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 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.
3. 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. For your convenience all examples of documents were prepared both in Ukrainian and English.

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.

The passport of the deceased person should be sent to the Embassy of Ukraine in the U.S. along with a notarized copy of the Certificate of Death, an Apostille and a translation from English to Ukrainian. The Embassy is to make correspondent procedures with the passport, and can forward it back if it is required to accompany the casket containing the deceased, or urn with ashes, to Ukraine.

The Embassy 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 or friends of the deceased person. 

For further information or comments please call: 202-349-2947.