Road transportation
• Repatriation of the body from abroad to Belarus
• Transportation of the body to Russia and the CIS:
• Transportation of the body to Russia and the CIS:
Body repatriation from Belarus to Belgium
How to arrange transportation of a coffin with the body
Regardless of the mode of transportation (aircraft, road transport), delivery of cargo 200 is a highly responsible task, complex both documentarily and organisationally.
This procedure requires compliance with specific conditions (storage, transportation of the body) and involves the preparation of numerous permit documents for the transportation of cargo.
Repatriation from Minsk to Brussels and any Belgian commune
Families requesting repatriation from Belarus to Belgium are often connected to the communities of Brussels, Antwerp and Liège: Belarusian emigrants who worked in Belgium for decades, diplomatic staff, students at European universities, and mixed families with relatives on both sides of the border. We handle these families delicately: we answer the phone at any hour, immediately explain the process and take on every documentary and logistical task. No unnecessary upselling, no obscure terminology — only clear steps and realistic timelines.
In Belarus our team issues the Belarusian death certificate at ZAGS, obtains the forensic conclusion from the State Committee of Forensic Examinations in Minsk, prepares an embalming certificate and the zinc-coffin sealing act, and secures the export permit. The full package is apostilled by the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs — since Belarus is a Hague Convention member, Belgium accepts the documents without further consular legalisation. Translation into Dutch, French or English is performed by a sworn translator and notarised according to Belgian requirements.
From Minsk National Airport (MSQ) we ship via Warsaw (LOT) or Istanbul (Turkish Airlines) to Brussels-Zaventem (BRU) or Charleroi (CRL). Total transit time is 20 to 26 hours including cargo handling. For families who wish to accompany the body personally or reduce air freight costs, a road option is available: a refrigerated hearse from Minsk via Brest, Warsaw, Berlin and Aachen to Brussels — about 1,800 km and 26 hours on the road, including driver rest and border formalities.
In Belgium our partner — a licensed funeral service — meets the cargo at the airport or border, clears customs and liaises with the relevant commune: each Belgian commune independently manages cemeteries and issues burial permits. We stay in touch with the Belarusian consulate in Brussels and the Belgian embassy in Minsk when additional legalisation is needed. Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant and Muslim ceremonies are supported, as well as cremation at one of the Belgian crematoria. The family receives copies of all documents and receipts.
The dispatch line +375 29 314-59-59 is open 24/7, including Belgian and Belarusian holidays. On the first call we prepare a free quote: documents, zinc coffin, air ticket or hearse, customs in Belgium, meeting the cargo and handover to a local funeral home. The price is fixed in the contract with no hidden surcharges. We accept payments in BYN, EUR and USD and issue a full set of financial documents. Call and an experienced coordinator will take all organisation off your shoulders so you can focus on the family.
Quick summary
- Phone 24/7: +375 29 314-59-59
- Documents: ZAGS, forensic report, MFA Belarus apostille, NL/FR/EN translation
Frequently asked questions
Which Belgian cities do you deliver to?
We cover all of Belgium — Flanders, Wallonia and the Brussels-Capital Region. The main air hubs are Brussels-Zaventem (BRU) and Charleroi (CRL). From there our Belgian partners transport the cargo to Antwerp, Ghent, Bruges, Leuven, Mechelen, Hasselt, Liège, Namur, Charleroi, Mons and Tournai. For small communes the route is tailored to the cemetery address. With road transport we deliver directly to the funeral home, bypassing the airport entirely.
What documents are required in Belarus and Belgium?
In Belarus: Belarusian ZAGS death certificate, forensic conclusion from the State Committee of Forensic Examinations, embalming certificate, zinc-coffin sealing act, export permit and MFA apostille. In Belgium: international Laissez-Passer mortuaire, apostilled dossier with translation into Dutch, French or English, and the commune's burial or cremation permit. We prepare both packages in parallel so that Zaventem customs do not delay the cargo.
How long does delivery from Minsk to Belgium take?
Air transport via Warsaw or Istanbul to Brussels takes 2 to 4 calendar days. That covers embalming, zinc-coffin sealing, the MFA apostille (one to two days, or same day express), sworn translation and the flight itself. Road transport by hearse via Brest, Poland and Germany takes 3 to 5 days depending on queues at the Brest-Terespol or Kukuryki crossings and on the distance to the final Belgian commune.
How much does repatriation from Belarus to Belgium cost?
The quote includes: body preparation at the Minsk morgue, zinc and wooden coffins, ZAGS documents, MFA apostille, sworn translation, Belavia/LOT/Turkish air tariff or hearse work, customs clearance in Belgium, meeting the cargo and handover to a local funeral service. The final figure depends on weight, urgency and distance to the commune. Call +375 29 314-59-59 — a specialist will prepare a free transparent estimate in euros and lock it into the contract without hidden fees.
Is a zinc coffin mandatory?
Yes. IATA rules and EU sanitary standards require a hermetic zinc insert placed inside a wooden coffin. Sealing is performed in Minsk by our specialists with a sanitary inspector present, and a sealing act with a serial number is issued. Belgian customs verify zinc integrity on arrival. Opening the zinc coffin on Belgian soil without permission from the commune's sanitary service is forbidden — at the funeral home only the wooden lid is lifted for farewell.
Where do I obtain the apostille in Belarus?
The apostille is issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus at 19 Lenina Street in Minsk. Since Belarus is a Hague Convention member, the apostille is fully recognised in Belgium and replaces consular legalisation. Standard processing takes one to two working days, express can be done the same day. Our lawyer files documents by notarised proxy, pays the fee and hands the ready package to a sworn translator into Dutch or French.
Can I accompany the body to Belgium?
Yes. Relatives may fly on the same Belavia/LOT/Turkish flight or travel in parallel with the hearse. For flights via Warsaw or Istanbul a Schengen visa is required — the Belgian consulate in Minsk and the visa centre accept applications on an express basis upon presenting the death certificate and our cargo-200 accompaniment letter. The hearse cabin offers one or two accompanying seats. We issue the accompaniment certificate for consulates and border guards.
What visas do relatives need?
Belarusian citizens apply for a Schengen visa at the Belgian consulate in Minsk or through the visa centre. With the apostilled death certificate and an invitation letter from the Belgian pompes funèbres, the visa is issued urgently within one to three working days. Citizens of Russia, Kazakhstan and other countries apply at their respective consulates. We prepare an official invitation from the Belgian partner and forward it to the family for the visa application.
Do you work on weekends and holidays?
Yes, the line +375 29 314-59-59 operates 24/7. We answer calls during New Year holidays, Orthodox and Catholic Christmas, Radunitsa, Easter, Belarusian Victory and Independence Days, and Belgian Toussaint, Fête du Roi and other holidays. The body-collection team is dispatched at any hour. ZAGS and MFA paperwork is filed on the next working day, while body preparation and zinc-coffin sealing proceed in parallel so the cargo leaves as soon as offices open.
What if documents are not ready yet?
Call straight away. We start body preparation, embalming, zinc-coffin sealing and flight booking in parallel with the paperwork. Our lawyer obtains the medical death certificate from the State Committee of Forensic Examinations, registers the death at ZAGS, picks up the official certificate, submits it for the MFA apostille and forwards it to a sworn translator. If relatives are abroad, everything is handled under a notarised power of attorney delivered by courier.