Many expats wish to be buried after their death in the country where they were born. After all, religion and culture often play an important role in the coping process of bereaved families, and traditions from the country of origin are not always possible in Belgium. For example, in Belgium, cremation rituals or an eternal grave are not possible. The Belgian State does provide for the possibility of repatriating deceased persons to the country of origin or to countries with different regulations for the burial of deceased persons. However, this is only possible if the Belgian and international agreements are respected. For example, deceased persons who are transported abroad must be accompanied by an international permit to transport human remains:
- Consult the manual
- Apply for a permit via this application
- Your application will be handled by the Saniport staff at Brussels Airport
- After validation of the required documents, you will receive a message in your mailbox to download the permit.
Please note: The document can also be delivered to the airport, but Saniport staff no longer move outside the airport perimeter. They only go to the departure hall once a day, between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m., to process applications that are not submitted electronically.