Repatriation from Australia to Poland
We help bring the deceased from Australia to Poland: documents from the country of death, Polish permits and transport of the body or urn.
- Issuing authority and document
- Export documents are issued by the authorities of the country of death; we confirm them in your case. Polish certificate: the Polish Consulate General in Sydney or the Polish Embassy in Canberra (for the Australian Capital Territory).
- Transport
- Bodies are carried by air as air cargo. We agree the arrival airport and the handover point in Poland with the family.
- Timing
- We confirm the timing once we have the documents. The law provides that the starosta (district head) and the consul issue their documents within 3 days of the application being submitted at the latest. In practice, time is added for the opinion of the district sanitary inspector (sanepid) and for delivery of the originals. The time needed to deal with matters in the country of death depends on the offices there.
- Price
- We will quote the price once we know the details.
Procedure: Australia
This country is not a party to the Strasbourg Agreement on the Conveyance of Corpses of 1973 (according to the Netherlands treaty database, as of 13 October 2026). Poland is not a party to it, so in addition to the documents from the country of death, the Polish consul's certificate is needed.
The country is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention (according to the HCCH, as of 13 October 2026), so documents from this country can be authenticated with an apostille if a Polish office asks for it.
Canberra or Sydney: which post handles your case
Australia has two Polish posts. The Embassy in Canberra serves only the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). The Consulate General in Sydney is responsible for the rest of the country, as well as Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Nauru, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands. The place of death therefore decides where the documents are filed, and we settle this with the family at the start.
On the Australian side a death is registered by the registry of births, deaths and marriages. In the state of Victoria the registration is usually carried out by the funeral director, and the doctor completes a Medical Certificate Cause of Death. Polish offices need a copy of the death record, so from day one we agree with the funeral director when we will receive it.
The Polish consul's certificate
The certificate for bringing a body or ashes to Poland is issued by the Polish Consulate General in Sydney or the Polish Embassy in Canberra (for the Australian Capital Territory).
According to the Polish mission's website, an apostille is required for the copy of the death certificate.
On the Polish side two documents are always needed, for an urn too: the starosta's permit and the Polish consul's certificate (Article 14(4) of the Act on Cemeteries and Burial of the Dead).
Documents for the consul: body
According to the Polish mission's website, the following are needed:
- Burial permit issued by the starosta or the city mayor.
- Copy of the death certificate bearing an Apostille stamp.
Documents for the consul: ashes
According to the Polish mission's website, the following are needed:
- Burial permit issued by the starosta or the city mayor.
- Copy of the death certificate bearing an Apostille stamp.
- Certificate of cremation.
- Certificate from the funeral home that the ashes have been placed in a sealed, damage-resistant container.
Frequently asked questions
Who issues the Polish consul's certificate for repatriation from Australia?
The Polish Consulate General in Sydney or the Polish Embassy in Canberra (for the Australian Capital Territory), on the basis of the starosta's permit and the death certificate. The law provides for the certificate to be issued within 3 days of the application being submitted at the latest.
Are permits needed for an urn from Australia?
Yes. Polish rules on the conveyance of corpses apply accordingly to ashes, so the starosta's permit and the Polish consul's certificate are needed.