Embalming is the standard preservation method for most international repatriations, but it is not universally required. Whether it can be avoided depends on the country of departure, the receiving country, the airline, the transit time, and in some cases the deceased’s religion.
This guide explains when embalming may not be required and what the alternatives involve.
Why embalming is used
Embalming preserves the body during transport and delays decomposition. International air cargo for human remains must comply with IATA Packing Instruction 650, which requires the remains to be preserved and contained in a way that prevents leakage and protects public health. Embalming satisfies this requirement in most countries.
The country of origin also has its own rules. Spain, France, Thailand, and most countries outside the EU require embalming before a body can leave the country by air. These rules exist independently of the airline’s requirements.
When embalming may not be required
Muslim cases. Islamic teaching holds that the body should not be cut or chemically treated after death where it can be avoided. Most repatriation coordinators will attempt to obtain airline and authority approval for an unembalmed Muslim body in a sealed, refrigerated container. The UAE, Qatar, Pakistan, Egypt, and several other origin countries have specific provisions for Muslim remains that can allow refrigeration in place of embalming. Approval is not guaranteed: some countries require embalming regardless of religion, and some airlines have their own rules. A coordinator experienced in Muslim repatriation cases will know which routes and airlines are accommodating.
European road repatriation. For bodies repatriated by road from France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, or other nearby European countries, short transit times and continuous refrigeration can sometimes substitute for embalming. The Strasbourg Agreement requires hermetric sealing but does not impose embalming in all circumstances. This route is the one most likely to allow an unembalmed body to travel, though it depends on the specific origin country’s regulations.
Ashes transport. Where cremation takes place in the country of death, there is no body to embalm. The ashes are transported as cargo or in hand luggage and require only cremation and death certificates, not any preservation treatment. For families where the choice of cremation abroad is acceptable, this removes the question of embalming entirely.
What refrigeration involves
A refrigerated container (typically a zinc-lined or sealed inner container within an outer wooden coffin) keeps the body at a low temperature throughout transit. This requires the body to be held in refrigerated storage at the mortuary, collected and transferred in a refrigerated vehicle, and cleared through cargo handling as quickly as possible to avoid breaks in the cold chain.
Long-haul flights to the UK from Asia, Africa, or the Americas make unbroken refrigeration harder to guarantee because of layovers, cargo handling delays, and the total transit time involved. For these routes, embalming is almost always the only practical option.
How to request a no-embalming arrangement
Tell your repatriation coordinator at the start of the case that you are requesting no embalming. The coordinator will contact the local funeral director, the airline, and the local authorities to establish whether it is possible on that specific route. Do not assume a previous case’s outcome applies to your route: regulations and airline policies differ by country and airline.
For further guidance on body preparation and transport requirements, see our articles on how embalming works for international repatriation and zinc-lined coffins: what they are and why required.