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 Pretoria.
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: South Africa

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.

According to the guidelines of the South African Ministry of Health (National Department of Health), the export of a body requires an export permit, which is issued by the Director-General of Health; it is not issued at the border crossing. Among other things, an embalming certificate and a Burial Order from the Department of Home Affairs are required.

According to the same guidelines, no export permit is required for the export of ashes; the death certificate, the certificate of cremation and a copy of an identity document must travel with the ashes, and the ashes must be in a sealed container.

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.

South Africa: who accepts the death notification

In South Africa a death is reported to designated officers of the Department of Home Affairs or, where there is no Home Affairs office, to the police. A funeral undertaker recognised by law can also receive the notification. After receiving it, Home Affairs issues the death certificate, and a Death Report is issued once the death is registered. The government portal notes that no burial may take place without a burial order. Burial orders may be issued by the same designated persons to whom deaths are reported.

For the family the key question is therefore who in practice files the notification: the police, the funeral undertaker or the office. A visit to the Polish Embassy in Pretoria is booked by email. We organise these steps and make sure the Polish documents are ready in the right order.

The Polish consul's certificate

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

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 (pozwolenie) issued by the starosta or the city mayor (application by the family or the funeral home).
Copy of the death certificate or an equivalent document.
In the case of cremation: a certificate from the crematorium.
Transport by a specialised funeral company.

Documents for the consul: ashes

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

The same death documents and the permit; the urn must be sealed and sturdy, and may be carried in accordance with the carrier's rules.

Good to know

According to the Polish mission's website:

An authorised representative must attach the original power of attorney.

Frequently asked questions

Who issues the Polish consul's certificate for repatriation from South Africa?

The Polish Embassy in Pretoria, 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 South Africa?

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 South Africa to Poland