Transporting a body to Ukraine
We arrange the transport of a person who died in Poland, or their ashes, to Ukraine. We handle the Polish formalities, the coffin preparation and the transport itself.
What we arrange
We arrange the repatriation of remains from Poland to Ukraine for the families of Ukrainians in Poland, from the first formalities to the transport.
The permit on the Polish side
Transport of remains out of Poland, where the death occurred in Poland, may take place after obtaining a permit from the competent state county sanitary inspector (Art. 14(1)(2) of the Act on Cemeteries and Burial of the Dead).
The permit is issued after documents from the destination state's competent authority, and from any transit states, confirming no obstacle to burial or entry of the remains (Art. 14(2)). The application is filed by a person entitled to bury the deceased, first of all close family (Art. 14(5) with Art. 10(1)). The permit is issued without delay, at the latest within 3 days of the application (Article 14(5) of the Act on Cemeteries and Burial of the Dead).
The application and documents
The application contains the deceased's details, the date and place of death, the place of departure, burial place, means of transport and applicant's details (§ 2(1) of the Minister of Health regulation of 27 December 2007 on permits and certificates for the transport of human remains). If the death record does not state the cause of death, an official document ruling out an infectious disease is attached (§ 2(2)).
A death is registered by the civil registry office for the place of death, on the basis of the death card (Art. 92(2) and 93 of the Civil Status Records Act). If death resulted from an infectious disease on the Minister of Health's list, no permit is issued within two years of the death (Art. 14(5) of the Act on Cemeteries and Burial of the Dead).
Coffin and vehicle
Remains taken out of Poland are placed in a wooden coffin lined with sheet metal or with a metal insert, or in a metal coffin, with an absorbent layer on the bottom, inside a sealed crate. The sanitary inspector may order additional precautions and seal the coffin (§ 11(2) of the Minister of Health regulation on the handling of human remains). Transport uses a vehicle designated for that purpose (§ 10).
Ukraine requires the body to be in a metal, airtight coffin or urn, sealed by officials (Art. 22 of the Ukrainian Law on Burial and Funeral Business). We take this into account.
Ashes
The permit rules apply accordingly to remains from cremation. An urn with ashes, in a sealed, damage-resistant container, may travel by any means of transport, in a way that ensures respect for the ashes (§ 6 of the regulation of 27 December 2007). Ukraine requires a metal airtight urn and the same documents at the border (Art. 22 of its Law on Burial and Funeral Business).
Requirements on the Ukrainian side
At the Ukrainian border, the person accompanying the body presents to customs a death certificate or other document confirming the death, issued by a competent body, and a certificate that the body and coffin (urn) contain no items prohibited from crossing the border. For bringing a coffin or urn into Ukraine, the competent foreign authority issues this certificate and a Ukrainian consular or diplomatic mission legalises it (Art. 22 of the Ukrainian Law on Burial and Funeral Business).
Ukrainian consular offices may also register a death and issue a death certificate, and burial in Ukraine of a citizen who died abroad and left a written wish takes place with the consulate's or embassy's assistance (Art. 11 of that Law). The Strasbourg Agreement on the transfer of corpses (ETS 080) does not simplify this route: per the Dutch treaty database, as of 13 October 2026, neither Poland nor Ukraine is a party.
Frequently asked questions
Who issues the permit to take remains out of Poland?
The competent state county sanitary inspector (Art. 14(1)(2) of the Act on Cemeteries and Burial of the Dead).
Who can apply for the permit?
Persons entitled to bury the deceased, in the first place close family (Art. 14(5) with Art. 10(1) of that Act).
How long does the permit take?
The Act says the permit is issued without delay, at the latest within 3 days of the application (Article 14(5) of the Act on Cemeteries and Burial of the Dead). We do not promise a timeline for the whole transport.
Can only an urn with ashes be taken to Ukraine?
Yes. The permit rules apply to remains from cremation (§ 6 of the regulation of 27 December 2007). Ukraine requires a metal airtight urn and the same documents as for a coffin (Art. 22 of the Ukrainian Law on Burial and Funeral Business).
Can remains be taken out in an ordinary wooden coffin?
Polish rules allow a wooden coffin only if lined with sheet metal or with a metal insert, or a metal coffin (§ 11(2) of the regulation on handling remains). The Ukrainian side requires a metal airtight coffin.