Our guide

A funeral, regardless of religion, is an event filled with symbolism and emotion. Although rituals may differ, the common denominator remains respect — for the deceased, their family, and the tradition in which they were raised. It is this respect that forms the foundation of funeral etiquette. 

The death of a loved one abroad places the family in a difficult situation. Repatriating the body to the home country is a complex process, both in terms of formalities and logistics, and it also involves considerable costs.

When death occurs outside the place of residence of the deceased or their family — or when the relatives wish to bury their loved one in a different location — an additional challenge arises: transporting the body from one city to another. This task can be efficiently carried out with the support of a professional funeral company.

The death of a loved one is a painful experience that also requires the family to undertake many formal and organizational actions. In such moments, it is difficult to focus on procedures, which is why it is worth knowing what formalities must be completed after the death of a loved one, what documents are needed to organize the funeral, and what official matters need to be handled within the next 12 months.

The death of a loved one is a difficult experience, and when it occurs abroad, the emotional pain is often intensified by complex administrative procedures. One of the first and most important steps to take is obtaining a foreign death certificate. In this article, we explain step by step how to obtain the death certificate of a person who has died outside Poland and how to register it in Poland.

The regulations concerning the transport of bodies in Poland are governed by law. Usually, the formalities are handled by the funeral home based on a power of attorney granted by the person organizing the funeral. In special cases, such as transport over a distance exceeding 60 kilometers or international transport, additional permits and documents are required.

Exhumation involves the removal of a body or remains of a deceased person from a grave. It is most often carried out for a specific purpose related to forensic examinations or to relocate and reinter the remains in another place.

Spopielenie zwłok nie wzbudza już takich kontrowersji jak kilkanaście lat temu. Coraz więcej osób, szczególnie w dużych miastach decyduje się na tę formę pochówku. Jednak niektórzy zdecydowanie preferują tradycyjny pochówek.

After the passing of a loved one abroad, most families decide to bring them back to Poland to arrange a final farewell and burial in their home country. From a legal standpoint, transporting an urn with ashes is less complicated and involves lower costs than transporting a coffin. However, this does not mean that the transport of an urn with ashes is not subject to specific regulations and procedures.

Caring for the graves of loved ones is not only a sign of respect for the deceased but also a testament to our remembrance and concern. In our busy daily lives, it is easy to overlook how important it is to regularly maintain the resting place—both in terms of its appearance and the spiritual significance of this practice.