# Repatriation: taking someone home for their funeral

> To repatriate a body from England or Wales, register the death, then your funeral director gives the coroner notice of intention to remove the body at least four clear days before it leaves, unless the coroner releases it sooner. The body is usually embalmed and flown in a sealed coffin with the documents the destination country requires.

Source: https://funeralfinder.org/uk/guides/repatriation/ — updated 2026-09-25 — FuneralFinder

When someone's roots are in another country, many families want them to be buried or cremated there, close to family and in keeping with faith and custom. Repatriation can feel daunting. With a specialist funeral director and the right paperwork, it can be done smoothly and often quickly. This guide covers repatriation **from** the UK to another country and bringing someone **home to** the UK.

**Key points**

- **Register the death first.** Everything else depends on it.
- In **England and Wales**, the coroner must be given **notice of intention to remove a body out of England**, usually at least **four clear days** before it leaves. The coroner can release the person sooner.
- In **Scotland**, the procurator fiscal may be involved. In **Northern Ireland**, the coroner issues a certificate allowing removal.
- The person is usually **embalmed** and placed in a **hermetically sealed, zinc-lined coffin** for air travel.
- Each country has its **own document rules**. Check with its embassy or high commission.
- **Specialist repatriation funeral directors** handle the coroner, embassy, airline and customs paperwork.

## Repatriation from the UK: step by step

### 1. Register the death

Follow the usual rules for the nation where the person died:

- **England and Wales:** register within 5 days of the medical examiner's office confirming you can. Some register offices offer urgent or out-of-hours registration for faith reasons, so ask.
- **Scotland:** register within 8 days of the death, at any registration office.
- **Northern Ireland:** register within 5 days. This can often be done by phone.

Order **several certified copies** of the death certificate. Embassies, airlines and authorities abroad often want originals. Our [death registration deadline tool](/uk/tools/death-registration-deadline/) can help with timings.

### 2. Get permission to move the person

| Nation | What's needed |
|---|---|
| **England and Wales** | Under the Removal of Bodies Regulations 1954, anyone intending to take a body **out of England** must give the coroner written notice, usually on the form "Notice to a coroner of intention to remove a body out of England" (often called Form 104). The body must not leave until **four clear days** after the coroner receives it, unless the coroner confirms sooner that no further enquiries are needed. This applies even when the death was natural, and when the person is going to Scotland or Northern Ireland. Any certificate for burial or cremation must go to the coroner with the notice. |
| **Scotland** | There is no coroner. Where a death has been reported to the **procurator fiscal**, the fiscal must release the person, and a "Furth of Scotland" certificate from the fiscal is commonly required before removal. Your funeral director will confirm what applies. |
| **Northern Ireland** | Tell the **coroner** that the person is to be taken out of Northern Ireland. If the coroner is satisfied the cause of death is known, they issue a **certificate**, usually to the funeral director, allowing removal. |

In urgent cases, for example for a Muslim or Jewish burial, the funeral director can ask the coroner's office to deal with the notice quickly.

### 3. Prepare the person for travel

Most countries and airlines require:

- **embalming**, with an embalming certificate
- a **hermetically sealed, zinc-lined coffin**, often inside an outer case for air freight
- a **declaration of the coffin's contents** from the funeral director.

If embalming conflicts with your faith, tell the funeral director at once. Requirements vary by destination and airline, and a specialist will know what is possible.

### 4. Gather the documents

Exact requirements depend on the destination country. Commonly requested documents include:

- certified copies of the **death certificate**, sometimes with a translation or legalisation
- the **coroner's release** (England and Wales), the **fiscal's certificate** (Scotland, where relevant) or the **coroner's certificate** (Northern Ireland)
- an **embalming certificate**
- a **certificate of freedom from infection**, confirming there was no notifiable infectious disease
- the person's **passport**
- **consular documents** or clearance from the destination country's embassy or high commission in the UK
- **airline documents** (such as the air waybill) and customs paperwork.

### 5. Book the flight

Coffins travel as **air cargo**, arranged through the airline's cargo service, usually by a specialist funeral director or freight agent. Family members often book seats on the same flight. Make sure someone at the destination is ready to receive the person, with a local funeral director or community organisation in place.

## Common destinations

Every country sets its own rules, and these can change. Always check with the country's **embassy or high commission in London** and your funeral director.

| Destination | Things families often consider |
|---|---|
| Pakistan, Bangladesh | Muslim burial is ideally quick, so families weigh the time repatriation takes against burying in the UK. Specialist Muslim funeral directors arrange this often. |
| India | Hindu and Sikh families often choose cremation in the UK and take the ashes to India for immersion. This is simpler than repatriating a body. Others repatriate for cremation or burial there. |
| Nigeria, Ghana | Funerals are often large family events held some weeks after the death. Plan the timing with relatives, and check the embassy or high commission's document requirements early. |
| Jamaica | Families may hold a service in the UK before repatriation, a burial in Jamaica, or both. Check the requirements with the Jamaican High Commission. |
| Poland | Repatriation can be by road or by air. Check the Polish consulate's requirements. |
| Ireland | Road and ferry transport is common. Families in Northern Ireland may also hold a funeral across the border. |

Find specialists in our [Muslim](/uk/muslim-funeral-directors/), [Hindu](/uk/hindu-funeral-directors/) and [Sikh](/uk/sikh-funeral-directors/) funeral director listings, or search all [funeral directors near you](/uk/funeral-directors-near-me/) and ask about repatriation experience.

## Costs

Repatriation costs vary widely. The main elements are:

- the funeral director's charges for collection, care and handling the paperwork
- embalming and the sealed coffin
- **air freight**, which is often charged by weight and route
- embassy, legalisation and document fees
- the costs of the funeral at the destination.

Long-haul repatriation in particular usually costs considerably more than a simple funeral in the UK. Ask at least two specialists for written quotes. Some mosques and community organisations run funeral schemes or can help. Check too whether the person had life insurance or a funeral plan that covers repatriation. The Funeral Expenses Payment only helps with a funeral held in the UK, the European Economic Area or Switzerland, and Scotland's Funeral Support Payment only covers a funeral abroad in some circumstances.

## Bringing someone home to the UK

If someone dies abroad:

- **Register the death** in the country where it happened, following local rules. Registering in the UK is optional.
- Contact the **British embassy, high commission or consulate**. They can put you in touch with an **international funeral director**.
- You'll need a **certified translation** of the death certificate and **permission to remove the body** from the local authorities. The body is usually embalmed and placed in a sealed coffin.
- **Travel insurance** may cover repatriation. The FCDO cannot pay for burial, cremation or repatriation.

Once the person is home:

| Nation | What happens |
|---|---|
| **England and Wales** | Take the paperwork to the register office in the area where the funeral will take place. The registrar issues a **certificate of no liability to register**. If the death was violent, unnatural or of unknown cause, the coroner may investigate. For a cremation, you need the coroner's **Cremation 6**. If you want an inquest, don't arrange a cremation abroad. |
| **Scotland** | Contact **Healthcare Improvement Scotland**, which runs the Death Certification Review Service, **before** moving the person. It must authorise the burial or cremation in Scotland. |
| **Northern Ireland** | Coroners have no power to investigate deaths abroad. If the person is to be cremated, the coroner must be told, because they issue the certificate for cremation. |

Bringing **ashes** home is simpler. Carry the cremation certificate and check the airline's rules.

**Support:** GOV.UK lists organisations that help families after a death abroad. They include the **Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust** (Northern Ireland and Ireland), the **Repatriation Services Trust** (Wales), the **JackTheLad Foundation** (for accidental deaths of people aged 16 to 30) and **Death Abroad – You're Not Alone**.

## Next steps

- Read the faith guides for [Muslim](/faiths/muslim/), [Hindu](/faiths/hindu/), [Sikh](/faiths/sikh/) and other [faith funerals](/faiths/).
- Start with [what to do when someone dies](/uk/what-to-do-when-someone-dies/).
- Considering cremation in the UK instead? See [what happens at a cremation](/uk/guides/what-happens-at-a-cremation/) and [scattering ashes](/uk/guides/scattering-ashes/).

## Frequently asked questions

### How long does repatriation from the UK take?

It varies. The death must first be registered, and in England and Wales the coroner has four clear days after receiving notice to decide whether any enquiries are needed, although they can release the person sooner. Flights, embassy paperwork and weekends can add time. Specialist funeral directors can often move urgently for faith reasons if the paperwork allows.

### How much does it cost to repatriate a body?

Costs depend on the destination, the airline, flight availability and the documents needed. They include the funeral director's charges, embalming, a sealed coffin, air freight and embassy fees, so repatriation usually costs considerably more than a simple funeral in the UK. Get written quotes from more than one specialist.

### Can we take ashes abroad instead?

Yes, and it is usually simpler and cheaper. Take the cremation certificate and check the airline's rules for carrying ashes, including whether the container can be scanned. Check too whether the destination country has any rules about bringing in ashes.

### Does travel insurance cover repatriation?

If someone dies while travelling abroad, their travel insurance may cover bringing them home. The UK government cannot pay repatriation costs. For people who die in the UK and are being taken abroad, check any life insurance, community or mosque funeral scheme, or employer benefit.

### Is the coroner notice needed if the death was natural?

Yes. In England and Wales, anyone intending to take a body out of England must give notice to the coroner, even if the death was expected and was not reported to a coroner. This also applies when taking someone to Scotland or Northern Ireland.

## Sources

- [legislation.gov.uk – Removal of Bodies Regulations 1954](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1954/448/made)
- [London Borough of Waltham Forest – How to repatriate bodies](https://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/births-deaths-and-marriages/deaths/how-repatriate-bodies)
- [GOV.UK – What to do when someone dies abroad](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/what-to-do-when-someone-dies-abroad)
- [GOV.UK – What to do after someone dies](https://www.gov.uk/after-a-death)
- [mygov.scot – If someone dies outside Scotland](https://www.mygov.scot/deaths-outside-scotland)
- [nidirect – Arranging a funeral](https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/arranging-funeral)
- [nidirect – When someone dies abroad](https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/when-someone-dies-abroad)
- [West Dunbartonshire Council – Repatriation of bodies](https://www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk/birth-marriage-death/burials-and-cremations/death-repatriation-of-bodies)