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- Permission is granted by the local authority responsible for cemeteries (gravplassmyndigheten). Usually, this is the church joint council (kirkelig fellesråd), and in Oslo, the municipal cemetery agency.
- The Cemeteries Act (gravplassloven, § 7) requires "strong reasons" (sterke grunner) and a specific new burial site.
- The exhumation must be approved by the municipal chief medical officer (kommunelegen).
- A refusal can be appealed to the County Governor (Statsforvalteren).
- Our exhumation service costs from €500 plus the cost of transportation (repatriation) from Norway. 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 Request an Exhumation
In Norway, a grave is assigned to a specific person. If a grave lease is registered (feste av grav), the leaseholder (fester) legally decides who is buried in it and manages the grave (gravplassloven, § 15). Therefore, the application for relocation is usually submitted or signed by this person. If the leaseholder has died, the right is transferred to another relative through the cemetery authority (§ 16). In case of a dispute, the decision is made by this authority.
The law does not explicitly state whether the consent of other relatives is required. However, "strong reasons" are difficult to prove when the family disagrees. It is better to reach an agreement before submitting the application.
If the family is in Ukraine, traveling to Norway is usually not necessary. We prepare the application on your behalf, and you sign a power of attorney. We translate kinship documents into Norwegian or English. We verify the exact list of documents with the specific cemetery.
Law and Permits
The main rules are in the Cemeteries, Cremation and Burial Act (gravplassloven, LOV-1996-06-07-32).
- § 7: a body or ashes cannot be moved after burial without permission from the gravplassmyndigheten. Permission is granted only when strong reasons speak in favor of the move and the new burial site has been determined. The authority may set its own conditions.
- § 23: gravplassmyndigheten is the body acting on behalf of the parish (as a rule, kirkelig fellesråd). The County Governor can transfer this role to the municipality.
- § 24: the decision can be appealed to the Statsforvalteren.
There is also a sanitary regulation on the transport and handling of bodies (forskrift om transport, håndtering og emballering av lik, 1998). Its § 2-3 states: the municipal chief medical officer must be notified of the exhumation and relocation of the body, and must approve it. If a particularly dangerous infection is suspected, approval is given by the Directorate of Health (Helsedirektoratet). Refusal on sanitary grounds is only possible if there is a real threat of infection.
How to Submit an Application
The application is submitted in writing to the authority responsible for the cemetery. In Oslo, this is the municipal cemetery agency (Gravplassetaten). Elsewhere, it is the church joint council (kirkelig fellesråd). The application states why the family is asking to move the body and where to. Therefore, the cemetery in Ukraine must be chosen in advance.
What Are "Strong Reasons"
The law does not give examples. The strongest arguments for a Ukrainian family are: the deceased's own wish to rest at home, the entire family lives in Ukraine, and no one will look after the grave in Norway. It is best to support these circumstances with documents. We clarify with the local authority how a specific council evaluates such applications.
How Long to Wait
The law does not set a processing time. Expect a few weeks for a decision. If it is refused and you appeal, expect several more months.
When It Is Possible
The law does not set a minimum period after burial for exhumation. The 20 years mentioned in the law (§ 8) apply to something else: this is the period after which a grave can be reused for a new burial.
The law does not name any prohibited months. Whether your cemetery carries out exhumations in winter when the ground is frozen is something we clarify on site.
Infectious diseases: if there is a suspicion that the body is infected with a particularly dangerous infection, the exhumation must be approved by the Helsedirektoratet.
Urn. § 7 applies to both a body and ashes. This means the same permit is required for an urn. Transporting an urn to Ukraine is usually simpler than transporting a coffin.
How the Exhumation Takes Place
The work is approved by the municipal chief medical officer and the cemetery authority. The authority may set conditions: timing, presence of its representative, and who performs the work. The sanitary regulation requires that everything be done hygienically, and the funeral home and the party opening the grave are responsible for following the rules.
For transportation to Ukraine, we transfer the body to a new coffin. The regulation requires a packaging method approved by the Helsedirektoratet, unless international agreements, the airline, or the destination country set other requirements. We use a hermetically sealed transport coffin with a zinc liner.
Cremation after exhumation is also possible; in that case, an urn is brought to Ukraine. We check whether a specific crematorium will agree to this.
Documents for Repatriation to Ukraine
- Permit from the gravplassmyndigheten for relocation, stating the new burial site.
- Approval from the municipal chief medical officer.
- Documents for transporting a body abroad (laissez-passer for a corpse). Under the sanitary regulation (§ 4-1), when required, these are issued by the police (politiet). The coffin is marked with the name, date of birth and death, sender, and recipient.
- Death certificate with an apostille. In Norway, the apostille is issued free of charge by the Statsforvalteren.
- Translation of documents into Ukrainian and documents for the cemetery in Ukraine.
The regulation directly obliges the sender to find out the requirements of the destination country. We verify the list for entry into Ukraine with the Embassy of Ukraine in Norway. Read more about paperwork on the documents page.
Reburial in Ukraine
In Ukraine, a new burial requires a plot at a cemetery and a decision from the local municipality. We explained how all of this is arranged in the article exhumation and reburial in Ukraine. We help with the burial plot and the funeral in your city.
How Much It Costs
There is no single fee schedule. Fees for using the cemetery are set by the municipality upon the proposal of the cemetery authority (§ 21). We did not find a separate state fee for exhumation. We check the price of the work at your cemetery with the local authority.
What is included in the costs:
- opening the grave and exhumation;
- a new coffin for transportation;
- apostille and translations;
- transportation to Ukraine and the funeral.
Our exhumation service costs from €500 plus the cost of transportation (repatriation) from Norway. We calculate the exact amount for your situation, including local fees. For transportation, we work without prepayment: payment is made after handover according to the contract.
How Long It Takes
| Stage | Estimated Time |
|---|---|
| Consultation, identifying the cemetery and the grave leaseholder | 1–3 days |
| Power of attorney, family documents, justification, plot in Ukraine | 1–3 weeks |
| Application review by the cemetery authority | a few weeks |
| Appeal to the Statsforvalteren, if refused | several more months |
| Approval by the municipal doctor, exhumation, coffin, documents | 1–3 weeks |
| Transportation to Ukraine | a few days |
| Reburial in Ukraine | as arranged with the cemetery |
Timelines depend on authorities beyond our control. The least predictable stage is the decision on "strong reasons".
Frequently asked questions
Is it possible to exhume a body in Norway and transport the person to Ukraine?
Yes, if the cemetery authority recognizes that there are strong reasons and a burial site in Ukraine has already been determined. The exhumation must also be approved by the municipal chief medical officer.
Who grants permission for exhumation in Norway?
Gravplassmyndigheten: usually the church joint council (kirkelig fellesråd), and in Oslo, the municipal cemetery agency. An appeal against a refusal is submitted to the Statsforvalteren.
How many years must pass after the burial?
The law does not set a minimum period. The 20 years mentioned in the law apply to reusing a grave, not to exhumation.
How much does exhumation cost in Norway?
The fee depends on the cemetery. Our exhumation service costs from €500 plus transportation to Ukraine. We will give you the exact amount after speaking with you.
Is it possible to transport an urn from Norway?
Yes, but moving ashes requires the same permit as moving a body. In terms of paperwork, an urn is usually simpler than a coffin.
Do relatives need to travel to Norway?
Usually no. We submit the application under a power of attorney. If the cemetery asks for the personal signature of the grave leaseholder, we will let you know in advance.
What to Do Now
- Gather what you have: the name of the cemetery and municipality, grave number, grave lease document, and death certificate.
- Find out who is registered as the grave leaseholder (fester).
- Write down why the family wants to rebury the person in Ukraine, especially if the deceased spoke about this themselves.
- Call us. We will check the cemetery rules and prepare the application. Read more about transportation on the repatriation of a body from Norway page.
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Sources
- Gravplassloven (LOV-1996-06-07-32), §§ 7, 8, 15, 16, 21, 23, 24 (lovdata.no)
- Forskrift om transport, håndtering og emballering av lik samt gravferd (FOR-1998-04-03-327), §§ 1-3, 2-1, 2-3, 3-2, 4-1 (lovdata.no)
- Gravplassforskriften (FOR-1997-01-10-16) (lovdata.no)
- Oslo kommune: Gravplassetaten
- Statsforvalteren: Apostillestempel på dokumenter
- Stortinget: Besl. O. nr. 113 (2000–2001), endring av gravferdsloven § 7
- Embassy of Ukraine in Norway
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