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- Burial Act (Hautaustoimilaki 457/2003, § 24): a body or ashes may be moved to another grave only for especially weighty reasons (erityisen painavat syyt) and with a permit from the Licensing and Supervisory Agency (Lupa- ja valvontavirasto, LVV).
- Moving a body also requires a permit from the municipal health protection authority (kunnan terveydensuojeluviranomainen). Its representative is present during the exhumation.
- Among the examples of a weighty reason, the state authority lists a person who lived in Finland as a refugee, when circumstances in their home country have changed and the remains can be returned home.
- An apostille on Finnish documents is issued by the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (Digi- ja väestötietovirasto, DVV).
- Our exhumation service costs from 500 € plus the cost of transport (repatriation) from Finland. We calculate the exact amount based on your situation.
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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 can apply for exhumation
The Burial Act (§ 23) states who arranges the burial: the person named by the deceased, and if there is no such person, then the spouse, cohabitant, and closest heirs. If they cannot agree on the burial place, the dispute is settled by the district court (käräjäoikeus). In practice, these are the people who submit the application to move the remains. The consent of the holder of the right of burial (hautaoikeuden haltija) is also important, as the cemetery has a contract with them.
If there is no agreement within the family, come to terms first. A dispute among relatives will only complicate the matter.
If the family is in Ukraine, traveling to Finland is usually not necessary. You sign a power of attorney, and we prepare the applications and translate the documents into Finnish, Swedish, or English.
Law and permits
Two separate permits are needed here.
LVV permit
§ 24 of the Burial Act: a buried body or ashes may be moved to another grave for especially weighty reasons and with a permit from Lupa- ja valvontavirasto. Previously, this function was performed by the Regional State Administrative Agencies (aluehallintovirasto, AVI). Processing the application is subject to a fee; we check the exact amount with LVV before submitting.
What "especially weighty reasons" means. The explanatory memorandum to the Act (HE 204/2002) states: Finnish tradition considers a grave to be a place of eternal rest. A weighty reason arises mostly when a person could not be buried right away where they and their family wanted. The state authority gave the following examples on its website:
- for some reason, the person could not be buried where they or the family wanted;
- the person lived in Finland as a refugee or asylum seeker, and circumstances in their country have changed so that the remains can be moved to their homeland;
- there are exceptional reasons related to health protection or land use.
Each case is assessed individually. In decision KHO 2024:59, the Supreme Administrative Court refused parents who wanted to move their child from a shared grave, even though it recognized their reasons as weighty: finding the remains would have meant disturbing the remains of other children. Conclusion: if other people are buried in the same grave, the chances are lower.
An LVV decision can be appealed to the Administrative Court (hallinto-oikeus).
Health permit
The Health Protection Decree (Terveydensuojeluasetus 1280/1994, § 42) requires a separate application to the municipal health protection authority. It must include:
- details of the deceased;
- an official document stating the cause and time of death;
- details of the current grave;
- confirmation of the new burial place.
The authority requests a statement from the cemetery owner, may refuse or set conditions, and sets a deadline by which the transfer must be completed.
When it is allowed
The law does not set a minimum period after burial for moving remains. The 15-year period in the Health Protection Decree applies to reusing a grave, not to exhumation. The more time has passed, the harder it is to prove that the person "could not be buried where they wanted". There are no seasonal bans in the law; the date is agreed upon by the cemetery and the health authority. If the person had an infectious disease, we clarify the conditions with the health authority.
Urn. For ashes, only the LVV permit is needed; the decree requires a health permit for a body.
How the exhumation takes place
The exhumation is carried out by the cemetery. Most cemeteries in Finland are managed by parishes of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. A representative of the municipal health protection authority must be present when the body is removed from the grave. Whether the family can be present is something we check with the cemetery.
For transport to Ukraine, the body is placed in a new airtight transport coffin with a sealed zinc liner. The Burial Act requires that the body and ashes be treated with dignity and respect for the memory of the deceased (§ 2).
Cremation after exhumation: we did not find a specific rule. Whether it is possible in your case is something we clarify with the local authority.
Documents for transport to Ukraine
- LVV permit for the transfer;
- decision of the municipal health protection authority;
- death certificate (can be ordered from DVV) and cause of death document;
- coffin transport permit, which is usually arranged by a funeral home;
- confirmation of the new burial place in Ukraine.
We check with the local authority whether additional documents are required specifically for an already buried body. Finnish documents are apostilled by DVV, and then we translate them into Ukrainian. Before departure, we coordinate the accompanying documents with the Embassy of Ukraine in Finland. The general list is on the documents page.
Reburial in Ukraine
A new burial in Ukraine requires a permit from the executive body of the local council at the new burial place. Confirmation of the new place is already needed for the Finnish applications, so we do this part first. Details are in the article exhumation and reburial in Ukraine.
How much exhumation costs in Finland
Paid separately:
- application processing at LVV (subject to a fee, we check the amount);
- decision of the health authority (we check with the municipality whether there is a fee);
- cemetery work according to the parish price list;
- new coffin, apostille, translations.
Our exhumation service costs from 500 € plus the cost of transport (repatriation) from Finland. We calculate the exact amount based on your situation. For transport, we work without prepayment: payment is made after handover under the contract. Read about the transport itself on the transporting a body from Finland page.
How long it takes
| Stage | Estimate |
|---|---|
| Consultation, assessing the reason and documents | 1–3 days |
| Justification, evidence, power of attorney, translations | 2–4 weeks |
| Application review at LVV | from several weeks to several months |
| Health permit | several weeks |
| Exhumation, coffin, transport documents | 1–2 weeks |
| Transport and reburial in Ukraine | several days, then as agreed |
These are our estimates. Timelines depend on authorities beyond our control. The longest and least predictable stage is the LVV decision.
Frequently asked questions
Is it possible to carry out an exhumation in Finland and move the person to Ukraine?
Yes, if LVV recognizes the reasons as especially weighty. For a body, a permit from the municipal health protection authority is also required.
Will it help if the person was a refugee from Ukraine?
The state authority explicitly mentions this example: a person lived in Finland as a refugee, and now their remains can be moved to their homeland. However, most Ukrainians in Finland have temporary protection, and we cannot say in advance how LVV will assess that status. Each case is decided individually.
How many years must pass after burial?
The law does not set a minimum period.
Is it possible to move an urn from Finland?
Yes, with an LVV permit. The decree does not require a health permit for ashes.
How much does exhumation cost in Finland?
The review at LVV, the health permit, and the cemetery work are paid separately. Our exhumation service is from 500 € plus transport to Ukraine.
What happens if LVV refuses?
The decision can be appealed to the Administrative Court. We honestly warn you: courts interpret the rule strictly.
What to do now
- Find the name of the cemetery, the grave number, and the death certificate.
- Write down why the person needs to be reburied in Ukraine: their wishes, refugee status, where the family lives. Gather evidence.
- Agree within the family on who will submit the application.
- Call us. We will prepare the applications to LVV and the health authority and arrange the transport.
We work 24/7, including on Viber, WhatsApp, and Telegram.
Sources
- Hautaustoimilaki 457/2003, ajantasainen (Finlex): § 2, § 23, § 24 (Lupa- ja valvontavirasto)
- Terveydensuojeluasetus 1280/1994, § 40–42 (Finlex)
- KHO 2024:59, 17.4.2024 (Finlex): HE 204/2002, erityisen painavat syyt
- Lupa- ja valvontavirasto: Hautaus
- Porvoon ympäristöterveydenhuolto: Haudatun vainajan siirtäminen
- Suomi.fi: If a foreign citizen dies in Finland
- Finland Abroad: Legalising a document using an Apostille (DVV)
- Embassy of Ukraine in Finland
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