Transportation of deceased persons from the Netherlands

You may transport a body to a country outside the Netherlands. You will need to present a number of documents to customs officers. Most of these documents are available on request from the municipality where the person died.

What you need to bring with you

  • An (international) death certificate.
  • A permit for burial or cremation. This applies to transportation within the Benelux.
  • A laisser-passer. This applies to transportation outside the Benelux.
  • A medical certificate of cause of death. This can be a declaration by the doctor or coroner or a declaration by the public prosecutor.

Transportation to the Netherlands

You may also transport a deceased person to the Netherlands from another country. You will also need a declaration from the competent authority of that country. The Dutch embassy or consulate in that country will be able to help you with this.