Repatriation from Vanuatu to Moldova
In Vanuatu the guidance we found says there are no accredited local funeral directors, coroners or embalmers, and that there is no cremation in the country. That shapes the whole procedure, and below we separate what is confirmed from what we still ask.
- Issuing authority and document
- Vanuatu is not among the 24 states listed for the Strasbourg Agreement on the Transfer of Corpses (1973; list on treatydatabase.overheid.nl, consulted 13.10.2026), so local rules and the requirements of the Republic of Moldova apply. According to the UK government guidance (published 01.08.2025), the death is registered with the Vanuatu Civil Registration and Identity Management Office (CRIM). The guidance says permission to remove the body must be obtained but does not name the authority that gives it, so we name none. The list of missions on mfa.gov.md (consulted 13.10.2026; the page shows no date) has no mission in the Pacific and does not name Vanuatu among the countries served by another mission; we establish the competent mission at the start.
- Transport
- Port Vila is about 15,100 km from Chișinău in a straight line (our own calculation from approximate city coordinates). The destinations of Chișinău airport (Wikipedia, consulted 13.10.2026) include nothing in Oceania. The article on Port Vila airport (same source, same date) lists Nouméa, Port Moresby, Sydney, Brisbane and other Pacific cities and no European destination, so the journey has at least one connection; the list may be incomplete. Which airlines accept remains we have not verified.
- Timing
- The UK guidance gives no fixed timeframes. It says only that a post-mortem may be delayed because a forensic professional may have to travel from a neighbouring country, that belongings held as evidence are returned after the court case ends and that morgue storage costs depend on the length of stay. We promise no timeline and confirm it 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 (01.08.2025), the registration with CRIM needs the deceased's full name, date and place of birth, date and time of death, occupation, residence, sex, parents' names and family details, a medical certificate from the attending practitioner and, where applicable, a witness form (a chief and/or a church leader). The death certificate is issued in English and may state the cause of death.
The guidance adds that a local medical assistance organisation can help with local registration for a fee, precisely because the country has no accredited funeral directors, coroners or embalmers. Burial rules are set by the local municipal council; in Port Vila the guidance points to the Civil Status Unit of Port Vila City Council.
Required documents
For repatriation the guidance names the death certificate, permission to remove the body and the deceased's passport, and refers to the receiving country's authorities for anything more. For Moldova we do not state a list as fact; according to the Moldovan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (consulted 13.10.2026), the mortuary passport is issued by embassies and consulates of the Republic of Moldova, and a foreign death certificate must be legalised by the authorities of the country of death.
Vanuatu is listed as a party to the Hague Apostille Convention in the HCCH table (updated 30.06.2026), with no objection recorded in the table, and the legalisation page of mfa.gov.md (dated 02.02.2017) lists it among the countries whose documents are used with an apostille. We confirm the order of steps with the competent Moldovan mission before sending documents.
Specifics of Vanuatu
Cremation is not available in Vanuatu. The guidance says that if cremation is wanted, the body has to be embalmed and taken to a nearby country that can cremate, which adds cost and logistics. A May 2026 article in the local business press (Vanuatu Business Review, 25.05.2026) describes a local company offering embalming and repatriation services; this is a secondary source and we do not rely on it for any procedure.
The guidance notes that the police may request a post-mortem if the cause of death is unknown, unnatural, sudden or violent, and that a forensic specialist may need to travel from a neighbouring country, which can delay it. For ashes, it says requirements and costs differ by country and that postal or courier sending may not be allowed.
Frequently asked questions
Who registers a death in Vanuatu?
The Vanuatu Civil Registration and Identity Management Office (CRIM), according to the UK guidance of 01.08.2025. The guidance also asks for a medical certificate and, where applicable, a witness form (a chief or church leader).
Is cremation possible in Vanuatu?
According to the UK guidance, no: there are no crematory facilities. If cremation is wanted, the body is embalmed and taken to a country that can cremate, which adds cost and complexity.
Why can a post-mortem take longer in Vanuatu?
The guidance says a forensic professional may have to travel from a neighbouring country. It gives no timing, and neither do we.
Do documents from Vanuatu need an apostille for Moldova?
Vanuatu is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention (HCCH table of 30.06.2026) and appears in the apostille list of mfa.gov.md. We still confirm the exact order of steps with the competent mission.