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REPATRIATION · MORTUARY PASSPORT

The mortuary passport — the document that allows transport across borders

The mortuary passport (laissez-passer mortuaire) is the official document that allows a deceased person to be transported from one country to another. It is mandatory for any repatriation — whether bringing a Romanian who died abroad home, or transporting a deceased from Romania to another country. In Romania it is issued by the Public Health Directorate (DSP); abroad, by the local health authority or the consulate, based on the death certificate, the embalming certificate, and the sanitary transport authorization.

Updated: May 31, 20261,400 wordsReviewed by Andrei
Sealed consular envelope and official documents on a desk
Illustrative image for the guide above.

What the mortuary passport is

The mortuary passport is an official certificate issued by the health authority that accompanies the deceased throughout international transport. It attests that the deceased was prepared according to sanitary norms and that the transport poses no public-health risk.

The document is recognized between states under the international agreements on the transport of corpses (the Berlin Agreement of 1937 and the Strasbourg Agreement of 1973), to which Romania is a party.

Who issues it and on what documents

For transport leaving Romania, the mortuary passport is issued by the county Public Health Directorate (DSP) or that of Bucharest. To bring a deceased into Romania from abroad, the equivalent document is issued by the local health authority or by the Romanian consulate in that country.

  • The death certificate (original, possibly apostilled and translated)
  • The embalming (thanatopraxy) certificate, mandatory for international transport
  • The sanitary transport authorization issued by the DSP
  • Proof of a compliant coffin — for some destinations, a sealed metal (zinc) coffin

When it's mandatory

The mortuary passport is mandatory for any international transport of a deceased, regardless of the means (road, air, rail). For transport within the country it is not required — there, the sanitary transport authorization suffices.

Exact requirements (coffin type, embalming, translations) vary by destination country: within the EU and Schengen the procedures are simpler, while for non-EU countries a sealed metal coffin and additional consular documents may be required.

Romanian Law 102/2014 — funeral services

Documents required for repatriation

Beyond the mortuary passport itself, a full repatriation involves a coordinated file: death certificate (apostilled and translated, if the death occurred abroad), embalming certificate, sanitary authorization, transport documents, and sometimes a consular authorization.

We coordinate the entire file and the transport, in parallel with the formalities in Romania. For diaspora families, we handle the Romanian end while you are still abroad.

How long it takes and how we help

For repatriations within the EU, the whole procedure usually takes 3–5 business days. For destinations outside Europe (USA, Canada, the Middle East), 7–14 days, depending on the complexity of the consular formalities and air transport.

We help with obtaining the mortuary passport and all authorizations, with compliant embalming, with the coffin suited to the destination, and with the transport itself, door to door.

STEP BY STEP

Steps summary

  1. 01

    The death certificate

    Obtained and, for deaths abroad, apostilled and legally translated.

  2. 02

    Compliant embalming

    Thanatopraxy by certified staff; mandatory for international transport.

  3. 03

    Sanitary authorization and coffin

    The DSP issues the transport authorization; for some countries, a sealed metal coffin.

  4. 04

    The mortuary passport

    The DSP or consulate issues the document that accompanies the deceased across the border.

OFFICIAL SOURCES

Information verified with

FREQUENT QUESTIONS

What families ask most often

  • What is a mortuary passport?

    It is the official document, issued by the health authority, that allows a deceased to be transported from one country to another. It attests that the deceased was prepared per sanitary norms and accompanies the body throughout repatriation.

  • Who issues the mortuary passport in Romania?

    The county Public Health Directorate (DSP) or that of Bucharest, for transport leaving Romania. To bring a deceased from another country, the document is issued by the local health authority or the Romanian consulate.

  • Is a mortuary passport needed for transport within Romania?

    No. For transport within Romania the sanitary transport authorization suffices. The mortuary passport is required only for international transport, across a border.

  • Is embalming mandatory for repatriation?

    Yes. For international transport, the embalming (thanatopraxy) certificate is mandatory. Embalming preserves the body during transport and is a condition for issuing the mortuary passport.

  • How long does a repatriation take?

    For repatriations within the EU, usually 3–5 business days. For destinations outside Europe, 7–14 days, depending on the consular formalities and air transport.

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THE KEY DOCUMENT

The final step: the sealed envelope that accompanies the transport

The mortuary passport travels with the casket, in a sealed envelope, along the entire international route. Without it, no carrier — road or air — accepts the transport.

Wax-sealed envelope — the mortuary passport, the key repatriation document
Illustrative image: the mortuary passport, sealed for the journey.
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