexplained deaths legal permission is needed.

Required documents

According to the British guide, moving a body abroad from Brazil requires the death certificate issued by a notary, an embalming certificate, an authorisation document of the Federal Police and the passport of the deceased. We check which of these the Moldovan side also requires. Brazil is a party to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention (in force since 14.08.2016) and the Republic of Moldova has not objected, so Brazilian documents are, as a rule, apostilled; the exact list and the translation are agreed in advance.

Specifics of Brazil

Resolution 33/2011 of ANVISA requires that the remains be preserved (formalin treatment or embalming) before transport and that a record of conservation (Ata de Conservação) travel with the documents. The outer urn is wooden, lined with zinc, watertight and without a viewing window. Since 14.11.2024 the measures for the transfer of human remains also appear in Article 11 of ANVISA Resolution 932/2024, so before each transport we check which text applies.

For ashes, Resolution 33/2011 states that their transfer is not subject to sanitary control. The British guide still lists a death certificate from a notary, a cremation certificate, a sealed non-metallic urn and advance notice to the airline, and warns that ashes may not be accepted by post or courier.

Frequently asked questions

Who registers the death in Brazil?

The local civil registry office (cartório). The funeral director usually does this on the basis of the doctor's declaration of death. We prepare the translation and the next steps after you receive the certificate.

Is an autopsy always required?

No. According to the British government guide, it is mandatory for violent or sudden deaths and for deaths outside a hospital, and not mandatory when the person died in hospital after an illness lasting more than a day. If it is needed, the certificate waits for the first forensic report.

Can the person be cremated in Brazil and the ashes brought to Moldova?

Yes, if the judge approves and the family agrees. Ashes are carried with the death certificate, the cremation certificate and in a sealed urn; we agree the airline's own requirements before the flight.

Is there a Moldovan embassy in Brazil?

The list of Moldovan missions abroad that we consulted on 13.10.2026 shows no embassy or consulate in Brazil. We clarify with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which mission issues the mortuary passport and receives the documents.

Other countries

Request

If the form does not send, please write to us in a messenger:

WhatsApp Viber Telegram