Summary checklist
| Document | Issued by | When required |
|---|---|---|
| Local death certificate | Civil registry or health authority | Always |
| Certified translation of death certificate | Qualified translator | Always if not in English |
| Embalming certificate | Local funeral director or mortuary | Always for air transport |
| Burial transit permit or export authorisation | Local health authority, coroner, or foreign affairs ministry | Always |
| Passport of the deceased | Originally issued by UK government | Always (travels with the body) |
| Police report | Local police | If death was accidental, violent, or unexplained |
| Post-mortem report | Local forensic pathologist | If post-mortem was conducted |
| Consular death registration extract | British Embassy or High Commission | Recommended, not strictly required |
| Country-specific health clearance (freedom from infection) | Local Port Health or public health office | Required by some countries (Kenya, Philippines, India) |
| Airline cargo documentation | Airline or cargo handler | Always |
| UK coroner’s Form 104 or authority to bury | UK coroner | Required by UK funeral director before burial or cremation |
Repatriation paperwork is the part families consistently underestimate. Getting the documents right, in the correct order, is what determines whether a repatriation takes two weeks or six. This is a working checklist. Each document listed is required unless noted as conditional.
Documents from the country of death
1. Death certificate
The foundational document. Issued by local civil or health authorities. In most countries this requires a medical certificate of cause of death signed by a doctor, which is then submitted to a registrar or municipality. Allow 1-3 days in most European countries; longer in parts of Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
If the cause of death is unexpected or unclear, the death certificate will not be issued until a post-mortem has been completed. You cannot proceed without it.
The death certificate will almost certainly be in the local language. You will need a certified translation for UK purposes.
2. Certificate of embalming
Required by most airlines for international repatriation and by most UK funeral directors on receipt of the remains. Issued by the funeral director or mortuary that performed the embalming. It confirms that the body has been prepared to international hygiene standards for transportation.
Some airlines have specific requirements about what the certificate must state. The local funeral director should know these requirements for your route.
3. Burial transit permit (or consular mortuary certificate)
This is the export permit for human remains. Different countries call it different things. In some countries it is issued by the local health authority; in others, by a coroner’s office or foreign affairs ministry.
In many countries, this document is what takes the most time. It may require countersignature by the British Consulate or Embassy. The British Embassy does not automatically fast-track this — allow several days.
4. Post-mortem report (if applicable)
If a post-mortem was carried out, the report should accompany the documentation. This may be required by the UK coroner or funeral director on arrival. It also matters for UK death registration.
5. Police report (if applicable)
Required if the death involved an accident, violence, or unexplained circumstances. The police report may be needed by the local coroner, by UK authorities, or by the life insurance or travel insurance company. Collect it regardless — disputes arise months later.
6. Passport of the deceased
The original passport should be handed to the funeral director handling repatriation. It travels with the body and is used for identification at every stage. Do not report it lost or have it cancelled until repatriation is complete.
Documents involving the British Embassy
7. Consular death registration
The British Embassy can register the death in the Foreign Deaths Register. This is separate from local death registration. The family receives a certified extract that is valid in the UK. This is not strictly required for repatriation, but it simplifies UK registration and is worth doing.
8. Consular verification of documentation (if required by the airline or UK funeral director)
Some airlines require the British Embassy to verify the repatriation documentation. Some UK funeral directors require consular-confirmed paperwork before accepting the body. The Embassy’s consular section can provide this service but typically charges a fee and requires advance notice.
Documents the UK funeral director needs
9. Disposal certificate (or coroner’s authority to bury)
Once the body arrives in the UK, the receiving funeral director cannot proceed with the funeral until they have either a disposal certificate (Form 104, from a coroner) or, in Scotland, a certificate of registration of death.
If the deceased died overseas, the UK coroner in the district where the funeral is planned will need to be informed. The coroner may require the post-mortem report and death certificate. If the death was natural and well-documented, the coroner usually issues the disposal certificate promptly. If there are questions, the coroner can hold an inquest.
10. UK death registration
A death abroad must be registered in the UK at the General Register Office (GRO) if the family wants a UK-issued death certificate. This is done by post. It is not a prerequisite for the funeral, but many families need the UK death certificate for estate and probate purposes.
Documents for insurance
11. Policy documents
If there was travel insurance or life insurance, locate the policy number and start the claim process early. The insurer will require the death certificate, post-mortem report, and potentially medical records. They will not authorise repatriation costs until they have reviewed the documentation, which takes time.
Families sometimes discover a policy exists only after searching emails, bank statements, and travel booking confirmation emails. Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act may also apply if travel was booked on a credit card — see our guide on tracing travel insurance.
A note on translation
Documents from non-English speaking countries need certified translations for UK purposes. Not Google Translate. A professional translator with certification. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office maintains a list of professional translators by language.
Translations can be arranged concurrently with the repatriation, but plan for 2-5 days for most languages.
What happens if documentation is incomplete
The aircraft will not carry human remains without a burial transit permit and embalming certificate. The British Embassy will not sign off documentation that is incomplete. The UK coroner will not release a body for funeral if the paperwork is missing.
Gaps in documentation cause delays at every stage. The local funeral director and the British Embassy are the best sources of guidance on what specific documentation your country and your route requires.