How to transport a deceased from Russia to South Korea
A citizen of South Korea died in Russia - what to do?
1. Notify the insurance company whose client was the deceased
In the event of the death of a citizen of the Republic of Korea on the territory of Russia, his relatives or representatives must first contact the insurance company. Although there is a visa-free regime * between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Korea, in accordance with Russian law **, a medical insurance policy is a mandatory document for all foreigners arriving in Russia. The insurance should cover the entire period of stay in the country and the minimum set of medical services, including the repatriation of remains in case of death.
The amount of compulsory insurance coverage will differ depending on the state to which the insured person belongs, but it cannot be less than 2 million rubles at the rate of the Central Bank of Russia. Thus, the insurance will protect travelers from unforeseen medical expenses abroad and will help organize posthumous repatriation at minimal cost for the family of the deceased.
*Intergovernmental agreement on mutual abolition of visa regime (Seoul, November 13, 2013).
** Federal Law No. 114-F3 "On the procedure for leaving the Russian Federation and entering the Russian Federation" of 15.08.1996, Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 1488 "On medical insurance of foreign citizens temporarily staying in the Russian Federation" dated 11.12.1998.
Please notice, that the insurance company will most likely refuse to pay the sum insured to the client in the following cases:
- The death occurred as a result of alcohol or drug intoxication;
- The insured person died during the commission of a criminal offense;
- The cause of death was an injury sustained while engaging in active or extreme sports (if this was not agreed with the insurance company and paid for separately).
2. Contact the nearest branch of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea
In the event of the death of a citizen of the Republic of Korea, the consular department staff will advise on the repatriation of his remains to his homeland, assist in the preparation of the necessary documents, and will provide the relatives of the deceased with a list of competent funeral agencies with experience in body transportation abroad. If the death of a foreign citizen became the subject of investigation of the Russian law enforcement agencies, the consulate will advise qualified lawyers to the family of the deceased. Besides, the consulate is capable of:
- Advise on the correct procedure for registering the death in the Russian Federation and the preparation of the appropriate package of documents.
- Advise on possible ways of organizing the burial of a citizen of South Korea on the territory of the Russian Federation, the cost of such a ceremony, and potential pitfalls.
- Provide up-to-date information on the posthumous repatriation of the deceased home.
- Ttranslate and certify documents required for post-mortem transportation (on a paid basis).
Please notice! The Korean Consulate usually does not undertake:
- Payment for cremation, burial and transportation of the body/ashes to their homeland.
- Solving legal issues of a private nature concerning the deceased.
For more information on the scope of services provided by the Consulate of the Republic of Korea, please visit the official website http://0404.go.kr/country/support.jsp.
3. Choose a funeral company for the transportation of remains home
To organize the posthumous repatriation independently is a complex process that might take weeks. Therefore, the Embassy of the Republic of Korea recommends that you seek help from an established local funeral company. Experienced specialists will help with the preparation of all the necessary documents and spare relatives the trouble of bureaucratic red tape.
4. Choose a method of transportation and carrier
The most preferred way of transporting a deceased citizen of the Republic of Korea home is air transportation. Despite the relatively high cost, it is the fastest and statistically safest way to transport body/ashes across the border. It should be noted that in accordance with the international aviation rules of ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) and the Ministry of Transport of Russia, it is the air carrier who determines the rules and cost of transporting cargo. To find out relevant details, you should contact the representatives of a particular company directly.
The cost of transportation depends mainly on the weight of the remains and the distance to the destination. It is also worth noting that many airlines require escort of the coffin/urn, which means that the accompanying person will need to purchase tickets.
Required documents for transporting body/ashes to South Korea
After noting the insurance company about the death case, one should collect the following mandatory documents to organize transportation:
- The passport of the deceased, as well as the identity document of the applicant. In case of loss of a document of a civil or foreign passport of the deceased in Russia, you must contact the South Korean embassy as soon as possible.
- Medical death certificate (form №106/u-08). It is required for registration of a stamp certificate and, as a rule, is not included in the package of documents required for repatriation. An exception is the violent nature of death.
- Stamp death certificate. You can obtain it from the multifunctional center for the provision of state and municipal services (MFC) or civil registry offices (Civil Registry Office).
- Consular death registration certificate.
- Certificates of cargo compliance with the relevant rules: certificate of embalming, certificate of airtight sealing of the coffin and non-insertion of foreign objects, as well as the certificate of the absence of infectious diseases (in the case of transportation of the remains by the coffin). Typically issued by a morgue or funeral agency
- Permission to export the body or cremated remains from the Russian Federation. Available from Rospotrebnadzor.
Rules for the transportation of a deceased person from Russia to South Korea
- The coffin with the body of the deceased must have a zinc liner and be hermetically sealed and packed in a sealed zinc container. Regardless of the type of external container, it must be protected by a wooden transport box to avoid mechanical damage or leakage of the coffin.
- When transporting cremated remains by plane, the urn must not be shielded from X-rays. The urn also needs to be sealed and carefully packed in a wooden box, upholstered from the inside with fabric.
- The container with the body or the urn with the ashes must not have extraneous attachments, the absence of which must be confirmed by a certificate.
Funeral costs in the Republic of Korea
Organizing a funeral in South Korea costs an average of $ 8,000 to $ 15,000, including the cost of the gravesite and the installation of a simple gravestone. Burial in an urn will cost about $ 5,000.
Useful Links
Gosuslugi (Public Services)
Russian Federation Public Services Portal. Here you can find how to get various documents required to arrange remains transportation.
Website: https://www.gosuslugi.ru
Rospotrebnadzor
Address: Vadkovsky Pereulok 18, building 5 and 7, Moscow, 127994
Phone: +7 (499) 973-26-90
Website: http://www.rospotrebnadzor.ru
Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in St. Petersburg
Address: St. Petersburg, Nekrasova Street, 32-A;
Phone: +7 (812) 448-19-09
Email: korea.spb@mail.ru
Website: http://overseas.mofa.go.kr
Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Vladivostok
Address: Vladivostok, Pologaya street, house 19;
Phone: + 7-4232-40-2222
Email: korvl@mofa.go.kr
Website: http://overseas.mofa.go.kr
Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Irkutsk
Address: Irkutsk, Gagarin Boulevard, 44;
Phone: (7-3952) 250 - 301
Email: irkutsk@mofa.go.kr
Website: http://overseas.mofa.go.kr/ru-irkutsk-ru/index.do
Ritual.ru – assistance in post-mortem repatriation to South Korea
Many years of experience, knowledge, resources, and status of the state funeral service allow Ritual.ru to organize posthumous repatriation to South Korea in the shortest possible time in compliance with all international rules. To arrange transportation of a deceased citizen of South Korea, call Ritual.ru on the hotline +7 (495) 100-3-100 . Our specialists work around the clock.
See Also
