Practical guidance
What to do if someone dies in the Cook Islands
This guide explains what happens after a death in the Cook Islands, who to contact, and how to arrange for your loved one to be brought home, to the UK, Ireland or any other country. Facts for British nationals come from FCDO and government sources. Every situation is different, and if you would like us to take over the arrangements, send us the details.
What to Do When Someone Dies in the Cook Islands
Cook Islands uses English common law, documents in English, and has reasonable Pacific air connections from Rarotonga. But deaths on the remote Northern Group atolls are a very different matter.
Step 1: Contact the FCDO Immediately
Call 020 7008 5000 (24 hours). FCDO will contact the British High Commission Wellington, which holds non-resident consular responsibility for the Cook Islands. BHC Wellington: 44 Hill Street, Wellington (+64 4 924 2888).
Step 2: Establish Which Island
Tell the FCDO and your specialist firm exactly where the death occurred.
Southern Group including Rarotonga: accessible, manageable. Proceed with standard process.
Northern Group atolls (Penrhyn, Manihiki, Rakahanga, Pukapuka, Nassau, Suwarrow): extremely remote. Air Rarotonga services some, but schedules are infrequent. Internal transfer to Rarotonga required before international repatriation. Add days to any estimate.
Step 3: Documentation
Cook Islands Civil Registration (Ministry of Internal Affairs) issues the death certificate. Cook Islands Police Service handles non-natural deaths. Documentation is in English.
Step 4: Routing
All repatriations go via Auckland (AKL) on Air New Zealand (and Fiji Airways for Rarotonga). Confirm cargo space early.
Cremation
Cremation is available at Rarotonga: ashes can be repatriated to the UK in a sealed urn.
Realistic Timeline
Rarotonga and Southern Group: 10 to 21 days in most cases. Northern Group atolls: 21 to 28 days or more.
For full country detail, see the Cook Islands repatriation guide. For a general overview, read what happens when someone dies abroad.
- British High Commission Wellington consular services. Cook Islands Ministry of Internal Affairs civil registration guidance.*
First things first
What to do in the first 24 hours
The immediate period after a death abroad is disorienting. Here are the steps in the order they normally need to happen.
Contact local emergency services
Contact the embassy or consulate
Tell the embassy or consulate of your loved one's own country as soon as possible. It can register the death, give you a list of local funeral directors and explain what the local authorities will need.
British nationals, FCDO 24hr: +44 (0)20 7008 5000
Appoint a local funeral director
A local funeral director in the Cook Islands will take care of the body, arrange embalming, obtain the necessary documents, and coordinate with airlines. The embassy can recommend accredited directors. You can also contact a specialist UK repatriation company, who will coordinate with a local partner on your behalf.
Contact your travel insurer
If your loved one had travel insurance with repatriation cover, contact the insurer immediately. They will often have an emergency assistance line and may appoint their own funeral director. Many policies cover the full cost of repatriation, subject to the limit set out in the policy schedule.
Gather the required documents
Repatriation from the Cook Islands requires specific paperwork before a body can be transported. Your local funeral director will handle most of this.
What to expect
How long does it take?
Cost guide
What affects the cost?
Nobody publishes a reliable figure for the Cook Islands alone. Our cost page sets out the ranges repatriation firms publish, each named and dated. What you pay turns on the specifics of the case.
| Where the death happened | Distance to the departure airport, and any island or overland transfer, changes the freight arrangement |
| Whether a post-mortem is ordered | An investigation holds the release and adds mortuary time |
| Documentation required | Cook Islands paperwork, translation, and any legalisation step |
| Coffin and preparation | Airline and destination rules dictate what is needed |
| Flight availability | Direct services cost less to arrange than multi-leg cargo routing |
| Insurance | Whether a policy covers repatriation, and up to what limit |
Send us the details and we will give you a figure for your case, with no obligation.
Full repatriation guide for the Cook Islands
Detailed information on the full repatriation process, embassy contacts, what affects the cost, cultural considerations, and more.
View full guideSend us the details
If you need someone to take over the arrangements, tell us what has happened. We arrange repatriation from the Cook Islands to the UK, Ireland or any other country.
Send an enquiryTell us what has happened in the Cook Islands
Send us the details and we will explain what happens next and prepare a quote for bringing your loved one home, to the UK, Ireland or any other country.
Reviewed by the Repatriate Service editorial team. Information sourced from UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) guidance, official embassy contacts, and professional repatriation experience. Facts last checked September 2026; page updated .
Sources: FCDO gov.uk · Repatriation from the Cook Islands · Frequently asked questions