Transport of bodily remains
Legal framework
The rules applied in the case of death, including rules on the repatriation of corpses from one state to another, are provided by both national legislation of the states, which vary from state to state, as well as by international law.
With respect to relevant international law, Greece has ratified the Council of Europe Agreement on the transfer of corpses (Strasbourg, 26 October 1973) by virtue of Law 1315/1983.
Furthermore, issues on the procedure for sealing coffins are regulated in the Presidential Decree 210/1975.
Furthermore, pursuant to Article 9, Law 4566, Government Gazette Issue A’ 175/08.10.2018, which incorporated Council Directive (EU) 2015/637 of 20 April 2015, consular protection is also provided to unrepresented citizens of a member state of the EU, in the case of death.
Consular practice
Regarding the repatriation of corpses, Greek Consular Authorities follow certain general practices such as:
● Seeking the relatives of the deceased: The Consular Authorities ensure that the relatives of the deceased are notified. In cases where close relatives of the deceased cannot be located, the Greek Consular Authorities notify the Hellenic Police for further investigation for the closest relative.
● Providing assistance in issuing the required supporting documents: The Consular Authorities ensure that a death certificate is issued.
In order for a consular employee to issue a laissez-passer for a corpse, the interested relative or third party should provide certain supporting documents, such as:
1. Medical certificate from a hospital or clinic, stating the cause of death.
2. Certificate from the competent Health Authorities stating that the embalming procedure was duly followed.
3. Death Certificate from the local Authorities, as well as certificate from the competent funeral service, that the corpse has been placed in a coffin suitable for transportation.
Regarding the transport of ashes, a Cremation Certificate must be issued. Furthermore, if requested, a certificate from the coroner's office may be issued.
To complete the procedure and transfer of the corpse to Greece, the Consular Authority ensures that the corpse is sealed.
In certain cases, such as the transport of a corpse by air, it is required to notify the competent services of the domestic international airports, such as Customs and Aviation Health Services, should any special regulations apply.
In these cases, it is required to contact the Directorate of Public Health and Social Care of the Ministry of Health (E-mail: ddy@moh.gov.gr ). Furthermore, the Consular Authorities shall notify the aforementioned airport authorities regarding the delivery of the deceased to the family as well as, apart from the corpse, any personal belongings.
The cost of the corpse’s repatriation depends on the practices of the state where the death occurred, as well as on the means used to transfer the corpse, taking into consideration the distance needed to be covered to repatriate and bury the corpse in Greece. The expense incurred on the basis of the above, is usually paid by the family of the deceased.
The procedure of the repatriation of the corpse also involves notifying the competent Greek Customs Authorities to receive the required transit permits, in cases of the transit of a corpse by land across more than two states.
Contact information of the competent Consular Authorities may be found on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
For further information regarding the issues above, interested parties can contact the H2 Directorate for Consular Affairs, of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.