Call +380 77 882 77 77Ask about an urn
In brief, in 30 seconds.
- Cremation is regulated by Decree-Law 411/98. It applies to Portuguese citizens and foreigners.
- The application is submitted in order of priority by: the executor of the will, spouse, partner, heir, or any relative. For a foreigner, the consul of their country can also submit the application.
- Cremation cannot take place earlier than 24 hours after death. If the body was immediately released to the family, the law allows up to 72 hours for cremation.
- The ashes are given to the person who requested the cremation. What happens to them next is up to that person, and the law allows free transport of ashes in a suitable urn.
- Urn transport to Ukraine costs from 800 €, with no prepayment.
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Translated from Ukrainian “You were always available, whatever the time…” — Віта Х. “Everything was organised with great dignity, professionally and with attention to every detail.” — Тамара Ю. “Every question was resolved promptly, with respect and attention to detail.” — Olha B. “…your support, compassion, sense of responsibility and professionalism meant a great deal to us.” — Ірина Б. “It all went quickly and professionally…” — Оля К. Who Gives Consent for Cremation
Decree-Law 411/98 (Article 3) defines who has the right to request cremation. The right passes in the following order:
- the executor of the will (testamenteiro), if the will provides for cremation;
- the surviving spouse (cônjuge sobrevivo);
- the person who lived with the deceased in a de facto union (unido de facto);
- any heir (herdeiro);
- any relative (familiar);
- any other person or organization.
If the deceased did not have Portuguese citizenship, a diplomatic or consular representative of their country also has the right to submit the application. For a Ukrainian, this is the Embassy or Consulate of Ukraine.
The application can also be submitted by a person holding a power of attorney with special powers (procuração com poderes especiais) from someone on this list. Therefore, the family in Ukraine does not have to travel to Portugal. We arrange the cremation through local partners using your power of attorney. If the cremation has already taken place, we collect the ready urn from the crematorium or the family.
Permits and Documents for Cremation
- Entry of death in the civil registry (assento de óbito) or a record of declaration of death (auto de declaração de óbito). Without it, cremation is impossible (Article 9). On weekends and outside registry office hours, a temporary death bulletin (boletim de óbito) is issued by the police.
- Cremation application (requerimento) in the established form. It is submitted to the entity that manages the cemetery where the cremation will take place (Article 4). In practice, the funeral home (agência funerária) does this.
- If there was a medico-legal autopsy (autópsia médico-legal), cremation is only possible with permission from the judicial authority (autoridade judiciária), meaning the prosecutor or investigating judge (Article 17).
We confirm the specific documents requested by the crematorium for the particular city. Municipal cemetery regulations supplement the law.
How Long to Wait for Cremation
The law sets both a minimum and a maximum time limit (Article 8):
- cremation cannot take place earlier than 24 hours after death;
- if the body was released immediately after death to the person entitled to apply, cremation is carried out within 72 hours;
- if there was an autopsy, within 48 hours after its completion.
Cremation earlier than 24 hours can only be ordered by a health authority if there is a threat to public health.
For a family from Ukraine, the time limit is very short. Therefore, the decision on cremation and the power of attorney must be arranged in the first few days. We will help prepare the documents so that everything is done in time.
How Much Cremation Costs in Portugal
There is no single price. Fees are set by the schedule of rates (tabela de taxas) of the municipality or the entity that manages the cemetery or crematorium. We did not find an official nationwide price. The total usually includes the crematorium fee and the services of the funeral home: transport of the body, a coffin made of easily combustible wood, and paperwork.
We will give you the exact price of cremation in your city after you call. If we arrange the cremation, we calculate the cost for your specific situation. Transporting an urn with ashes to Ukraine costs from 800 €. There is no prepayment: payment is made after the urn is handed over under the contract.
Urn for Transport
The ashes are handed over in a suitable container (recipiente apropriado). The law does not specify the material of the urn. For travel, it is best to use a sturdy, tightly sealed urn that can be easily X-rayed: plastic, wood, or cardboard.
An urn in carry-on baggage is usually transported by agreement with the airline, and it is screened by X-ray at security. We check the carrier's rules before buying a ticket.
How to Take the Urn to Ukraine: Documents
Here, Portugal is straightforward. The ashes can be placed in a columbarium or grave, or handed over in an urn to the person who requested the cremation, in which case they are free to decide what to do with them next (Article 19). Transporting ashes outside the cemetery is unrestricted as long as the ashes are in a suitable container (Article 6). We did not find a separate permit for taking ashes abroad in the law.
Usually, the following documents travel with the urn:
- death certificate (certidão de óbito);
- cremation certificate from the crematorium;
- the applicant's passport or power of attorney.
Portuguese documents for use in Ukraine are certified with an apostille. It is issued by the Prosecutor General's Office of Portugal (Procuradoria-Geral da República). We handle the translation. The Embassy of Ukraine operates in Lisbon. We provide a full list of documents to every family.
The urn is transported by plane or overland through Spain and across Europe. At the Ukrainian border, the urn goes through separate clearance: customs clearance of an urn. How we work: urn transport.
Can You Transport the Urn Yourself
Yes. Portuguese law directly allows the free transport of ashes in a suitable container.
Problems can happen at the airport and at the border. The airline might not approve taking the urn into the cabin. An urn made of metal or stone might not pass the X-ray. At the Ukrainian border, officials ask for documents with an apostille and translation; without them, the urn may be delayed.
Entrust the transport to us if no one from the family can travel, if the documents are not ready, or if you want to avoid risks at security screening.
Cremation or Body Transport
| Cremation and urn transport | Body transport | |
|---|---|---|
| Timeframes | cremation within 72 hours, then documents and travel | depends on documents and flights, see the country page |
| Documents | death entry, application, crematorium certificate, death certificate | death certificate, body export documents, carrier documents |
| Price | urn from 800 € | see the country page |
If the family wants a burial in a coffin, read about body transport from Portugal.
Burial of the Urn in Ukraine
In Ukraine, an urn is buried in a grave, interred in an existing family grave, or placed in a columbarium. Permission from the cemetery is required, and for interment in an existing grave, you need the grave documents. Details: urn burial. Make arrangements with the cemetery while the apostille and translation are being prepared.
Timeframes: From the First Call to Urn Burial
| Stage | Approximate time |
|---|---|
| Call, contract, power of attorney | 1 day |
| Death entry, cremation application | 1–2 days |
| Cremation | 24 to 72 hours after death |
| Death certificate, apostille, translation | 1–2 weeks |
| Urn transport to Ukraine | a few days |
| Urn burial | as agreed with the cemetery |
Timeframes are approximate. If there was an autopsy or the prosecutor's office is involved in the case, everything may take longer.
Frequently asked questions
Can a Ukrainian be cremated in Portugal?
Yes. Decree-Law 411/98 directly applies to both Portuguese citizens and foreigners.
Who can submit a cremation application?
In order of priority: the executor of the will, spouse, partner, heir, or relative. For a foreigner, the consul of their country can also apply, as well as anyone holding a power of attorney.
How quickly is cremation carried out in Portugal?
No earlier than 24 hours after death. If the body was released to the family, within 72 hours.
Is a permit needed to take ashes out of Portugal?
We did not find a separate permit in the law. The law states that transporting ashes in a suitable container is unrestricted. You need a death certificate, a cremation certificate, and an apostille.
How much does cremation cost in Portugal?
It depends on the municipality or operator. We will give you the exact price for your city after a phone call.
How much does it cost to transport an urn from Portugal to Ukraine?
From 800 €. There is no prepayment; payment is made after the urn is handed over.
What to Do Now
- Call us right away: the law gives only a few days for cremation.
- Tell us the city where your relative passed away and whether a funeral home is already involved.
- Decide who in the family is submitting the application and arrange a power of attorney.
- Arrange a place for the urn with a cemetery in Ukraine. We will take care of the rest.
Call +380 77 882 77 77Ask about an urn
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