From Canada or the United States, making a third day funeral is close to impossible, and there is no shame in that. We hold the service so that you are present on the link, and we keep for you everything that can be kept. Call us at any hour: +38 067 390 88 93. The same number works on Viber and WhatsApp, and the time difference is not a problem, we answer at night as well.
What we handle while you are in Canada or the United States
We collect the body from the house, the hospital or the morgue, obtain the documents, dig the grave, arrange things with the cemetery and the church, and bring the coffin, the cross, the wreaths and the textiles. The family needs one trusted person in Ukraine, only to sign the papers that by law cannot be signed remotely. A neighbour, a cousin, a godparent, any adult will do.
We send photographs of coffins, wreaths and ribbons before anything is bought, so you choose rather than learn about it afterwards. The full price is agreed before the work starts and does not change along the way.
How long the journey takes
There are no direct flights to Ukraine. The usual route is a flight to Warsaw, Krakow or Rzeszow and an overland transfer to the Vinnytsia region, which with connections takes thirty to forty hours in transit and, allowing for finding tickets, two or three days in practice. So families more often agree on a different plan: we hold the funeral at the usual time and you come for the ninth day, the fortieth day or the headstone.
The funeral is usually on the third day, but the date can be moved. Tell us early when you can realistically be here and we will arrange it with the cemetery and the priest. This is ordinary practice, nobody will be surprised.
If you cannot travel
We hold the service without you and open a video link from the church and the cemetery so you can watch it live. Afterwards we send photographs of the grave, the wreaths and the ribbons. If you wish, we film the moment your wreath is placed on the grave.
Later, when you are able to come, we will take you to the cemetery and show you exactly what was done.
Documents and the apostille for Canada and the USA
The death certificate is issued by the civil registry office in Ukraine and we help obtain it. For the document to be accepted by Canadian and American institutions, it needs an apostille, a stamp from the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine. Both countries accept Ukrainian documents with an apostille; translation requirements depend on the institution or the state, so ask what format they want before paying for a translation.
The apostille is issued inside Ukraine, which is exactly where our help is usually needed: we can submit the papers on behalf of your trusted person and post the finished certificate to you. Exact translation and certification requirements are worth confirming with the consulate, as they change from time to time.
Paying from abroad
From North America, Wise, Revolut or a bank transfer in dollars all work. We state the fees and the rate in advance so you know what actually arrives. We do not ask for the whole cost upfront and we never ask for cash in hand on the day of the funeral. The invoice and the photo report go to your messenger.
Inheritance: the six month rule
The clock starts on the day of death, not on the day you found out. This is the mistake families abroad make most often: they arrive a year later and discover the period has expired. If a house, a land share or a bank account remains in Ukraine, see a notary within six months or grant power of attorney to someone here. We explain it in detail in the guide on inheritance.
Grave care after the funeral
This is what families abroad miss most. We visit the grave once or on a schedule: clearing, topping up the soil, washing the headstone, flowers for a chosen date, preparing the plot for winter. After every visit we send before and after photographs. More on the grave care page.
Call us and we will start the same day.