Remember that the right to repatriate the body belongs to relatives (including spouses) of the deceased up to the fourth degree of kinship. In Poland, the current legal basis for repatriating the body of the deceased to the country is Article 14 of the 1959 Act on Cemeteries and Burial of the Deceased.
Apply for permission from the county governor (starosta) or city mayor in Poland where the deceased is to be buried. The document is issued within three days and is exempt from stamp duties.
Request a death certificate from the Civil Registry Office (Urząd Stanu Cywilnego) appropriate for your place of residence based on a written notification of death abroad and the original copy of the foreign death certificate (including a note confirming that the cause of death was not an infectious disease). All documents must be translated by a sworn translator.
Send the decision of the county governor or city mayor (preferably by fax) to the appropriate Polish consular office located in the country from which the body is to be repatriated. Based on this, the Polish consul issues a certificate for the transport of the body or ashes, for which a fee is charged according to the Consular Fee Schedule.
In addition to the aforementioned permission from the county governor/city mayor, the following original documents must be presented:
For transport of the body:
For transport of ashes:
The urn should be placed in a wooden, sealed box.
Transporting a body from overseas involves ferry or airplane costs (check with airlines which ones allow coffin transport—some only permit urns). Upon arrival in Poland, further transport arrangements must be made. Transporting bodies by rail, air, or sea in Poland requires a permit issued within 3 days by the district sanitary inspector for the place from which the remains are brought, upon written request by the authorized entity responsible for burial. For road transport, a permit is required only if the distance exceeds 60 km. Transport over such distances must be done by vehicles specifically designed for this purpose—hearses. It is advisable to rely on a hired funeral home that will also organize the funeral ceremony.
Within 12 months of the funeral, apply for a funeral allowance from the Social Insurance Institution (Zakład Ubezpieczeń Społecznych).
Remember to check whether the spouse had an account in the Open Pension Fund (OFE). The funds accumulated there can be used to cover the costs of repatriation and funeral.
Transport by Country
An independent expert in the funeral industry, author of the blog Celebruj Wspomnienia (“Celebrate Memories”), and editor-in-chief of THANOS magazine — the official publication issued by the World Organization of Funeral Operatives FIAT-IFTA. She has written nearly one hundred articles and conducted dozens of interviews on topics related to trends, marketing, and the sale of funeral services. Katarzyna constantly follows developments in the industry, discovering innovations that transform the way funeral services are perceived. Her unique approach — combining insight, courage, and respect — attracts the attention of both professionals and those outside the field. She collaborates with market leaders, including Grupa KLEPSYDRA S.A.strong>
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.
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