When someone dies abroad, the body goes through a defined sequence of preparation steps before it can travel home. Families often have limited visibility of what happens during this period. This guide explains the process plainly.
The sequence differs slightly between countries, but the core steps are the same everywhere.
Hospital to mortuary
If the death occurs in a hospital, the hospital holds the body in its own mortuary initially. The hospital notifies the local registrar and, where the death was sudden or unattended, the local police or coroner-equivalent authority.
If the death occurs outside a hospital, police attend the scene and the body is transported to the nearest official or police mortuary for examination. In either case, the body cannot be moved from the initial holding location until the local authority has completed its initial investigation and issued clearance.
This clearance step is often where the first delay occurs. In countries with slow bureaucracy or high case volumes, getting the body released from the initial holding location to the funeral director can take several days.
Collection by the local funeral director
Once the local authority releases the body, the funeral director appointed to manage the repatriation collects it. The funeral director’s premises then become the base for all preparation work.
At this point the family can often arrange a viewing, if they are present in the country and if the condition of the body allows. Viewing takes place before the body is sealed in its transport container.
Preparation for transport
The main preparation steps are:
Embalming. In most countries, embalming is required before a body can be transported internationally by air. The funeral director carries out the embalming procedure. An embalming certificate is issued afterwards, confirming the procedure was performed and by whom.
Washing and dressing. The body is washed. If the family has provided clothing, the deceased is dressed in it. Some families send clothing from the UK; others arrange for clothing to be purchased locally.
Placement in the inner container. The body is placed in a sealed zinc-lined inner container, which prevents any leakage during transport and is required by IATA standards and by most country-of-departure regulations. A copy of the key documents is usually placed inside the container before sealing.
Placement in the outer coffin. The inner container goes inside an outer wooden coffin approved for air cargo. The coffin is labelled with the deceased’s name and case reference.
Documentation
While body preparation is taking place, the local funeral director and the repatriation coordinator are also assembling the document pack. This typically includes the local death certificate, the embalming certificate, the freedom from infection certificate, the transit permit from the local authority, the UK embassy or consulate body release letter (where required), and translations of each document.
The documents travel with the coffin in a sealed pouch attached to the outside of the outer coffin.
Air cargo booking
The completed coffin is booked as air cargo on a passenger or cargo aircraft. The airline requires advance notice and issues an air waybill, which forms the cargo contract. The local funeral director delivers the coffin to the airline cargo terminal at the departure airport, usually 24 to 48 hours before the flight. The coffin is then handled as temperature-sensitive cargo.
What happens from the UK side
The receiving UK funeral director monitors the flight and books collection from the UK airport cargo terminal. On arrival, the coffin clears UK port health and customs checks. The UK funeral director then takes custody of the deceased and contacts the family to confirm arrival and arrange a viewing at their chapel of rest.
For further guidance, see our articles on how embalming works for international repatriation and what happens when a body arrives in the UK from abroad.