Bringing a Loved One Home to Poland from Abroad
We help families bring home to Poland a loved one who died abroad: the body or an urn with ashes, the documents and the transport. You talk to one coordinator throughout.
Tell us where your loved one is and what you need.
You can call us, write in a messaging app or send an enquiry through the form. We will give you a price once we know the details.
Write to usServices
Repatriation of a body, transport of an urn, formalities and transport to Poland, handled by one coordinator.
Starosta's permit, consul's certificate, preparation and transport of the body to Poland.
Documents, requirements for the urn and transport of ashes to Poland.
Cremation in the country of death and transport of the urn, or cremation in Poland.
Starosta's permit, consul's certificate, translations and transcription of the death certificate.
Handover of the coffin or urn and, if you wish, organisation of the funeral.
Transport by plane or specialised vehicle; we agree the route and the handover place with you.
How we work
From the first phone call to arrival in Poland, in five clear steps.
Call us, write in a messaging app or send the form. Tell us the country, the city and whether it concerns a body or ashes. We will give you a price once we know the details.
We tell you which documents are needed in the country of death and in Poland, and help you collect them. If necessary, we order sworn translations.
We submit the application for the starosta's permit at the place of burial, and then for the Polish consul's certificate. In the country of death, the funeral home prepares the body and the coffin in line with the rules.
We transport the body by a specialised vehicle or by air, as agreed with you. We keep you informed about where the coffin or urn is.
We hand over the coffin or urn at the agreed place in Poland. If you wish, we also organise the funeral.
From the first phone call to arrival in Poland, one coordinator is with you and explains each step in plain language.
Countries we bring people home from
We help families in the countries where the most Poles live and work. Choose a country to see how the procedure works there.
Documents for Repatriation of a Body to Poland
- Death certificate from the country of death
- Document excluding an infectious disease
- Starosta's permit to bring in the body
- Certificate from the Polish consul
- Documents for export from the country of death
- Certificate for the coffin or urn
- Power of attorney for the funeral home
- Applications for the starosta's permit and the consul's certificate are submitted by the person entitled to arrange the burial: the deceased's closest family (spouse, children, parents, siblings and the more distant relatives listed in Article 10 of the Act on Cemeteries) or a person who voluntarily undertakes to do so. On the basis of a power of attorney, a funeral home can do this for you.
The main documents that are usually needed. The exact list depends on the country of death, so we confirm it in every case.
How Much Does It Cost to Bring a Body Home to Poland
The price depends on the country, the city, the documents and the type of transport. There is no rush: we agree everything with you before we start.
One coordinator from the first phone call to arrival
The necessary documents, translations and apostilles, if required
Preparation of the body and a coffin that complies with transport rules, and for ashes, the requirements for the urn
The type of transport (road or air) and the handover place in Poland
We will quote the price once we know the details.
Before we start, we agree the price and the exact scope of services with you.
If you want to compare options, for example bringing the body home or cremation on the spot and transport of the urn, we will give you the price of each.
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to the questions families ask us most often.
Contact us by phone, in a messaging app or through the form. Tell us the country and city and whether you want to bring home the body or the ashes. We will explain the next steps.
The price depends on the country, the city, the documents and the type of transport. We will give you a price once we know the details.
We confirm the timing once we have the documents. The Act provides that the starosta and the consul issue their documents at the latest within 3 days of the application (Article 14(5) of the Act on Cemeteries and Burial of the Dead); in practice time is also needed for the sanepid's opinion, delivering the originals, formalities in the country of death and transport.
Usually the death certificate from the country of death, the export documents issued in that country, the permit from the starosta (district head) responsible for the place of burial and the certificate from the Polish consul. We confirm the exact list for the country of death.
The starosta (or the mayor of a city with district rights) responsible for the place of burial, after consulting the district sanitary inspector.
According to the powroty.gov.pl portal (as of 8.06.2026), there is no stamp duty for the permit itself. A consular fee is charged for the consul's certificate.
Yes. The rules on transporting bodies apply accordingly to ashes, so the starosta's permit and the consul's certificate are needed.
Ashes in a sealed container can be carried by any means of transport, but documents are needed and you must follow the rules of the carrier and of the country of death.
That is the family's decision. We will give you the price of both options and explain the formalities. A body brought from abroad can also be cremated in Poland.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, if the deceased was insured, the insurer bears the costs; without insurance, the family or a person who undertakes to do so. The consulate does not cover the cost of transport.
PLN 7,000 for a death on or after 1 January 2026 (ZUS and KRUS). The application is submitted within 12 months of the date of death.
It is not a condition for bringing the body home. A Polish death certificate does, however, make later official matters easier, for example inheritance.
It is a passport for the body, issued in the country from which the body is taken out. In Germany it is called a Leichenpass. The Polish consul issues a separate certificate for bringing the body into Poland.
It depends on the authority. The starosta's office may ask for a sworn translation of the death certificate, while some consulates accept documents without translation.
From many European countries transport by a specialised vehicle is possible; from overseas countries, by plane. We agree the option with you.
The rules forbid opening the coffin once it is closed. The exception is opening it at the crematorium if a body brought from abroad is to be cremated.
Yes, if you wish. We agree the scope and the price with you before we start.
The country and city where your loved one is, whether it concerns a body or ashes, and your contact details. Please do not give the cause of death or any medical data.
Send an enquiry
Tell us where your loved one is and what you need. We will give you a price once we know the details.
+48 798 949 061