Russia is, by some distance, the most demanding repatriation case on this site. Not because any single step is unusually hard, but because bureaucratic complexity, diplomatic strain, and suspended direct flights all stack on top of each other at once.
Start with the FCDO, not the local authorities
The FCDO advises against all travel to Russia. When a British national dies there, the family’s first call should be the FCDO Emergency Travel Line, 020 7008 5000, not any Russian office directly. The British Embassy in Moscow can register the death, but its capacity to intervene in a complex case is far more limited than it was before 2022.
Seven steps, and every one takes time
Death registration runs through the ZAGS Civil Registry Office, which issues the Svidetelstvo o smerti, the primary death certificate. From there: the attending physician’s cause-of-death certification, the ZAGS registration itself, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs apostille on every document, Investigative Committee clearance for any non-natural death, a health authority export permit, embalming by a licensed Russian mortuary, and finally cargo booking via a third country. That apostille stage alone routinely adds two to four weeks.
Non-natural deaths add real uncertainty
The Investigative Committee of Russia investigates every violent, sudden, or unexplained death, and it has to issue formal clearance confirming no prosecution is pending before the body can be released. In a simple accident case, this is nominally routine. In practice, cases involving dual nationals, people connected to sensitive industries, or deaths in restricted regions can face investigation periods that don’t follow a predictable schedule. Families shouldn’t assume a fixed timetable here.
Where in Russia matters
Moscow and St Petersburg have well-established bureaucratic infrastructure. Elsewhere, particularly Siberia, the Russian Far East, or the North Caucasus, local authorities have far less experience with international repatriation, and a local transfer to Moscow before export is often unavoidable. Deaths in the North Caucasus can also involve security service interest, which adds a further layer families should be prepared for.
Read next of kin rights when someone dies abroad, or see repatriation from Russia to the UK for the full country breakdown.
Contact Repatriate Service on +44 7703 577246 at any hour, or use the enquiry form below.