Repatriation from Finland to Moldova

We help with the Finnish and Moldovan documents and the journey to Moldova. In Finland the body can leave only once the cause of death has been determined.

Issuing authority and document: Finland and Moldova are both parties to the Strasbourg Agreement on the Transfer of Corpses. According to the official Suomi.fi portal, the body can be transported from Finland after a doctor has granted the burial permit, and a body transport permit is required if the body travels in a coffin; the funeral home usually requests it. We confirm which authority issues it at the start of each case.
Transport: By air or by road. The mode of transport and the handover point in Moldova are agreed with the family case by case, depending on the city, the documents and the route.
Timing: We confirm the timeline once we have the documents. It depends on the local authorities, the Moldovan consulate where it is involved, and the transport available.
Price: Body (repatriation of remains): from 3 100 €
Ashes (urn): from 800 €

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 Strasbourg Agreement (1973) provides that during international transfer the body is accompanied by a laissez-passer issued by the competent authority of the State of departure. Which documents Finland requires and what the Moldovan side requires are checked separately.

The burial permit is granted after the investigation of the cause of death has been completed, so the timeline also depends on it. If the investigation is ongoing, the death certificate and the cause-of-death statement follow once it is complete. The Finnish funeral home prepares the body and the coffin; we coordinate the rest.

Required documents

Usually needed: the Finnish death certificate (cause-of-death documents are issued in Finnish or Swedish, and the family obtains translations), the burial permit, the body transport permit where it is required; we establish the full list of documents case by case. Finland and Moldova are both parties to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention and the HCCH status table shows no objection in force. An apostille for copies of death certificates held by Statistics Finland is requested from the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV).

Finnish specifics

Besides transporting the body, another option is cremation in Finland and transport of the ashes; the rules for an urn differ from those for a body, and what Moldova requires is checked separately.

The Embassy of the Republic of Moldova in Stockholm is accredited to Finland as well, according to the embassy's website.

Frequently asked questions

When can the body leave Finland?

Once the cause of death has been determined and a doctor has granted the burial permit, according to Suomi.fi. If the investigation is ongoing, the timeline depends on it.

Who issues the body transport permit in Finland?

Suomi.fi says the permit is required for transport in a coffin and that the funeral home usually requests it, but it does not name the issuing authority. We confirm that at the start of each case.

In what language are the Finnish documents, and who translates them?

The cause-of-death documents are issued in Finnish or Swedish, and the family obtains translations into other languages. We handle the translations together with you.

Where is the Moldovan embassy for those in Finland?

In Stockholm. According to its website, the Embassy of the Republic of Moldova is accredited to Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland.

Other countries

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