Exhumation in Portugal and Reburial in Ukraine

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Who can request an exhumation

The Portuguese decree directly lists who has the right to submit an application, in the following order of priority (Article 3):

1. the executor of the will, if required by the will;
2. the husband or wife;
3. a person who lived with the deceased as a spouse;
4. any heir;
5. any relative;
6. any other person or organization.

If the deceased was not a citizen of Portugal, the application can also be submitted by a diplomatic or consular representative of their country. 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 from someone who holds the right. Therefore, the family in Ukraine usually does not need to travel to Portugal: you sign a power of attorney, and we submit the application.

When it is allowed

Article 21 of the decree: after burial, it is forbidden to open an in-ground grave earlier than three years. An exception is made only by a decision of a court or the prosecutor's office.

If during the opening the body has not yet decomposed, it is covered with soil again and left for another two years. This is repeated until only bones remain.

This is important for the family. From an in-ground grave, as a rule, bones (ossadas) are brought to Ukraine, rather than a body. The situation is different with a vault (jazigo): there a person is buried in a zinc coffin, and the restrictions of Article 21 apply specifically to an in-ground grave. We check how it will work in your case at the cemetery.

The decree does not establish any prohibited months. We did not find separate rules for infectious diseases during exhumation in the decree. Supervision over compliance with the rules is carried out by the cemetery administration, the police, and the health authority (autoridade de saúde).

Urn. Ashes after cremation in Portugal can be transported freely in a suitable urn (Article 6). If the urn is placed in a columbarium or buried, we clarify the release procedure with the cemetery administration.

Documents for export to Ukraine

1. Permit from the cemetery administration for exhumation and transfer.
2. Death certificate with an apostille. In Portugal, the apostille is affixed by the Prosecutor General's Office (Procuradoria-Geral da República) or bodies authorized by it. The fee is €10.20.
3. Document for the international transport of a body under the 1973 agreement (laissez-passer). We clarify with the local authority who issues it for an already exhumed body or bones.
4. Translation of documents into Ukrainian.
5. Documents for the cemetery in Ukraine.

We clarify the list of documents for entry into Ukraine with the Embassy of Ukraine in Portugal. More on the documents page.

How much it costs

There is no single tariff. The fee for exhumation and transfer is set by each municipality or parish in its cemetery regulations and fee schedule. The state fee that we know for sure: apostille €10.20.

What is included in the costs:

• exhumation and processing of bones;
• hermetically sealed coffin with a zinc liner or box;
• apostille and translations;
• transport to Ukraine and funeral.

Our exhumation service costs from €500 plus the cost of transport (repatriation) from Portugal. We calculate the exact amount for your situation, including local fees. For transport, we work without prepayment: payment is made after handover under the contract.