Oleg Zdendiak, ownerpersonally responsible for every case 5,0 129 reviews on Google
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. In brief
- The death is registered in Ukraine: who registers it and on the basis of which documents.
- The Ukrainian authorities report a foreigner's death themselves: who they notify.
- A post mortem may be required, and the family may be asked for consent: what official sources say.
- What the embassy does depends on the country: examples from official websites.
- Taking a body out of Ukraine has its own requirements for the documents and the coffin: the main ones.
- We handle the Ukrainian side, gather the documents for the embassy and transport the deceased to the country where they will be buried.
Registering the death in Ukraine
How this works in Ukraine:
- In Ukraine a death is registered by the civil registry office (DRACS); the grounds include the medical certificate of death (form No. 106/o) or another document listed in the Rules for State Registration of Civil Status Acts in Ukraine. zakon.rada.gov.ua
- A death is registered at the deceased's last place of residence, the place of death or where the body was found, or the place of burial. zakon.rada.gov.ua
What the UK government tells families about the Ukrainian certificate:
- The Ukrainian death certificate is issued in Ukrainian; with a certified translation it can usually be used in the UK for most purposes. gov.uk
- According to UK government guidance, Ukrainian death certificates do not include the cause of death. gov.uk
If the destination country asks for the cause of death, we will tell you which document you need for that.
Who is told about the death
The Ukrainian authorities report a foreigner's death themselves:
- If a foreign national dies in Ukraine, the civil registry office that registered the death notifies the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. zakon.rada.gov.ua
- Under the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, the authorities of the receiving state, when they have the information, notify without delay the consular post in whose district a foreign national died. treaties.un.org
The family can also contact their country's embassy directly. We will tell you what to prepare for that conversation.
The post mortem and the family's consent
It is better to know about this in advance.
- According to UK government guidance for families, under Ukrainian law a post mortem is likely to be required when a foreigner dies in Ukraine, and written permission from the next of kin may be requested. gov.uk
This is how the German Embassy describes it for German citizens:
- The family emails the embassy its consent to an autopsy; this is a formal requirement regardless of the cause of death so that the body can be released for burial. Foreigners in Ukraine are, as a rule, autopsied. ukraine.diplo.de
If you have any questions about the post mortem, tell us at the start of the call.
What the embassy does
The embassy does not always deal with the transfer of the body itself. What it does depends on the country. Here are a few examples of what embassies do for their own citizens, from the official websites of embassies and foreign ministries:
- The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv generally does not arrange the preparation or transport of remains itself; a Ukrainian funeral home usually does. ua.usembassy.gov
- The embassy's American Citizens Services unit works with the funeral home chosen by the family to ensure proper documentation for shipping remains to the United States. ua.usembassy.gov
- The German Embassy in Kyiv issues the necessary certificates for the transfer to the company commissioned by the family. ukraine.diplo.de
- If an Austrian citizen dies in Ukraine, the Austrian Embassy in Kyiv can help with transferring the body to Austria; for this it needs the contact details of the Austrian funeral home that will receive the body or urn and carry out the burial. bmeia.gv.at
- The Irish embassy can provide a list of English-speaking local undertakers; the chosen local undertaker then liaises with the family's undertaker in Ireland. ireland.ie
- The death of a Moldovan citizen in Ukraine is registered with the Ukrainian civil registry; registering it at the Moldovan Embassy is possible but not mandatory. ucraina.mfa.gov.md
We will check your country's requirements during the call. Each country's requirements for bringing in a body are on its own page; you will find the list of countries on the page “Repatriation of a body from Ukraine to another country”.
The price for your route
Tell us the country. Add your city in Ukraine. Route first, then the price.
How to bring the deceased home
Taking a body out of Ukraine has its own requirements. The main ones are:
- To move a body across Ukraine's border (including taking it abroad), the accompanying person shows customs a death certificate (or another document from a competent authority confirming death) and a certificate that the body and coffin (urn) contain no prohibited items. zakon.rada.gov.ua
- When a coffin (urn) is taken out of Ukraine, the certificate of no prohibited items is issued by a forensic medical expert in the presence of a customs officer (Art. 22 of the Law on Burial and Funeral Services). zakon.rada.gov.ua
- The body is carried in a hermetic metal coffin; the coffin (urn) is put under official seal by the same officials who issue the certificate of no prohibited items. zakon.rada.gov.ua
The other requirements on the Ukrainian side are collected on the page “Repatriation of a body from Ukraine to another country”. You will also find the country pages there, with each country's entry requirements.
This is how the UK government describes it for its citizens:
- An international funeral director in the UK works with a local funeral director in Ukraine; the family gives both permission to act on its behalf. gov.uk
What we do:
We collect the deceased
From a hospital or morgue in the town where the death occurred.
We handle the Ukrainian side
We help with registering the death and obtaining the certificate, and we prepare the translations and arrange the apostille if the destination country requires them.
We gather the documents for the embassy
We prepare what the embassy and the destination country ask for. If a relative's own signature is needed anywhere, we will tell you in advance.
We transport and hand over the deceased
On arrival we hand the deceased over to the funeral home the family has chosen.
This article is about foreign nationals who die in Ukraine. If a Ukrainian citizen has died abroad, read about repatriation of the deceased from abroad.
Questions from families
Who will notify the embassy of the death?
The Ukrainian authorities have to inform the consular post for the district where the person died without delay (1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations). The family can also contact the embassy directly, and we will tell you what to prepare.
Is a post mortem compulsory?
Probably yes, when a foreigner dies in Ukraine, as UK government guidance for families explains, and the next of kin may be asked for written permission. It is best to discuss the post mortem with us at the start.
Will a Ukrainian death certificate be accepted in another country?
It depends on the country where it will be submitted. One example is the UK government's advice. Whether the certificate needs to be legalised by the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine should be checked with the UK authority that will receive it. (gov.uk) We will prepare the translation and apostille to meet that country's requirements.
Does the embassy pay for the repatriation?
It depends on the country. Ireland is one example. The Irish embassy cannot pay for the return of the deceased to Ireland, but can put the family in touch with organisations that may help. (ireland.ie) We will quote the price of the transfer once we have confirmed the route.
Which languages do you speak?
We speak Ukrainian, English, Polish and German. Relatives abroad can call us, or message the same number on Viber, WhatsApp or Telegram.
Tell us what happened
Oleg Zdendiak and the team. We explain the next steps.
We will bring the deceased home
Tell us which town or city in Ukraine the deceased is in now, and which country they need to go to. We will call you back and tell you where to start.