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 Embassy in Minsk or the Polish Consulate General in Brest or in Grodno.
Transport: By a special vehicle for conveying remains or by air. We agree the route and the place of handover in Poland with the family.
Timing: We confirm the date once we have the documents. The Act provides that the starosta and the consul issue their documents within 3 days of the application at the latest (Article 14(5) of the Act on Cemeteries and Burial of the Dead). In practice, extra time is needed for the opinion of the district sanitary inspector (sanepid) and for delivery of the originals. How long matters take in the country of death depends on the local authorities.
Price: We will quote the price once we know the details.

Procedure: Belarus

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 either, so in addition to documents from the country of death the Polish consul's certificate is needed.

This country is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention (according to the HCCH, as of 13 October 2026), so documents from it can be authenticated with an apostille if a Polish office asks for this.

Minsk, Brest or Grodno: consular districts in Belarus

Belarus has three Polish posts, and the choice depends on the region in which the death occurred. The Embassy in Minsk serves the Minsk, Vitebsk, Mogilev and Gomel regions. The Consulate General in Brest is responsible for the Brest region, and the Consulate General in Grodno for the Grodno region.

This means that for a family from Poland who loses someone near the border, the competent consulate may differ from the one in the capital. The first question we ask is therefore in which town and region it happened. On that basis we name the post where the application for the certificate is filed, and we prepare the full set of documents for the right office before the family goes to the booked visit.

The Polish consul's certificate

The Polish consul's certificate for bringing a body or ashes to Poland is issued by the Polish Embassy in Minsk or the Polish Consulate General in Brest or in Grodno.

According to the Polish mission's website, documents must be in Polish or translated by a sworn translator (originals for inspection); the death certificate requires an apostille, and the power of attorney is submitted as an original.

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:

Identity document of the deceased.
Death certificate with an apostille.
Certificate of absence of Covid-19 and other infectious diseases.
Certificate of acceptance for burial.
Permit from the starosta or the city mayor competent for the place of burial.
Identity document of the applicant and a document confirming the family relationship.

Documents for the consul: ashes

According to the Polish mission's website, the following are needed:

As for a body, plus a certificate from the crematorium.

Good to know

According to the Polish mission's website:

Ashes in a sealed container may travel by any means of transport, including as hand luggage, in line with the airline's rules.

Frequently asked questions

Who issues the Polish consul's certificate when a body is brought from Belarus?

The Polish Embassy in Minsk or the Polish Consulate General in Brest or in Grodno, on the basis of the starosta's permit and the death certificate. The Act provides that the certificate is issued within 3 days of the application at the latest (Article 14(5) of the Act on Cemeteries and Burial of the Dead).

Are permits needed for an urn from Belarus?

Yes. The Polish rules on conveying remains apply accordingly to ashes, so the starosta's permit and the consul's certificate are needed.

Other countries

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Repatriation from Belarus to Poland