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 Seoul.
Transport: The body is conveyed by air as air cargo. We agree the arrival airport 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: South Korea

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.

Reporting a death in South Korea

According to the website of the Korean Supreme Court, a death is reported within one month of the death at the local office that keeps the resident register, that is, the city, district, county or township office. A medical certificate confirming the death or a post-mortem examination record is attached to the report. The page also mentions the possibility of reporting online.

On the Polish side consular matters are handled by the Consular and Polonia Section of the Embassy in Seoul. The Korean deadline is one month, but Polish offices need a copy of the death record before issuing the certificate, so we do not wait until the end of the period. We start by establishing which local office will accept the report and whether the doctor has issued the certificate, and then file the documents together with the family.

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 Seoul.

According to the Polish mission's website, the death certificate, and for ashes also the cremation certificate, must be translated into Polish by a sworn translator.

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:

Death certificate together with a sworn translation into Polish.
Medical certificate that the death was not related to an infectious disease.
Certificate from the funeral home about a sealed metal coffin with absorbent material and a wooden crate.
Burial permit issued by the starosta or the city mayor.
Any other documents required by the receiving country.

Documents for the consul: ashes

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

Death certificate together with a sworn translation into Polish.
Certificate of cremation of the body together with a sworn translation into Polish.
Certificate from the funeral home that the ashes have been placed in a sealed, durable container.
Burial permit issued by the starosta or the city mayor.

Frequently asked questions

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

The Polish Embassy in Seoul, 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 South Korea?

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 South Korea to Poland