Issuing authority and document: The Republic of the Congo is not a party to the Strasbourg Agreement (1973) on the transfer of corpses (list of 24 states, consulted 13.10.2026), so Congolese rules and the requirements of the Republic of Moldova apply. According to UK government guidance (updated 04.03.2025), the death is registered with the local authorities and the medical certificate is issued by the hospital doctor. On mfa.gov.md (13.10.2026) there is no Moldovan mission in this country and it is not named among those covered by another mission; we establish the competent mission at the start.
Transport: Brazzaville is roughly 5,900 km from Chișinău in a straight line and Pointe-Noire roughly 6,000 km (our own calculation). No flight to the Republic of the Congo appears in the list of destinations of Chișinău airport (secondary source, 13.10.2026), so we plan on a connection; specific routes have not been verified. The departure city depends on where the death occurred and which documents are available.
Timing: The UK guidance says the medical certificate can take several days, and, if the circumstances of death were not unusual, the body is released within a few days; after a road accident the body can be held for more than a month. Public offices are closed on public holidays. We confirm our own timeline once we have the documents.
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 UK government guidance (04.03.2025), the death is registered with the local authorities where it occurred; the details of the deceased (name, date of birth, passport number) and of the applicant are needed. The medical certificate is issued by the doctor at the hospital where the death occurred or where the body was taken, usually in French, and can take several days. The guidance notes that there is no central records system in the country.

An autopsy is normal when the cause of death is in doubt or the death was outside a medical facility: it is ordered by the Attorney General and carried out by appointed forensic doctors, without the next of kin’s consent. After a violent or sudden death the judicial police and the district prosecutor issue a certificate of identification.

Required documents

The UK guidance lists as usual repatriation documents: the medical death certificate, the certificate of identification (for violent or sudden deaths), the medico-legal autopsy report (if one was done), the embalming certificate, the civil-registry death certificate and a certificate permitting transfer of the body. The list is written for transport to the UK; what the Congolese authorities and the Moldovan side require (mortuary passport, apostille, translations) we establish with the local funeral home and the competent mission.

In the Hague Convention (1961) status table (updated 30.06.2026) we did not find a row for the Republic of the Congo; we draw no conclusion about the apostille and, before submission, check how Congolese documents can be used in Moldova. Local authorities do not provide translation; the guidance recommends translators recognised by the authorities.

Specifics of the Republic of the Congo

The guidance lists temperature-controlled storage in Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire; it may not be available in other departments. The usual place is the hospital mortuary, conditions vary widely and a daily charge applies. Most mortuaries offer embalming before repatriation.

Cremation is available in the country, but the guidance does not say where. Local funeral homes may not be able to supply the special caskets for international transport quickly. If the family is considering local cremation or burial, we first discuss what will be needed in Moldova, for example registration of the death, and only then decide.

Frequently asked questions

Is cremation possible in the Republic of the Congo?

The UK guidance says cremation is available but does not name the places. If the family wants it, we check with the local funeral home where and with which documents before any arrangement.

Where is the body kept until departure?

Usually in a hospital mortuary. Temperature-controlled storage is listed for Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire; in other towns it is not certain and conditions can be basic. We tell you what exists in the specific city.

In what language are the documents and who translates them?

The certificate is usually in French. Local authorities provide no translation or interpretation, so we use translators they recognise; what translation the Moldovan side needs we establish separately.

What if the death was a road accident?

The UK guidance notes that in such cases the body may be held while investigations and insurance checks take place, sometimes for more than a month. We cannot promise a timeline; we tell you which stage the case is at.

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Repatriation from the Republic of the Congo to Moldova