Repatriation of mortal remains to another Member State

In the event of the death of a foreign citizen in Portugal, permission may be sought to repatriate the body to the country of origin or residence. This process is also known as transfer of the body or repatriation of mortal remains.

During the transfer, the body of the deceased must be accompanied by a special document known as the ‘mortal remains certificate’, issued by the Portuguese Public Prosecutor’s Office, after ensuring that:

• the medical, health, administrative and legal formalities required to transfer mortal remains and, if necessary, to ensure interment and exhumation in force in Portugal have been complied with
• the body has been placed in a coffin with the characteristics defined by law (Articles 6 and 7)
• the coffin contains only the body of the person referred to in the mortal remains certificate and the personal items to be interred or cremated with the body.

The only document the Member States involved require for repatriating the body is the ‘mortal remains certificate’.

This document must be written in the official language or one of the official languages of the State in which it is issued and in one of the official languages of the Council of Europe.

Learn the rules about the transfer of property after death.