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 Riyadh.
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: Saudi Arabia

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.

From Saudi Arabia via Riyadh

From Saudi Arabia the transport certificate is issued by the Polish Embassy in Riyadh. Besides the starosta's permit and the death certificate, the embassy's page lists a cremation certificate and, where someone acts on another's behalf, the original power of attorney. The application may be filed by a spouse, descendants, ascendants, relatives up to the fourth degree, in-laws in the direct line up to the first degree, or a person who voluntarily undertakes the burial, as well as an authorised person such as a funeral home employee.

Documents do not require translation into Polish. A body is carried by a specialised company in vehicles meeting sanitary requirements. An urn in a sealed, durable container may even travel in hand luggage, subject to the airline's rules. Saudi documents can be authenticated with an apostille if needed. We take over the formalities and the transport.

The Polish consul's certificate

The certificate for bringing a body or ashes to Poland is issued by the Polish Embassy in Riyadh.

According to the Polish mission's website, the documents do not need to be translated into Polish.

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 (the application may be submitted by the deceased's family or an authorised funeral home).
Copy of the death certificate or another document confirming the death.
Certificate of cremation.
Original power of attorney (if the application is submitted by an authorised person).

Good to know

According to the Polish mission's website:

Transporting a body requires a company that deals with international transport of bodies.
Ashes in a sealed, durable urn can be carried by any means of transport, including as hand luggage, in accordance with the airline's regulations.

Frequently asked questions

Who issues the Polish consul's certificate for repatriation from Saudi Arabia?

The Polish Embassy in Riyadh, 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 Saudi Arabia?

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.

Other countries

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Repatriation from Saudi Arabia to Poland