When someone dies in Ukraine
Source: gov.uk (2025-06-01)

The process when a British national dies in Ukraine, including registering the death, funerals and cremations, and bringing the person’s body to the UK.

Contacting the insurance company

If the person who died had insurance, contact their insurance company as soon as possible. The insurance company should appoint a funeral director in the UK and Ukraine. They may also cover the cost of bringing the person’s body to the UK (repatriation) and help with any medical, legal, interpretation and translation fees.

Read the general guidance on what to do when someone dies abroad (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/what-to-do-after-a-british-national-dies-abroad), if you are not sure if they had insurance.

If the person who died did not have insurance, you will usually need to appoint and pay for your own funeral director (https://find-a-professional-service-abroad.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/find/funeral-directors/Ukraine/result?) for a cremation or burial abroad, or for an international funeral director (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/international-funeral-directors-in-the-uk) in the UK to bring the person’s body to the UK.

Registering the death

The death must be registered at the local registry office in Ukraine within 3 days of the date of death. Your funeral director can normally do this for you.

More information on Death registration – Guide online Diia (https://guide.diia.gov.ua/view/derzhavna-reiestratsiia-smerti-df51d49d-0c1c-4f14-9cb5-fca49e90a863) can be found here (in Ukrainian).

Getting a death certificate

After submitting an application for death registration, you will get a death certificate (‘Свідоцтво про смерть’), usually within 1 or 2 days, although it may take longer if the death takes place outside the main cities.

The death certificate will be issued in the Ukrainian language.

Ukrainian death certificates do not include the cause of death.

You should consider requesting extra copies of the death certificate. Having multiple copies can help avoid delays in settling affairs.

The local death certificate with a certified translation can usually be used in the UK for most purposes. You may check with the UK authorities you are going to present the certificate to whether the document needs to be legalised by the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine (https://minjust.gov.ua/contacts).

Post mortems in Ukraine

A post mortem is a medical examination of the body. Under Ukrainian law, a post mortem is likely to be required for a death of a foreigner occurring in Ukraine and written permission from the next of kin may be requested.

Cultural or religious sensitivities may not be taken into account.

Small tissue samples and organs may be removed for testing without the family’s permission. You will not be told automatically if this happens. If organs are removed, they will normally be returned before the person’s body is released for burial. If further investigation is needed, body parts may be kept without permission.

Post mortem reports are not routinely given to the next of kin. A medical certificate with details of the cause of death would be issued to the next of kin or appointed representative.

Burying or cremating the body in Ukraine

The next of kin of the person who has died will usually need to decide between a local burial, cremation or bringing the person home.

Your local funeral director (https://find-a-professional-service-abroad.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/find/funeral-directors) can give you advice on available options, costs, and help you make arrangements. In Ukraine, facilities for burials and cremations can differ, depending on your location.

A local death certificate must be obtained prior to burial or cremation.

You should not have the person cremated abroad if you want a coroner in England and Wales to conduct an inquest into their death. In Scotland, a further investigation may still be possible.

Bringing the body to the UK

If the person who died was covered by travel insurance, the insurance company will normally have a standing agreement with an International funeral director in the UK to arrange repatriation on your behalf. The international funeral director will work with a local funeral director in Ukraine and they will help you through the whole process. You will be expected to give permission for both funeral directors to act on your behalf.

If the person who died was not covered by travel insurance, neither the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, nor our Embassy in Ukraine, will be able to meet the expenses.

You will only be able to bring the person home once all local procedures have been completed.

Bringing the ashes to the UK

Seek advice from your funeral director about the rules for bringing ashes to the UK and local procedures.

If you are taking the ashes with you when you leave Ukraine, you will need to have both the death and cremation certificates, inform the airline in advance, follow Ukrainian regulations.

If you cannot take the ashes yourself, they can be shipped by air freight, although this can be expensive. You will not be able to send them by post or courier.

Getting the person’s belongings back

The funeral director can usually help with the return of the belongings.

If the person was a Ukrainian resident, you may not be able to take the belongings as they may form part of their estate. You should seek legal advice (https://find-a-professional-service-abroad.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/find/lawyers) if this happens.

Belongings may be kept as evidence if there is an investigation into the death, and only returned when the court case is over.

Please note, the British Embassy cannot take responsibility for the personal belongings of the person who died.

Finding a Ukrainian translator

English is not widely spoken in Ukraine. You may need a translator to communicate with the local authorities, and for the translation of documents. Check official translators (https://find-a-professional-service-abroad.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/find/translators-interpreters) in Ukraine. The British Embassy in Ukraine cannot provide translation services or pay for translation costs.

Finding a Ukrainian lawyer

You may need a lawyer to help you understand the Ukrainian legal system when someone has died. Check English-speaking lawyers (https://find-a-professional-service-abroad.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/find/lawyers) in Ukraine. The British Embassy in Ukraine cannot provide legal advice or pay for legal costs.

Telling the UK authorities

Although you do not have to register the death in the UK, when someone dies abroad you still need to tell the UK authorities. Please read general guidance on what to do when someone dies abroad (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/what-to-do-after-a-british-national-dies-abroad) to find out what steps you should take.

Contacting the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)

You can contact the FCDO if you still need advice:
- in the UK call xx-xxxx-xxxx