Bringing an Urn with Ashes to Poland
If the family has chosen cremation, we help bring the urn with ashes to Poland: documents, requirements for the urn and safe transport.
The same permits are needed for an urn
The provisions of the Act on Cemeteries on the burial and transport of bodies apply accordingly to ashes (Article 20a(1)). Bringing an urn from abroad therefore requires a permit from the starosta (district head) responsible for the place of burial and a certificate from the Polish consul. This is confirmed by the websites of Polish consulates.
The transport itself is simpler: ashes placed in a sealed, damage-resistant container can be carried by any means of transport, in a manner that ensures they are treated with respect (Regulation of the Minister of Health of 27.12.2007, § 6(2)). The rules of the carrier, for example an airline, must also be followed.
Documents
Polish consulates most often require the death certificate, the cremation certificate from the crematorium and confirmation from the funeral home that the urn is hermetically sealed. Some countries also require their own consent for the export of ashes, for example Ireland (coroner's consent) or France (consent of the prefecture). We describe this on the country pages.
Frequently asked questions
Can I carry the urn myself?
Ashes in a sealed container can be carried by any means of transport, but the starosta's permit, the consul's certificate and the documents from the country of death are still needed. In some countries an urn is handed to a private person only under certain conditions. We check this before the journey.
Where can an urn be buried in Poland?
According to the Act on Cemeteries, graves and columbaria may be located only in cemeteries.
Do the documents need to be translated?
It depends on the consulate and the starosta's office. Some consulates accept documents in the language of the country of death without translation, and the starosta's office may ask for a sworn translation of the death certificate.