Call +380 77 882 77 77Ask about exhumation
In brief (30 seconds).
- Many municipal cemeteries practice a three-year burial period (τριετής ταφή). After that, the bones are removed, and the family decides where to keep or bury them.
- Exhumation before the three-year mark is possible only as an exception, with a special permit. In that case, the body is transported in a metal coffin with an absorbent material.
- To take bones abroad, you need a transport permit from the Regional Directorate of Public Health (Διεύθυνση Δημόσιας Υγείας της Περιφέρειας). You can apply through a Citizen Service Center (ΚΕΠ).
- The bones are disinfected and transported in an airtight metal box. This is cheaper than transporting a body.
- Our exhumation service costs from 500 € plus the cost of transport (repatriation) from Greece. We calculate the exact amount for your specific situation.
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The National Registry of Administrative Procedures (mitos.gov.gr) explicitly states that the permit to transport bones or a body abroad is issued to the deceased's next of kin. An authorized representative can also submit the application: this requires a power of attorney from a close relative with a certified signature.
At the cemetery, the exhumation request is submitted by the next of kin or by the person who arranged the funeral and is listed on the deceased's record. For example, this is stated in the cemetery regulations of the Municipality of Mytilene (2026). If an early exhumation is requested before the standard period ends, these same regulations require written statements from all living first-degree relatives.
If the family is in Ukraine, traveling to Greece is usually not required. You sign a power of attorney, and we arrange the apostille and the translation into Greek.
Law and permits
The main rules are:
- Presidential Decree 210/1975 (Π.Δ. 210/1975) on embalming, transport, and burial of bodies and bones;
- Law 445/1968 on cemeteries and the regulations of each municipal cemetery (κανονισμός λειτουργίας κοιμητηρίων);
- Law 1315/1983, by which Greece ratified the 1973 Council of Europe Agreement on the Transfer of Corpses.
Permits are issued at two levels:
- The cemetery (municipality) grants permission for exhumation and bone collection. In Mytilene, for instance, it is signed by the deputy mayor.
- The Regional Directorate of Public Health issues the permit for transport abroad: separately for bones (μεταφορά οστών στο εξωτερικό) and for a body (μεταφορά σορού στο εξωτερικό). The application is submitted there or at the nearest ΚΕΠ.
The official processing time is not specified; we check this with the local authority.
When it can be done
The standard route: after three years
At many municipal cemeteries, ground burial lasts for three years. After that, relatives arrange the exhumation at their own expense and collect the bones. Sometimes the period can be extended for a fee. If relatives do not show up, the municipality can carry out the exhumation itself and move the bones to a communal ossuary. That is why it is important not to miss the notice from the cemetery.
Before three years
Presidential Decree 210/1975 (Article 4) allows the transport of a body exhumed before three years have passed if decomposition is not complete. In this case, it is placed in a metal coffin filled with an absorbent material (sawdust, charcoal) soaked in an antiseptic and embalming fluid. However, cemeteries allow early exhumation only as an exception. In Mytilene, for example, the regulations specifically mention "special reasons (for example, a refugee)" and require the consent of the municipal council and a special fee at triple the standard rate. We check how this works at your specific cemetery with the local authority.
Infectious diseases
If a person died of an infectious disease not covered by the International Health Regulations (the decree lists measles, scarlet fever, and whooping cough as examples), exhumation is possible only after three years (Article 2). If the disease falls under these regulations, transporting the body is prohibited, and exhumation is forbidden until ten years have passed (Article 3).
How the exhumation takes place
The date and time are set by the cemetery. The Mytilene regulations require the presence of relatives or the person arranging the procedure. Anyone who does not wish to attend submits a written statement. We can be there on your behalf.
After three years, the bones are cleaned and disinfected. For transport, the decree requires disinfection with an antiseptic, odor removal, and an airtight metal box (Article 4). A disinfection certificate is issued by the sanitary service. If the body has not yet decomposed, it is placed in a new airtight metal coffin for transport.
Cremation after exhumation in Greece is technically possible, but we have not separately verified the procedure for an already buried body. We clarify this with the local authority.
Documents for transport to Ukraine
For bones (according to mitos.gov.gr):
- application for a permit to transport bones abroad;
- the applicant's identity document;
- official death record extract (ληξιαρχική πράξη θανάτου);
- bone disinfection certificate from the sanitary service;
- power of attorney, if a representative is acting on your behalf.
For a body: the same documents, except that the disinfection certificate is replaced by an embalming certificate (βεβαίωση ταρίχευσης). Whether this is required for an exhumed body is something we verify with the Directorate of Public Health.
Greek documents receive an apostille, and then we translate them into Ukrainian. Before departure, we coordinate the accompanying documents with the Embassy of Ukraine in Greece. You can find the general list on the documents page.
Reburial in Ukraine
For a new burial in Ukraine, you need a permit from the executive body of the local council at the new burial place. Bones or an urn are usually buried in an existing family grave. We explain how to get the permit in the article on exhumation and reburial in Ukraine.
How much exhumation costs in Greece
Fees are set by each municipal council: for the three-year burial, extension, exhumation, and keeping bones in the ossuary. There is no single rate; we check the exact amount with the local authority. Disinfection, the metal box or coffin, apostilles, and translations are paid separately.
Transporting bones in a small box usually costs less than transporting a body in a coffin: the weight and size are much smaller, and the transport requirements are simpler. We will calculate the exact difference after speaking with you, once we know the city and the cemetery.
Our exhumation service costs from 500 € plus the cost of transport (repatriation) from Greece. We calculate the exact amount for your situation. For transport, we work without advance payment: you pay after hand-over according to the contract. Read more about transport on the repatriation of a body from Greece page.
How long it takes
| Stage | Estimated time |
|---|---|
| Initial call, checking the cemetery and the end date of the three-year period | 1–3 days |
| Power of attorney, apostille, translation | 1–2 weeks |
| Exhumation date at the cemetery | per the cemetery's schedule |
| Disinfection, certificate, metal box | 1–2 weeks |
| Transport permit from the Directorate of Public Health | confirmed with the authority |
| Transport and reburial in Ukraine | a few days, then as arranged |
These are our estimates. Timelines depend on authorities beyond our control. If only a few months remain until the end of the three-year period, it is often wiser to wait.
Frequently asked questions
Is it possible to carry out an exhumation in Greece and bring a loved one to Ukraine?
Yes. It is easiest after three years of burial, when the cemetery carries out the exhumation and bone collection anyway. To take the remains out of the country, you need a permit from the Regional Directorate of Public Health.
What happens if the bones are not collected after three years?
The cemetery notifies the relatives. If no one responds, the municipality may carry out the exhumation itself and place the bones in a communal ossuary. After that, recovering your specific relative will be very difficult.
Can an exhumation be done before three years have passed?
Only as an exception, with a special permit. In that case, the body is transported in a metal coffin with an absorbent material soaked in antiseptic.
How much does exhumation cost in Greece?
Fees are set by each municipality. Our exhumation service costs from 500 € plus transport to Ukraine. Transporting bones is usually cheaper than transporting a body.
Is it possible to cremate the remains and transport an urn?
We verify the procedure for cremation after exhumation with the local authority. For transporting ashes, the decree requires a tightly sealed container.
Do relatives need to travel to Greece?
Usually not. A power of attorney with an apostille and translation is sufficient.
What to do now
- Find the name of the cemetery, the burial date, and the death record.
- Check when the three-year period ends and whether the cemetery has already sent a notice.
- Decide where the new burial will take place in Ukraine.
- Call us. We will contact the cemetery and arrange the certificates and transport.
We work 24/7, and can also be reached on Viber, WhatsApp, and Telegram.
Sources
- Π.Δ. 210/1975 «Περί ταριχεύσεως, μεταφοράς και ταφής νεκρών και οστών ανθρώπων», ΦΕΚ Α 63/1975, άρθρα 2–5 (Εθνικό Τυπογραφείο)
- Mitos.gov.gr: Άδεια μεταφοράς οστών στο εξωτερικό
- Mitos.gov.gr: Άδεια μεταφοράς νεκρών στο εξωτερικό
- Δήμος Μυτιλήνης: Κανονισμός λειτουργίας κοιμητηρίων (2026), άρθρα 2, 13, 22
- HCCH: Apostille Convention status table
- Embassy of Ukraine in Greece
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