Brazil is a large and administratively complex country, and repatriation from it involves more institutional steps than most European cases. The Instituto Médico Legal sits at the centre of the process, and its involvement is unavoidable. This guide answers the questions UK families ask after a death in Brazil.
For the full process and consular detail, see our complete guide to repatriation from Brazil. This article focuses on the practical questions.
The IML and why it matters
Every death in Brazil passes through the Instituto Médico Legal before a death certificate can be issued. The IML carries out its own examination and certifies the cause of death. This is a legal requirement, not optional, and applies to natural deaths as well as sudden or unexplained ones.
The IML step is the main reason Brazilian cases take longer than European equivalents. Once the death certificate is issued, the documents then need authentication by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before they can travel with the body.
São Paulo as the departure hub
Most international cargo operations for human remains leave from São Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport. Brazil is a vast country, so a death in the northeast, the Amazon region, or another state means a domestic transfer to São Paulo. The coordinator manages this domestic leg alongside the documentation process.
What the family handles
Most of the process can be handled from the UK. The local funeral director manages the Brazilian side, including the IML process, embalming, and document authentication. The coordinator keeps the family informed and manages the UK receiving arrangements.
For further guidance, see our articles on who pays for repatriation when someone dies abroad and repatriation timeline by cause of death.