Repatriation from New Zealand to Moldova
New Zealand is one of the most distant countries from Moldova. The local side is relatively clear: the funeral director registers the death, and customs formalities are usually handled by the freight forwarder or airline. We coordinate this with the documents for the Moldovan side.
- Issuing authority and document
- New Zealand is not a party to the Strasbourg Agreement on the Transfer of Corpses (public list, checked 13.10.2026), so New Zealand rules and the requirements of the Republic of Moldova apply. The death is registered with Births, Deaths and Marriages: by the funeral director if one is used, otherwise by the family. The mortuary passport is issued by a Moldovan embassy or consulate.
- Transport
- Only by air: New Zealand is an island country and the route is among the longest. We do not assume a direct flight to Chișinău and look for the available connections case by case; the handover point in Moldova we agree with the family.
- Timing
- We confirm the timeline once we have the documents. Here it depends mainly on registering the death, the funeral director, the Moldovan mission and the connections available, since the New Zealand Customs Service says no export entry is required.
- 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 New Zealand government site (govt.nz), if a funeral director is used they register the death with Births, Deaths and Marriages; without one, the family must do it, with a doctor's cause of death certificate or the coroner's authorisation to release the body. Registration is free, while a death certificate is ordered for a fee.
The New Zealand Customs Service states that for human remains sent out of the country an export entry is not required and the freight forwarder or airline usually completes the Customs formalities. The Moldovan Ministry of Foreign Affairs adds that the mortuary passport for international transport is issued by Moldovan embassies and consulates. Which mission serves New Zealand we confirm for your case.
Required documents
Usually needed: the New Zealand death certificate, the identity document of the deceased, the documents of the person applying and the funeral director's certificates. New Zealand has been in the Hague Apostille Convention since 22.11.2001 and the HCCH table shows no objection by Moldova, so the certificate is usually apostilled; the Moldovan Ministry of Foreign Affairs notes that a foreign death certificate must be legalised if a Moldovan one is to be issued on it. The exact list and any translation we confirm with you.
What is specific here
The customs side is simpler than in many countries, but this does not replace the other steps: the carrier's own requirements for the coffin or the urn, and the rules of any transit country, are checked before booking.
Cremation rules in New Zealand we have not confirmed from an official source: the government page on registering a death sends readers to Births, Deaths and Marriages and the end-of-life services site. If the family chooses cremation, we confirm the permit and the documents for the urn at the start.
Frequently asked questions
Is a customs export permit needed for remains leaving New Zealand?
The New Zealand Customs Service says an export entry is not required and that the freight forwarder or airline usually completes the formalities. The carrier may still have its own conditions, which we check.
Who registers the death in New Zealand?
The funeral director, if one is used; otherwise the family, with the doctor's certificate or the coroner's authorisation. Registration is free.
How do we get the death certificate?
It can be ordered with the registration form or separately once the death is registered, for a fee. We help to place the order and prepare it for use in Moldova.
Can the ashes be brought home from New Zealand?
Yes, if the family chooses cremation. The rules for an urn differ from those for a body, and we confirm the cremation permit and the documents for your case.