Issuing authority and document: Iraq is not listed among the parties to the Strasbourg Agreement on the Transfer of Corpses (1973), in the public list we consulted on 13.10.2026, so Iraqi rules and the requirements of the Republic of Moldova apply. The UK government guide (updated 23.07.2021) says all deaths must be registered in the country where they occur, and the death certificate is issued in Arabic; the issuing body is not named. The mortuary passport is issued by a Moldovan embassy or consulate; Iraq does not appear in the list of missions on mfa.gov.md (consulted 13.10.2026), so we check the competent mission before submission.
Transport: On the map Iraq is among the closest countries of this series: Baghdad is about 2,000 km from Chișinău and Erbil about 1,750 km (our own straight-line calculation). Even so, the secondary list of Chișinău airport destinations shows no scheduled flights to Iraq, and the UK guide does not describe the air route, so we assume nothing and set it once we have the documents and the airline's conditions.
Timing: We confirm the timeline once we have the documents. The UK guide acknowledges that families need arrangements made quickly but says this is not always possible; in the Kurdistan Region the police must report to the investigating judge within 24 hours, and elsewhere in Iraq the authorities usually insist on an autopsy. For Moldova there are also the legalisation of the certificate, the embassy and the flight.
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 guide (23.07.2021) says that in the Kurdistan Region autopsies are always carried out except when the cause of death is very clear, and in the rest of Iraq the authorities usually insist on one. In Kurdistan organs are retained only with the next of kin's consent, and the autopsy report is available to the family on request.

In the Kurdistan Region bodies are kept at the mortuaries in Erbil, Sulaymaniyah and Duhok. In the rest of the country the body is first taken to the local mortuary and then usually to the mortuary in Baghdad, where repatriation arrangements can be made. Personal effects are returned to the next of kin by a judge's decision.

Required documents

According to the guide, repatriation requires permission from the Iraqi authorities, and for British nationals the embassy writes a no-objection letter. A consular officer witnesses the sealing of the coffin and legalises the death certificate. How these steps apply to Moldova and who carries them out we clarify with the embassy. The guide does not mention embalming or cremation, so we state nothing about them as fact.

Iraq does not appear in the table of the 1961 Hague Convention (HCCH, checked 13.10.2026), so an apostille cannot be assumed. We confirm the order of legalisation for Moldova with the embassy before sending the documents.

Specifics of Iraq

The UK guide says Iraqi law No. 52 of 1967 on the transfer of bodies gives the family the right to repatriate the body. This is information taken from the guide; we have not read the text of the law and will verify it at submission.

In the Kurdistan Region, according to the guide, local burial is free of charge, in coordination with local mosques and churches, and the police report to the investigating judge within 24 hours. If the family chooses local burial, no inquest takes place in the United Kingdom, but that is a British rule and we do not apply it to Moldova.

Frequently asked questions

Is an autopsy performed in Iraq before repatriation?

The UK guide says that in the Kurdistan Region it is always carried out unless the cause is very clear, and in the rest of Iraq the authorities usually insist on one. How it applies in your case we find out from the local authorities.

What happens if the death occurred outside Baghdad?

According to the guide, the body is first taken to the local mortuary and then usually to the one in Baghdad, where the repatriation is arranged. In the Kurdistan Region there are mortuaries in Erbil, Sulaymaniyah and Duhok.

Who legalises the certificate and witnesses the sealing of the coffin?

The UK guide says a consular officer does. For Moldova we establish with the embassy who performs this role and what is required from relatives.

Does the Iraqi death certificate state the cause of death?

Yes, according to the guide: Iraqi certificates give details of the cause of death and are issued in Arabic. We decide on the Romanian translation once we have seen the document.

Other countries

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Repatriation from Iraq to Moldova