Belgium is one of the more manageable European cases on our books, and the reasons for that are worth understanding, because they’re also where any added cost tends to come from.
If someone you love has died abroad, we can make the arrangements and send you one quote.
Send us the detailsHandled locally, not nationally
Unlike France or the UK, Belgium processes death registration and international transport permits at commune level. The local civil registry, the Service de l’Etat civil or Dienst Burgerlijke Stand depending on the region, issues both the death certificate and the transport permit. It’s an efficient system by European standards, but it does mean the relevant office is always the commune where the death happened, not a central department that can be contacted from anywhere.
Three regions, three languages
Belgium’s documents are issued in the language of the region: Dutch in Flanders, French in Wallonia, and German in the small area around Liege and Eupen. Every one of those needs certified English translation before UK authorities will accept it. It’s not an unusual step for a European case, but it’s an unavoidable one, whichever region is involved.
When the Parquet steps in
A natural death in a major city usually clears in a matter of days. An unnatural or sudden death is a different matter: the Parquet, Belgium’s public prosecution service, must authorise release, and it will often order a forensic post-mortem at a university hospital, UZ Leuven, CHU Liege, UZ Gent, or the ULB in Brussels are the main centres. That authorisation stage is where most of the time, and most of the added coordination, comes from.
The Strasbourg Convention advantage
Belgium is a party to the Strasbourg Convention on the Transfer of Corpses, though the UK is not. The commune’s transport permit travels with the body as part of the export documentation. Combined with strong direct flight connectivity from Brussels Airport to London, this keeps a Belgian case genuinely simpler than most.
What we can offer
Once we know the region, and whether the Parquet is involved, we can give a realistic picture rather than a figure that only applies to the fastest possible case.
Read our guide to certified translation for documents from abroad, or see the full Belgium repatriation guide for the complete picture.
Contact Repatriate Service at any hour through our enquiry form.