Issuing authority and document: The Democratic Republic of the Congo is not among the 24 states listed for the Strasbourg Agreement on the Transfer of Corpses (1973), according to the list consulted on 13.10.2026, so Congolese rules and the requirements of the Republic of Moldova apply. According to the British government guide (updated 04.03.2025), the medical death certificate is issued by the doctor of the hospital where the death occurred, and there is no central records system in the country. The list of Moldovan missions (consulted 13.10.2026) shows no mission in the DR Congo or in Africa and mentions no accreditation for it, so which mission issues the mortuary passport remains to be clarified with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Transport: By air. In a straight line it is about 5,900 km from Kinshasa to Chișinău (our own calculation), and more from cities in the east or south. The undated Wikipedia destination table for Chișinău airport (RMO) lists no destination in sub-Saharan Africa; we have not checked timetables, so a route with connections is planned for each case. The British guide warns that in some areas there are no good roads or access is limited for security reasons.
Timing: We confirm the timeline once we have the documents. The British guide says the medical certificate can take several days, and after a road accident the body may be held for investigation for more than a month; the legalisation of documents for Moldova also matters.
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 British guide says the medical death certificate is issued by the hospital doctor, usually in French, stating the date, place and cause of death, and may take several days. The local authorities must be told if the person had an infectious condition such as hepatitis or HIV.

A post-mortem is frequently carried out where the cause of death is in doubt or the death occurred outside a hospital; it is ordered by the attorney general with jurisdiction, can take place without the consent of relatives, and where nothing is suspicious the body is normally released within a few days.

Required documents

For repatriation the British guide lists a local civil registry death certificate, a certificate of embalming and a certificate giving permission to transfer; some airlines also ask for a copy of the passport. Few local undertakers have the special caskets for international carriage.

The DR Congo does not appear in the table of the Hague Apostille Convention (HCCH, consulted 13.10.2026), so we cannot say that Congolese documents are apostilled. We clarify the legalisation route for Moldova with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before ordering translations.

Specifics of the DR Congo

According to the British guide, cremation is not available in the DR Congo because of local traditional beliefs; it is possible in the Republic of Congo, with the deceased moved to Brazzaville by ferry. Temperature-controlled storage exists in Kinshasa but not necessarily in other provinces, and most mortuaries offer embalming.

The information comes from a guide for British citizens, not from Congolese legislation. The guide does not name the authority that issues the transfer permit, and we have not confirmed it from an official Congolese source.

Frequently asked questions

Who issues the death certificate in the DR Congo?

According to the British guide of 04.03.2025, the medical certificate is issued by the doctor of the hospital where the death occurred or where the deceased was taken. Copies can be obtained from the same hospital, usually for a fee.

Can a post-mortem be done without the family's consent?

The British guide says a post-mortem is carried out at the request of the attorney general and can take place without the authorisation of the next of kin. How this works in a particular case we find out through the local funeral director.

Can the deceased be cremated in the DR Congo?

No. According to the British guide cremation is not available because of local traditional beliefs, and it names the Republic of Congo as an alternative, with the deceased taken to Brazzaville by ferry. We have not checked this option for Moldova.

How long can a body be held after a road accident?

The British guide says the authorities may hold the body for investigation and checking insurance, sometimes for more than a month. We do not promise a timeline; we tell the family based on the circumstances of the case.

Other countries

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Repatriation from DR Congo to Moldova