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 Hanoi.
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: Vietnam

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.

From Vietnam via Hanoi

From Vietnam the consul at the Polish Embassy in Hanoi issues the certificate when the family presents three things: the starosta's permit, a copy of the death certificate or another document confirming the death, and the Vietnamese authorities' consent to remove the body. The documents are submitted as originals together with photocopies, in person or by post, after booking a date by email.

The Vietnamese consent for removal is the only local condition named on the embassy's page, and we start with it, since without it later steps stand still. The certificate is collected in person or posted at the applicant's cost. If the family decides on burial locally, the consul asks the local authorities to bury the deceased under local law. We arrange the consent, the full set of copies and transport to Poland. We confirm translation and apostille requirements with the mission for each document.

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 Hanoi.

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 or another document confirming the death.
Permit from the Vietnamese authorities for the export of the remains.
Original documents together with photocopies.

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 or another document confirming the death.
Permit from the Vietnamese authorities for the export of the remains.

Frequently asked questions

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

The Polish Embassy in Hanoi, 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 Vietnam?

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 Vietnam to Poland