How long does repatriation take?

Q: How long does repatriation take?

Repatriation from Europe typically takes 7-14 days. From long-haul destinations like Thailand, India, or the Philippines, 3-6 weeks is more realistic, particularly when a post-mortem is required. The timeline depends on local documentation requirements and whether complications arise.

Timeline is the question families ask most urgently. The answer depends significantly on where the death occurred.

Why it cannot be done faster

Repatriation is a chain of sequential steps. Each step must be completed before the next can start. Any delay in the chain delays everything downstream.

The steps are: death registration, post-mortem (if required), embalming, documentation (death certificate, embalming certificate, burial transit permit), flight booking, transit, and UK arrival and collection.

A post-mortem alone can add 1-3 weeks in countries with limited pathology capacity or busy coroner systems. Documentation from a health ministry can take 5-10 working days. Weekends, public holidays, and government office closures add further time.

Timeline by destination

Destination	Typical range	Main factors
Spain, Portugal	7-12 days	Usually no post-mortem, good infrastructure
France, Italy	7-14 days	Regional variation
Greece	7-14 days	Island locations add time
Turkey	10-21 days	Government documentation process
USA, Canada	7-14 days	State-level variation
Thailand	14-42 days	Post-mortem almost always required
India	14-28 days	City matters — Mumbai faster than smaller cities
Philippines	21-42 days	Bureaucratic process
Australia	10-21 days	Distance, state variation
Egypt, Morocco	14-28 days	Government documentation
Kenya, South Africa	14-21 days	City-dependent

What you can do to minimise delays

Appoint a local funeral director on day one. They handle the documentation process locally and push through the queue. Do not wait.

Notify the travel insurer immediately. If the insurer is involved, they need to authorise the arrangement. Delay costs days.

Do not make plans that depend on a specific date. A UK funeral can be booked provisionally, but give yourself flexibility. Nothing guarantees a specific arrival date.

Get the UK funeral director ready. Instruct the UK funeral director early so they are ready to collect without delay when the body arrives.

For a more detailed breakdown, see our full article on repatriation timelines.

How long does repatriation take?

Why it cannot be done faster

Timeline by destination

What you can do to minimise delays

Speak to a specialist