What to do if someone dies in Ukraine

Ukraine is an active conflict zone. If a British national has died in Ukraine, the first call is not to a funeral home. It is to the FCDO Emergency Travel Line: 020 7008 5000.

This is not a standard repatriation case. The processes, contacts, and logistics that apply to most countries do not apply in Ukraine.

Step one: Call FCDO immediately

The British Embassy in Kyiv suspended normal consular operations following Russia’s full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022. Consular assistance for Ukraine is now coordinated via the FCDO Emergency Travel Line and a British presence maintained in Lviv.

Call 020 7008 5000. Explain that a British national has died in Ukraine. FCDO will guide you on the immediate steps and the specific consular pathway for this case.

Step two: Appoint a specialist

Ukraine cases require a specialist repatriation company with conflict zone experience. Not every repatriation company handles Ukraine. Ask directly: have they managed cases from Ukraine since February 2022? Do they have contacts in Lviv? Do they have a network at the Polish border crossings?

Step three: Establish location

The repatriation process is fundamentally different depending on where the death occurred.

Deaths in Kyiv and government-held urban areas involve Ukrainian official administrative processes that are still functioning, though under significant pressure. Deaths in areas of active combat, occupation, or recent frontline movement may be impossible to progress until conditions change.

Your specialist must establish whether the area is accessible and under Ukrainian government administrative control before any formal process can begin.

Documentation

All Ukrainian official documentation is in Ukrainian Cyrillic. Death certificates, forensic reports, Ministry of Health export permits — everything requires certified translation into English for UK reregistration purposes.

In government-held territory, administrative processes continue. The National Forensic Science Centre of Ukraine and the Ministry of Health continue to issue documentation.

The overland route

Boryspil International Airport (KBP) near Kyiv has been closed since 24 February 2022. All cargo must leave Ukraine by road or rail.

The most used exit route is the Shehyni/Medyka crossing into Poland. From there, cargo connects via Rzeszow-Jasionka Airport, Warsaw Chopin Airport, or Krakow John Paul II Airport to UK destinations. Journey time from Kyiv to the Polish border is typically 8 to 12 hours depending on conditions and crossing wait times.

Timeline and cost

Allow 6 to 12 weeks as a minimum for most cases. Cases involving active combat areas may take several months or may not be possible until security conditions permit.

On arrival in the UK

Register the death with the relevant UK registrar. Deaths abroad require registration in the district where the family resides. Bring all translated documentation.

Further resources

• FCDO Ukraine travel advice (gov.uk)
• FCDO Emergency Travel Line: 020 7008 5000 (available 24 hours)
• Repatriation from Ukraine to the UK — full country guide