Repatriation from France to Luxembourg

Embassy of Luxembourg in France: contact the Luxembourgish Embassy for documentation guidance. Hague Apostille applies (Luxembourg joined 1979).

In a straightforward case, repatriation from France to Luxembourg takes 2-4 weeks. The fastest cases complete in 7-14 days. Complex cases involving criminal investigation or remote locations can take 4-8 weeks.

The core documents are: acte de deces (death certificate from the local mairie), embalming certificate, freedom from infection certificate, passport of the deceased, and all required export permits. The acte de deces is issued in French. Certified translation into the destination country's language is required for all non-French-speaking destinations.

The Luxembourgish funeral director takes custody at the cargo terminal at Luxembourg Findel Airport (LUX). Death is registered at the local commune, where the acte de deces (death certificate) is issued. Legalisation and apostille of the acte de deces is handled by the legalisation service of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs. Luxembourg is a Hague Apostille Convention member since 3 June 1979. All documentation from France must be in order before the body is released for the funeral.

Yes. Cremation in France is an option in most cases, though local authorities must release the body before cremation can take place. You will need the death certificate, cremation certificate, and an export permit for the ashes. Ashes are simpler to transport than a body and carry lower cargo costs. Ask our team for specific guidance on your case.

The legalisation service of Luxembourg's Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs issues apostille certification for the acte de deces (death certificate), which is first obtained from the local commune where the death is registered. Luxembourg is a Hague Apostille member since 3 June 1979, so this is generally a straightforward process for documents arriving from other Hague member states.