Repatriation from Uzbekistan to Moldova

In Uzbekistan a death is registered at ZAGS, and for repatriation the UK guidance asks for embalming and an airtight zinc coffin. We guide you through the steps and prepare the documents for the Moldovan side.

Issuing authority and document: Uzbekistan is not a party to the Strasbourg Agreement on the Transfer of Corpses (public list, checked on 13.10.2026), so Uzbek rules apply together with the requirements of the Republic of Moldova. The mortuary passport is issued by embassies or consulates of the Republic of Moldova. According to the list on mfa.gov.md (checked on 13.10.2026), Uzbekistan is covered by the Embassy of the Republic of Moldova in Kyiv; its page lists legalisation of documents and civil status documents but does not mention deaths explicitly, so we confirm the steps with it directly.
Transport: By air. The UK guidance requires the airtight zinc coffin to reach the airport cargo terminal at least 4 hours before the flight. For a direct Chișinău–Tashkent flight we found only secondary sources with an unconfirmed schedule, so we check connections in each case.
Timing: We confirm the timeline once we have the documents. What matters is the order of the steps before the flight: post-mortem, embalming, customs permission, the zinc coffin and the cargo terminal.
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 government guidance (updated 07.01.2025), every death in Uzbekistan must be registered. The medical certificate of death is issued by the mortuary or forensic institute where the post-mortem took place, and ZAGS issues the death certificate in Uzbek and in the Russian language, which the guidance puts at 1 to 3 days. The guidance notes that staff rarely speak English.

Shipping remains needs permission from Customs, issued on the basis of documents including the death certificate and the funeral director's act. The guidance is written for British families, and the British Embassy letter it mentions does not apply to Moldova; we confirm what the Moldovan side requires with the mission.

Required documents

Usually needed: the ZAGS certificate with a translation, the customs permission, the funeral director's act, the passport of the deceased and the documents of the person applying. The UK guidance also asks for an airtight zinc coffin and for embalming in case of repatriation.

Uzbekistan is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention (in force since 15.04.2012). The HCCH table shows objections from Germany, Austria and Greece, with Belgium having withdrawn its own; no objection from the Republic of Moldova appears. We confirm which Uzbek authority issues the apostille before sending any documents.

No local cremation

The UK guidance says there are no cremation facilities in Uzbekistan and that scattering ashes locally is not possible. In practice, therefore, the body is repatriated rather than an urn.

The same guidance says a post-mortem is carried out in most cases, usually within 24 hours, and that burial usually takes place within 48 hours of death; for repatriation, however, it is the order of the steps above that decides when the body can leave.

Frequently asked questions

Who issues the death certificate in Uzbekistan?

ZAGS, in Uzbek and in the Russian language. According to the UK guidance, the medical certificate comes first, from the mortuary or forensic institute.

Why is a zinc coffin needed?

The UK guidance requires the body to travel in an airtight zinc coffin for repatriation, and embalming is mandatory. We check the airline's requirements separately.

Can cremation be done in Uzbekistan?

No. The UK guidance says there are no cremation facilities in Uzbekistan.

Which Moldovan embassy covers Uzbekistan?

According to the list on mfa.gov.md, checked on 13.10.2026, the Embassy of the Republic of Moldova in Kyiv. We confirm the concrete steps for the case with it.

Other countries

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