The documents required by Ukrainian Legislation for a casket containing the deceased, or urn with ashes, to cross the Ukrainian State Border include:

1. The Certificate of Death with an Apostille and a notarized translation from English to Ukrainian.
2. A Document about the absence of any foreign objects inside the casket or urn with ashes. This document can be arranged in English with an Apostille and a notarized translation from English to Ukrainian.
3. In the case of transportation in a casket the following document is required. A Certificate or Affidavit from local health authorities stating that the cause of death of the individual to be shipped to Ukraine was not a communicable disease, with an Apostille and a notarized translation from English to Ukrainian. Permission from local cemetery in Ukraine (applies to casket with body only).

The originals of abovementioned documents, all with Apostilles and notarized translations from English to Ukrainian, must accompany the casket containing the deceased, or urn with ashes, to Ukraine.

Passport of a deceased person should be sent to the Ukrainian Consulate General (please check the consular district before sending) along with a notarized copy of the Certificate of Death, Apostille and translation from English to Ukrainian. Practically it means that when the Funeral Home receives Certificate of Death with Apostille and a notarized translation from English to Ukrainian it is necessary just to make copies of the mentioned documents and notarized copies. The Ukrainian Consulate General is to make correspondent procedures with the passport, and will forward it back if it is required to accompany the casket containing the deceased, or urn with ashes, to Ukraine.

The Ukrainian Consulate General is to be informed of the date, time and the place of delivery of the casket containing the deceased, or urn with ashes, to Ukraine. Only the next of kin relatives of the deceased, or persons correspondingly authorized by them, can receive the casket or urn.

The casket containing the body, or urn with ashes, must be sealed by the Funeral Home.

There are no strict requirements with respect to the urn with ashes; however, the body should be transported in a metal casket, made of zinc-plated steel or tinplate not more than 0,4 thick.

For the air cargo transportation it is necessary to specify a cemetery in Ukraine as well as Ukrainian Funeral Home which will take care of the casket, or the urn with ashes, in Ukraine. Both are a subject of private choice by the relatives of the deceased person. 

In the case that you obtain information about the death/perish of a Ukrainian national within the consular district please contact our Office – [email protected] .

Please be advised that we need not only the name, but also personal data of the deceased Ukrainian such as the copy of his/her ID (if possible Ukrainian passport) or any available information concerning his/her place of final residency in Ukraine and that of his/her relatives.

To obtain a letter from the Consulate (in the case a transit country’s Embassy/Consulate or shipping company transporting the urn requires one), the following documents must be sent to

the Consulate General of Ukraine in San Francisco:

 All of the above-mentioned documents 

 The original passport of the deceased

 Itinerary (or a clearly written route in the format “Airport, Country – Airport, Country”)

 A prepaid envelope with a return address, send to:

Consulate General of Ukraine in San Francisco

530 Bush St, Suite 402, San Francisco, CA 94108

The Consulate General of Ukraine will carry out the necessary procedures with the passport and return it for use in accompanying the casket or urn to Ukraine.