Repatriation from Cuba to Moldova

Cuba is an island on the other side of the ocean, and the local procedure runs through Havana: a post-mortem, documents in Spanish, certificates issued on the day. We take you through the steps and prepare the documents for the Moldovan side.

Issuing authority and document: Cuba is not a party to the Strasbourg Agreement on the Transfer of Corpses (public list, checked 13.10.2026), so Cuban rules and the requirements of the Republic of Moldova apply. According to the UK government guidance (published 26.05.2023, with no later update date), the local funeral director registers the death for the next of kin, and the authorities issue the death certificate, an embalming or cremation certificate and a burial permit. The mortuary passport is issued by a Moldovan embassy or consulate; which mission serves Cuba we check before the documents are submitted.
Transport: Cuba is an island, so the remains or ashes travel by air, across the ocean. We do not assume a direct flight to Chișinău (RMO), because we found no source confirming one; we look for the available connections case by case and agree the handover point in Moldova with the family.
Timing: We confirm the timeline once we have the documents. The UK guidance says the local documents are issued on the day of the post-mortem, but the post-mortem documents can take up to 6 months to arrive; to this add the preparation of the body, the legalisation of the documents and the flight connection.
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

According to the UK government guidance (26.05.2023, written for British families), the local funeral director registers the death with the Cuban authorities, who issue the death certificate, an embalming or cremation certificate and a burial permit on the same day the post-mortem is carried out. The certificates are in Spanish.

The guidance says all foreign nationals who die in Cuba are given a post-mortem, at the Institute of Legal Medicine in Havana on the day the body arrives, and that the bodies of foreign nationals are kept there until repatriation. Since the guidance is written for British families, we confirm the steps for the Moldovan side with the embassy.

Required documents

Usually needed: the Cuban death certificate with a translation from Spanish, the embalming certificate, the identity document of the deceased and the documents of the person applying. For ashes, the guidance says the certificate of cremation is shown on leaving Cuba.

Cuba does not appear in the table of the 1961 Hague Convention (HCCH, checked 13.10.2026), so an apostille cannot be assumed. How Cuban documents are legalised for Moldova we confirm with the Moldovan mission before sending anything.

Specifics of Cuba

The UK guidance says the post-mortem report and documents are in Spanish and can take up to 6 months to receive. It also says tissue samples or organs may be kept for testing without the family's consent, and that the family is not automatically told.

A local cremation needs the permission of the next of kin or the insurer. Ashes, the guidance says, can usually be carried home personally by the family, subject to airline rules, for example whether they are allowed as hand luggage; otherwise a funeral director can transport them. We check the conditions before the flight.

Frequently asked questions

Is a post-mortem carried out if a foreign national dies in Cuba?

According to the UK guidance (26.05.2023), yes: all foreign nationals who die in Cuba are given a post-mortem, at the Institute of Legal Medicine in Havana.

How soon do we get the documents from Cuba?

The guidance says the local documents are issued on the day of the post-mortem, but the post-mortem documents can take up to 6 months. For that reason we do not give a date before we see what is missing in your case.

Who registers the death in Cuba?

According to the guidance, the local funeral director registers the death for the next of kin. Relatives or an authorised representative instruct one.

Can we carry the urn on the plane ourselves?

The guidance says ashes can usually be carried home personally, showing the certificate of cremation on departure. The airline has its own rules (for example for hand luggage), which we find out before the flight.

Request

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

WhatsApp Viber Telegram