Issuing authority and document: Pakistan 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 Pakistani rules and the requirements of the Republic of Moldova apply. According to the UK government guidance (updated 25.05.2026), the death is registered with the union council, municipal committee or metropolitan corporation of the district where it occurred, and the local authority issues the official certificate in English and Urdu. The mortuary passport is issued by a Moldovan embassy or consulate; Pakistan 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: Islamabad is roughly 4,000 km from Chișinău and Karachi roughly 4,200 km (our own straight-line calculation from the cities' coordinates). Scheduled flights to Pakistan do not appear in the secondary list of Chișinău airport destinations; the departure city and the airline are chosen together with the family once the documents are seen.
Timing: We confirm the timeline once we have the documents. The UK guidance says an autopsy, if ordered, is normally completed within 24 hours and the initial police report is usually released in 2 to 3 days; detailed laboratory reports can take months. For Moldova there are also the Foreign Ministry letter, the embassy and the connecting 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 UK guidance (25.05.2026) states that a hospital-issued certificate cannot be used for legal matters. If the death occurred outside a hospital, the receiving hospital usually issues a "Received/Brought Dead" note, which is sent with a written request to the local authority. It issues the official certificate, which states only whether the death was natural or unnatural, not the specific cause.

An autopsy is carried out if the cause is unknown, unnatural, sudden or violent, or if the next of kin request one, by court-appointed forensic doctors. The report is not provided automatically; the initial report is requested in writing from the local police station. The family may not be told if small tissue samples were taken.

Required documents

For repatriation the UK guidance lists the certificate from the local authority, a copy of the passport, the embalming certificate and a no-objection certificate (NOC) from Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Airlines may also ask for a police certificate, a customs letter, a declaration that the coffin contains no restricted items and the contact details of the person receiving the remains. We confirm the list for Moldova with the embassy.

Pakistan is a party to the 1961 Hague Convention, in force since 09.03.2023 (HCCH table, 13.10.2026); the Republic of Moldova is not among the states that objected to its accession. In 2023 Pakistan notified that it was still completing the formalities for issuing apostilles; we have not verified the situation today, so we establish the authority and the apostille process before submission. The Convention does not apply between Pakistan and India.

Specifics of Pakistan

The UK guidance says not all cities have cremation facilities: they are available at Hindu and Sikh temples in the districts of Karachi, Sheikhupura and Attock. For ashes, the cremating authority issues a letter of cremation and the ashes are sealed in a steel container; they are declared to customs at the airport.

A local burial requires hiring a local funeral director. In large cities such as Islamabad the graveyard authorities may require proof of residence, so a burial on the spot is not a quick solution for a family from another country. The guidance adds that sending ashes by post or courier may not be possible, while air freight exists but can be expensive.

Frequently asked questions

Why is the hospital certificate not enough for repatriation?

The UK guidance says a hospital-issued certificate cannot be used for legal matters and the official certificate is issued by the local authority. A hospital certificate may be used instead of the local one only if there is no sign of criminal involvement, which the local police verify.

What is the NOC from the Foreign Ministry?

It is a no-objection certificate, which the UK guidance lists among the documents for repatriation. How it is obtained for a citizen of Moldova and by whom we find out from the embassy and the local funeral director rather than assume.

Is cremation possible in Pakistan?

Yes, but according to the guidance not everywhere: at Hindu and Sikh temples in the districts of Karachi, Sheikhupura and Attock. If the family wants cremation, we check whether the place and the required documents fit the case.

If Pakistan is in the apostille system, is an apostille easy to obtain?

We cannot guarantee it. The Convention has been in force since 09.03.2023, but that year Pakistan announced that it was still completing the formalities for issuing apostilles. We check the current situation when the documents are submitted.

Other countries

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Repatriation from Pakistan to Moldova