Funeral Abroad — Transporting the Body to Poland, Costs, Formalities

Introduction

When a loved one dies in the USA, the family must decide: funeral in the USA or transport the body to Poland. Each option has different costs and formalities. The Polish consulate assists, but everything must be organized independently.

Costs — Approximate

• Funeral in the USA (traditional): 8,000-15,000 USD
• Cremation in the USA: 1,500-4,000 USD
• Repatriation of the body to Poland: 8,000-15,000 USD (cargo flights + preparation + coffin)
• Repatriation of ashes (after cremation): 100-500 USD (canonical container + transport)
• Funeral in Poland after repatriation: 5,000-12,000 PLN

First Steps After Death

Step 1: Death Certificate

• Doctor issues → goes to funeral home → state office issues certificate
• Order a MINIMUM of 10 original copies (each costs 15-30 USD)
• Needed for: insurance, banks, ZUS, estate transfer, etc.
• Apostille (Secretary of State) on selected copies — for matters in Poland

Step 2: Funeral Home

• Choose a Polish one — they know the repatriation procedure
• NYC: Stobierski-Lucas (Greenpoint), Pinaire (Maspeth), Cabanne (Ridgewood)
• Chicago: Jefferson Park Funeral Home, Lacky Funeral Home
• FH handles: embalming (mandatory for transport), coffin, documents

Step 3: Polish Consulate

• Report the death at the consulate (NYC: 233 Madison Ave; Chicago: 1530 N Lake Shore Dr; LA: 12400 Wilshire Blvd)
• The consulate issues a "Certificate of Transport of Remains"
• Fee: 100-200 USD
• The consulate does NOT finance repatriation (you must do it yourself)

Step 4: Notify Polish USC

• Death certificate from the USA + apostille + sworn translation
• Entry in the Polish USC in the municipality of last residence
• Issuance of a Polish death certificate (for matters in Poland — ZUS, banks)
• See death certificate from the USA to Poland

Repatriation of the Body — Procedure

Requirements

• Embalming — required for air transport
• Metal zinc coffin — tightly sealed; required for transporting remains
• Certificate of non-contagiousness — issued by a doctor
• Death Certificate with apostille
• Certificate from the Polish consulate
• Certificate from the funeral home
• Airline — cargo booking (LOT, Lufthansa, Air France)

Time

• 10-21 days from death to funeral in Poland
• Fastest: LOT direct NYC → Warsaw

Detailed Costs

• Embalming: 800-1,500 USD
• Metal coffin: 1,500-3,000 USD
• Funeral home services: 2,000-3,500 USD
• Cargo transport: 3,000-6,000 USD
• Consulate: 100-200 USD
• Translations + apostille: 200-500 USD
• Total: 8,000-15,000 USD

Repatriation of Ashes (Cremation in the USA)

• A simpler and cheaper option
• Cremation in the USA: 1,500-4,000 USD (depending on the state and FH)
• Container (urn) approved for air transport
• Cremation certificate + consulate certificate
• You can carry in cabin luggage (most airlines allow) or cargo
• In Poland: burial of ashes in a cemetery, in an urn
• Total: 2,000-5,000 USD

Financial Assistance

• Social Security Death Benefit — one-time payment of 255 USD for the spouse
• ZUS funeral benefit — up to 4,000 PLN, if the deceased had ZUS insurance (see reporting death to ZUS)
• Veteran's Affairs (if a veteran) — up to 2,000 USD
• Polonia Aid Foundation — in some cases of hardship
• Polish parishes — sometimes offer assistance; ask the pastor
• Polish Assistance Association — in exceptional situations

Health and Funeral Insurance

• Life insurance — if the deceased had a life policy, payout of 50-500 thousand USD to beneficiaries
• Final expense insurance — popular among Poles aged 50+; 10-20k USD for funeral
• Polish & Slavic FCU — offers life insurance policies for members
• Check the deceased's documents — many Poles have policies that the family is unaware of

Direct Burial in the USA

• Polish cemeteries: St. John (Middle Village, NYC), Resurrection (Justice, IL — Chicago)
• Plot: 1,500-5,000 USD (depending on the cemetery)
• Coffin, funeral, stone: together 6,000-12,000 USD
• Plus: family can visit; minus: cost + some want to be buried in the family grave in Poland

Common Mistakes

• Not checking if the deceased had life insurance — unclaimed money
• Choosing an expensive FH without comparison (differences of 30-50%)
• Lack of apostille on the Death Certificate — collection in Poland impossible
• Not notifying ZUS within 12 months — loss of funeral benefit
• Not informing the Polish consulate — delays in transport
• Choosing body transport instead of cremation without an informed decision — 3-5 times more expensive