1. Cremated remains
There are no special requirements for the shipment of cremated remains into Hungary, however, the funeral urns must be sealed. If the cremated remains are sent by mail, the package containing the urn should be addressed to the recipient or the cemetery. It is recommended that a copy of the certificate of death be enclosed with the shipment.
Urns can also be brought into Hungary as a carry-on luggage. No additional permits or licenses are required from the diplomatic or consular missions of Hungary.
2. Non-cremated remains
The deceased must be placed in a double casket. The inner one must be firm and entirely airtight, and made of sheet metal (lead or zinc). Absorbent material, such as sawdust, must be placed on the bottom of the inner casket. The body must be soaked in a sublimate solution of 1% strength.
The casket must be packed in a wooden coffin, which may again be packed to be protected from eventual damage, or may be covered with canvas or tarpaulin so that the nature of its contents are not revealed. Strong handles must be bolted on the outer packaging. The funeral director should provide a certificate attesting that the above procedure has been followed. Transporting of objects or flowers with the human remains is strongly prohibited.
The Hungarian diplomatic and consular missions will issue a permit for shipment into Hungary if the following documents are provided:
1. Certificate of the funeral director (containing information on the preparation of the body and the casket)
2. Letter of receipt issued by a cemetery in Hungary.
3. Itinerary, means of transportation, name of the entry point into Hungary.
4. Name and address of contact person in Hungary.
5. Letter from the medical examiner on the cause of death (was not contagious disease!) 6. Death Certificate
The issuance of the permit is subject to a fee of $37 per document.
Those applying through mail should enclose a money order made out to the name of the competent foreign mission of Hungary in the United States, and a self addressed and stamped envelope for certified mail.
