Exhumation is the removal of the body or remains from a grave or a place of temporary burial for the purpose of visual inspection or moving them to another place (e.g. closer to the family's place of residence)

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In order to arrange the date of the exhumation, first of all, you should go to the administration of the cemetery where the remains are to be buried. The cemetery must agree to the place and right to bury the exhumed person.

 

The local sanitary inspector (Sanepid) supervises the exhumation. You should apply there for permission to carry out exhumation activities.

The persons authorized to submit the application are:

• a spouse of the deceased

• descendants (descendant in a straight line: child, grandson, great-grandson)

• ascendants (ancestor in a straight line: parents, grandparents, great-grandparents)

• side relatives up to the fourth degree

• relatives in a straight line to the first degree

• persons voluntarily obliging themselves to do so

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The generally accepted rule regarding the possibility of exhumation is about 10 years from burial (in the case of wet and clay soils it is 20 years).

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The exhumation of the body and remains is allowed in the period from October 16 to April 15 (the sanitary inspector may consent to its execution at a different date).

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More information:

• Regulation of the Minister of Health of December 7, 2001 on the handling of human corpses and remains.