Repatriation from Kazakhstan to Moldova

Kazakhstan is far away; according to the 2017 list of the Moldovan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there is a special rule for official documents between the two countries. We help with registering the death, preparing the body, the sealed coffin and the documents for the border and for the embassy.

Issuing authority and document: Kazakhstan is not listed among the parties to the Strasbourg Agreement on the Transfer of Corpses (1973), in the public list consulted on 13.10.2026, so Kazakh rules and the requirements of the Republic of Moldova apply. The death is registered by the civil registry office. For taking the body out of the country, consular guidance lists a removal permit from the mortuary, medical institution or forensic facility, the sanitary service's certificate on embalming and a customs permit. The mortuary passport is issued by the Embassy of the Republic of Moldova in Astana.
Transport: Because of the distance, air travel is the usual choice. How and where the handover in Moldova takes place is decided together with the family, depending on the city and the documents.
Timing: We talk about the timeline once we have the papers in hand. It depends on the civil registry, the forensic examination if one is needed, the sanitary and customs services, the embassy and the route.
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 a civil registry office in Kazakhstan. The death certificate is issued in the Kazakh and Russian languages and does not state the cause of death. The funeral director can register the death on the basis of a notarised power of attorney.

For transport across the border, consular guidance describes the same requirements: the body is embalmed (in Kazakhstan embalming is mandatory for repatriation), placed in a sealed, airtight zinc coffin, and the funeral director confirms in writing that nothing foreign has been put inside.

Required documents

Usually needed: the death certificate, the removal permit from the mortuary or medical institution, the passport of the deceased, the sanitary service's certificate on embalming and the customs permit. On the page of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Moldova (list updated 2 February 2017), documents from Kazakhstan are listed as recognised without legalisation or apostille under the 1993 Minsk Convention, in force between Moldova and Kazakhstan since 26 March 1996. The list is old, so at submission we confirm with the embassy which form of confirmation is required; Kazakhstan is also a party to the 1961 Hague Convention (since 30 January 2001).

Specifics of Kazakhstan

Cremation in Kazakhstan is restricted: according to the British Foreign Office guidance, it is allowed only with the written, notarised consent of the deceased and only for non-violent deaths. Scattering of ashes is prohibited by law.

If a forensic examination is needed, the body may stay in the mortuary longer than usual, and the next steps are postponed.

Frequently asked questions

Is an apostille needed on Kazakh documents?

According to the list of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Moldova (updated 2 February 2017), documents from Kazakhstan are recognised without legalisation or apostille under the 1993 Minsk Convention. The list is old, so at submission we confirm with the embassy what is required.

Why are embalming and a zinc coffin required?

Consular guidance says that for repatriation from Kazakhstan the body is embalmed and placed in a sealed, airtight zinc coffin; the sanitary service confirms the embalming and customs issues a permit. We arrange this together with the funeral director in Kazakhstan.

Can we bring home the ashes from Kazakhstan?

It may be complicated: cremation in Kazakhstan is restricted and, according to the guidance, requires the written, notarised consent of the deceased. If cremation is possible, the rules for ashes differ from those for a body, and we confirm the documents for your city.

Where is the embassy of the Republic of Moldova in Kazakhstan?

In Astana (officially opened in July 2025). We check the contact details and reception hours at the start, because they can change.

Other countries

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