Repatriation from Togo to Moldova

In Togo the death certificate is issued in French, and taking the body out of the country requires an export authorisation. We explain what is known and what is still to be established.

Issuing authority and document: Togo is not a party to the 1973 Strasbourg Agreement (24 states listed; Dutch treaty database, 13.10.2026), so local rules and the requirements of the Republic of Moldova apply. On mfa.gov.md (13.10.2026) there is no Moldovan mission in Togo and the country is not named among those covered by another mission; we clarify the competent mission at the start. The guidance does not name the body that issues the export authorisation.
Transport: Lomé is roughly 5,260 km from Chișinău in a straight line (our own calculation, 13.10.2026). Lomé does not appear 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. Istanbul is among destinations from Chișinău, but we have not verified an Istanbul–Lomé link.
Timing: The UK guidance (updated 17.03.2026) says that for a hospital death the hospital arranges the certificate, which may take about a week; for a death outside hospital a coroner must establish the cause, “which may take some time”. It gives no timing for the export authorisation or transport. We set the 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 the UK guidance (17.03.2026), the death is registered at the local registry office, normally through the funeral director; full names, dates of birth and passport numbers are needed. The death certificate (certificat de décès) is issued in French and usually states the cause; an English version is available for a fee. Extra copies are advised.

A post-mortem may be carried out if the cause is unknown, unnatural, sudden or violent, by government-appointed pathologists, usually in hospital. The guidance says an export licence is needed to take the body from Togo to the UK, and advises asking the funeral director about the options for moving the body.

Required documents

We did not find the list for Moldova (mortuary passport, apostille, translations) in official sources. In the Hague Convention status table (updated 30.06.2026) we did not find a row for Togo; we draw no conclusion about the apostille and, before submission, check how Togolese documents can be used in Moldova. The translation from French is prepared once the list is confirmed.

The exact list is set with the local funeral home and the competent Moldovan mission.

Specifics of Togo

The guidance says cremation of a foreign national in Togo is possible, arranged through a local funeral director. If you carry the ashes yourself, you must show the death and cremation certificates, tell the airline in advance and follow Togolese rules; sending ashes by post or courier may not be allowed.

The guidance adds that the rules for ashes depend on where in Togo you are and advises asking the funeral director. It is written for repatriation to the UK; requirements for Moldova we check separately.

Frequently asked questions

In what language is the death certificate issued in Togo?

According to the UK guidance (17.03.2026), in French. An English version is available for a fee. Translations for Moldova are prepared once the list of documents is settled.

Is an authorisation needed to take the body out of Togo?

The UK guidance mentions an export licence for carrying the body to the UK without naming the issuing body. What is required for Moldova and who issues it we check at the start.

Is cremation possible in Togo?

The guidance says cremation of a foreign national is possible and arranged through a local funeral director. For ashes you carry yourself, the death and cremation certificates are needed.

What if the death happened outside a hospital?

The guidance says a coroner then establishes the cause before the certificate is issued, which may take some time. We promise no specific timeline.

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