Can you move a coffin once it has layed to rest, say to another cemetary in another country many yrs. later?

Question

I have heard of some cases in which one needs valid reasons to move a coffin.

Also the process of moving a coffin can be difficult.

What kind of permission would be needed and the process necessary for this procedure?

Answer 1

Certainly, if you have a legal claim to the remains. Obviously there are many details which will need to be worked - arranging for the exhumation with whomever has responsibility for the current site, state and local certificates for transporting and then shipping the remains, international declarations/approvals for the destination country, and of course burial permission at the other cemetery.

Answer 2

If you are the next of kin, or the next of kin to the deceased's next of kin you can (for example, you want to move your dad's remains; your mom was next of kin when he died but she herself has since died, leaving you as next of kin). You should speak with the cemetary office where the remains currently are, to get the process rolling. You may need a permit from the local health department and you'll need heavy machinery and a crew to do the digging and lifting, but the cemetary can arrange that (for a fee, of course). As far as shipping, when remains are shipped overseas it is common to transfer them to a smaller, lighter container-- coffins and caskets are really heavy and would cost a fortune to ship. You'd also be responsible for paying to dispose of the original casket. You'd need to have a funeral home or mortuary transfer the remains from the original casket to whatever they will be shipped overseas in, and the same funeral home would probably be able to arrange the shipping. Reverse the process in the new resting place--- someone to pick the remains up, a new casket to put them in, and a new cemetary.

It can be done--- it takes a lot of organizing and it isn't cheap but you can do it.

Would you consider cremation? If you were to cremate the remains after they were disinterred, it would be a lot easier (and a lot cheaper) to ship them, or you could even carry them on the plane with you, then bury the urn, place it in a crypt/mausoleum at the cemetary, or scatter the ashes.

Answer 3

Moving human remains to another location within the US should'nt be a problem, depending who you are, and who the deseased is. But moving human remains out of the country would be a problem. Some countries would'nt allow it for health reasons...

Answer 4

Yes, there are alot of cases where they move coffins. E.g Elvis, Bob Marley, Chopin, Beethoven etc..

Answer 5

I would say yes you can, however you would have to have lots of money and a very good reason of why you wanted to. You would have to get permission.

Answer 6

Yes. I don't know if you are asking because you are thinking of having it done, and I don't know who you would contact. Perhaps a funeral home director could tell you everything you would need to do.