How to transport the deceased person's body from Russia to Uzbekistan

A citizen of Uzbekistan died in Russia – what to do: 

1. Notify the deceased person's insurance company

To enter Russia, citizens of Uzbekistan are required to have insurance covering the costs of post-mortem repatriation. Many citizens of Uzbekistan, entering Russia, have bogus insurance policies. Please mind, that to obtain compensation for the cost of returning the body under such a policy is not possible. Repatriation of the body is a rather expensive procedure and we recommend to secure legally valid and binding insurance contract, which will cover the costs of return of the remains to the motherland in case of death of a citizen of Uzbekistan in Russia. The insurance company will bear the expenses on returning the body home and participate in organizing the process of post mortem repatriation.

In the event of Uzbekistan citizen’s death in Russia their family or representatives should not hesitate to notify the insurance company by telephone on the number specified in the policy. 

2. Notify the Consulate (Embassy) of Uzbekistan

The embassy will provide the most up-to-date list of requirements for importing the body to Uzbekistan and it will assist in paperwork and arranging the return of the remains home in collaboration with the insurance company.

3. Choose a funeral director that will help transport the body to Uzbekistan

The transportation of the remains back home can be arranged independently, but it is better to hire professionals for help. Collecting and executing of documents that meet all requirements of the Russian Federation is quite complicated and bureaucratized. A qualified funeral director will collect all necessary documents and arrange transportation in accordance with the customs and sanitary requirements. They will do it faster and help to avoid mistakes related to post-mortem repatriation arrangement.

If you choose to collect the documents and organize transportation of the remains independently, it may take up to 1-2 weeks.

A funeral director will do it within up to 3 business days.

What should not be done when transporting the body to Uzbekistan

We recommend to arrange transportation of the remains only with a full package of correctly executed documents. Otherwise, this will lead to serious problems during the inspection of vehicle or when crossing the border. Violation of the rules for transporting the body is fraught with heavy fines and even criminal prosecution.

Specifics of post-mortem repatriation to Uzbekistan:

The Embassy of Uzbekistan does not publish information on remains importing rules. Currently, neither documents translation into Uzbekistan, nor a special import permit is required. However, the rules are changing, so make sure you contact the embassy to obtain the up-to-date information.

Who can provide financial aid for organizing the transportation of the body to Uzbekistan

There are two organizations entitled to provide financial aid for organizing body repatriation to Uzbekistan:

1. Agency for External Labor Migration of Uzbekistan
2. Fund for support and protection of the rights and interests of Uzbekistan citizens engaged in labor activities abroad

You can ask the Consulate General of the Republic of Uzbekistan to address such request for help to relevant organizations.

Assistance from the Uzbekistan Embassy in post-mortem repatriation

In the event of the death of Uzbekistan citizen, Embassy employees will:

1. provide up-to-date list of requirements and documents for the importation of the deceased;
2. advise on the general procedure for arranging the transportation of the body from Russia to Uzbekistan;
3. send a request for financial aid to relevant organizations.

What Uzbekistan embassy and consulates do not do:

• pay for the burial and post-mortem repatriation of a Usbekistan citizen;
• provide any legal advice.

Post-mortem repatriation: is it allowed to cremate a Muslim?

If the deceased person was a Muslim, then only the body can be transported. Islam does not approve of cremation:

"Breaking the bone of a dead person is similar (in sin) to breaking the bone of a living person," 
hadith Ahmad 24686

There may be situations where it is permissible or can be forgiven:

"Before your time, there was a man who did nothing good except believing that Allah is the only god. When the man was about to die, he told his family, 'When I died, take my body and burn it until it becomes like coal. Then grind it and scatter it in the air on a windy day.' When the man died, the family did what he had instructed them to do. Then God held man in the Lord's hand. God, the Almighty and Glorious, asked the man, 'Oh, son of Adam! What made you do what you did?' The man replied, 'Oh, Lord! Fear of you.' So God forgave the man because of this and the man had never done anything good except believing that Allah is the only god.", 
hadith Ahmad 8040

However, the practice of cremation is not common for Islam.

Repatriation of remains: if the deceased was not a Muslim

If the deceased was not a Muslim and is not to be buried in a Muslim cemetery, then there are no reasons against cremation.

Russia and Uzbekistan allow exporting and importing of remains:

• The body in a sealed container;
• Cinerary urn.

Ashes shipment is always cheaper and easier to arrange.

To ship a body or an urn to Uzbekistan you will need to:

1. Collect the documents;
2. Choose the transportation method: by air, train, or by road;
3. Sign a shipping contract with the chosen carrier;
4. Hand over the remains to the carrier for transportation to Uzbekistan.

List of documents for remains transportation from Russian Federation to Usbekistan

Up-to-date requirements for arranging documents for body / ashes importation to Uzbekistan can only be provided by the Embassy or Consulate of Uzbekistan.

You can collect the documents independently. It may take up to 1-2 weeks.

A funeral home will do it within up to 3 business days.

Rules of remains importation into Uzbekistan

• The body must be in a zinc container or coffin with a zinc liner, which is packed in a wooden transport box.
• When transporting ashes, the urn should be transparent to X-rays.
• The container with the body or the ashes must be sealed and have no unauthorized contents.

Choosing an airline to transport the remains to Uzbekistan

According to Russian Ministry of Transport decree 82 dated 28.06.2007, and ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization), the airline itself determines the body carriage rules.

The Russian airlines allow to carry the body or the ashes only in the luggage compartment.

Carriers from other countries may allow you to carry the ashes in your hand luggage.

Make sure that you check the details on the rules and applicable fares from the chosen airline representatives – this information may often not be publicly available.

The cost of remains transporting to Uzbekistan

The cost depends on weight of remains, coffin & carrier rates.

It is always cheaper to ship ashes than a body.

Many airlines require an attendant on board the aircraft. This applies to both the body and the ashes. A relative of the deceased person or a funeral home representative can be such an attendant. The attendant must have a flight ticket. Some airlines have special rates for shipping remains and attending persons' tickets.

Make sure you check the rates at each specific airline.

Useful Links

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 & 7, Moscow, 127994

Phone: +7 (499) 973-26-90

Website: http://www.rospotrebnadzor.ru

Embassy of Uzbekistan in Russia

Address: Pogorelsky Lane, Building 12, Moscow, 119017

Phone: + 7 (499) 230-00-78

Fax: + 7 (499) 238-89-18

Website: http://www.uzembassy.ru/

Consular Section of Uzbekistan Embassy in Russia

Address: 2nd Kazachiy lane, Building 2, Moscow, 119017

Phone: + 7 (499) 230-00-76 

Fax: + 7 (499) 230-04-79

Working hours: Monday — Friday, 09.00 — 13.00, 14.00 — 18.00

Agency for External Labor Migration (Moscow)

Address: 1st Kazachiy lane, Building 11/2, Moscow, 119017

Phone: + 7 (903) 507-76-67

Agency for External Labor Migration (Tashkent)

Address: Almazar district, Kamarniso street, building 1

Phone: + 998 (71) 202-33-55 (Internal number 16, 17)

Telegram channel: @migration_uz

Uzbekistan Communities in Russia:

Website: http://uz-obshina.ru/

VK: https://vk.com/public73362591

Fergana News (news agency)

https://fergana.agency/

Uzbek National Cultural Autonomy in Moscow

Address: Kostomarovsky lane, building 3/1, office 201, Moscow, 105120

Phone: + 7 (916) 190-0306

E-mail: info@uzbekmos.ru

Website: http://uzbekmos.ru/

Ritual.ru – Assistance in the post-mortem repatriation to Uzbekistan

With our vast experience, knowledge, resources, and status of the official state funeral service Ritual.ru can quickly arrange post-mortem repatriation to Uzbekistan. To arrange shipping the deceased Usbekistan citizen back home call Ritual.ru hot line +7 (495) 100-3-100 .

See Also

• Transportation of the deceased person's body from Russia to Israel
• Body Repatriation to Spain
• Posthumous repatriation from Russia to Norway