Repatriation from Cluj-Napoca, Romania

Cluj-Napoca is Romania’s second city and the main centre for Transylvania — the historical region in the heart of Romania associated with Bram Stoker’s Dracula, medieval fortress towns (Sibiu, Sighișoara, Brașov), and a rapidly growing reputation as a tech and student city. British visitors come for cultural tourism (the Transylvania countryside, Saxon fortified churches, the medieval city centres), for the Untold music festival (held in Cluj every July), and increasingly for city breaks drawn by low-cost flight connections. There is also a small British resident community, primarily in the technology and remote-working sector.

Romania is an EU member state. EU Regulation 650/2012 on succession applies, and EU repatriation frameworks can apply where the deceased was habitually resident in Romania at the time of death.

Consular coverage

The British Embassy Bucharest (24 Jules Michelet Street, Sector 1, Bucharest) is the UK diplomatic mission for Romania. There is no British consular presence in Cluj-Napoca. The Embassy handles all consular matters for deaths in Transylvania and the Cluj-Napoca area.

British Embassy Bucharest: +40 21 201 7200. FCDO 24-hour emergency line: +44 (0)20 7008 5000.

What Romanian law requires

Law No. 119/1996 on Civil Status Acts (Legea nr. 119/1996 privind actele de stare civilă, as amended): Deaths must be registered with the local Civil Status office (Serviciul de Stare Civilă) within 3 days for natural deaths, within 24 hours for violent or sudden deaths. The Death Certificate (Certificat de deces) is issued by the Cluj-Napoca City Hall Civil Status office (Primăria Cluj-Napoca, Serviciul de Stare Civilă).

Romanian Police (Poliția Română) — Cluj County Police Inspectorate (IPJ Cluj): Sudden, violent, or unexplained deaths are reported to the IPJ Cluj. The criminal investigation is conducted by the criminal investigation service and referred to the prosecutor’s office.

Institute of Forensic Medicine Cluj-Napoca (Institutul de Medicină Legală Cluj-Napoca, Clinicilor Street 3-5): The regional forensic institution for Transylvania and North-West Romania. Post-mortems are ordered by the prosecutor (Parchet de pe lângă Tribunalul Cluj) and conducted at the IML Cluj-Napoca.

Permit for international transport: Issued by the Cluj County Public Health Directorate (Direcția de Sănătate Publică Cluj) under the Public Health Law and ministerial norms for international transport of human remains.

Source: Legea nr. 119/1996 privind actele de stare civilă (Romania); 2024.

Medical coverage

Cluj Emergency County Hospital (Spitalul Clinic Județean de Urgență Cluj-Napoca, Clinicilor Street 3-5) is the main public hospital and trauma centre for the Cluj region and one of Romania’s most important referral hospitals. Private hospitals in Cluj include Regina Maria (21 December 1989 Boulevard) and Medicover (Republicii Street). Medical care in Cluj is generally of reasonable quality by regional standards, with a strong medical university tradition.

The documentation chain

1. Death certificate from Cluj-Napoca City Hall Civil Status office. 2. IPJ Cluj police report (in sudden deaths). 3. Post-mortem at IML Cluj-Napoca (if ordered by prosecutor). 4. Prosecutor’s release of the body. 5. Cluj County Public Health Directorate permit for international transport. 6. Embalming certificate. 7. IATA cargo documentation — CLJ (Cluj-Napoca International Airport) to LHR.

Cluj-Napoca International Avram Iancu Airport (CLJ) has direct services to London Luton (LTN) via Wizz Air, and to London Gatwick (LGW) via Ryanair. Flight time approximately 3.5 hours.

Timeline from Cluj-Napoca

Natural death, expected, hospital: 7 to 14 days
Prosecutor investigation, uncomplicated: 14 to 28 days
Complex criminal case: 6 to 12 weeks

For repatriation guidance, contact our team via our enquiry form or WhatsApp.

See also the Romania repatriation guide.

Information based on Legea nr. 119/1996 privind actele de stare civilă (Romania). Last reviewed May 2026.