Practical guidance
What to do if someone dies in India
This guide explains what happens after a death in India, 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.
Typical timeline
4-6 weeks
FCDO 24hr helpline
+44 (0)20 7008 5000
Four to six weeks. That is the realistic average for repatriation from India to the UK. Not a worst case. Not an exceptional delay caused by a criminal investigation or an unusual bureaucratic problem. Four to six weeks is what experienced repatriation professionals tell families to expect in an ordinary, uncomplicated case.
This needs to be said plainly at the outset, because families dealing with grief and urgency may receive more optimistic timelines from sources that are not familiar with India’s processes. Managing expectations honestly from day one is more useful than false reassurance.
Why India takes this long
Several systems must run in sequence before a body can be released for international transport.
The first is the police. In India, a post-mortem examination is routinely ordered for deaths of foreign nationals, particularly those that are sudden or outside a hospital. The post-mortem must be conducted by a government forensic pathologist, and the resulting report is held by the police, not issued directly to the family. Obtaining that report, and more critically the No Objection Certificate (NOC) from police, is the single most significant bottleneck in the process.
The NOC is the police’s formal clearance that there is no pending investigation that would prevent the body from being moved internationally. Until it is issued, the body cannot leave India. If there is any ambiguity about the circumstances of death – an accident, a health event that happened without witnesses, a death where the deceased had been unwell – the NOC can be held while the police complete their file. There is no fixed timeline for this.
Beyond the police, several other departments must issue their own clearances: the municipal or district authority, the local health authority, and in some cases an immigration or customs office. Each requires separate documentation, stamps, and visits. They do not coordinate with each other automatically.
India is not one system
India has 28 states and 8 union territories. Each has its own administrative procedures, its own pace, and its own interpretation of the requirements under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act 1969.
A death in Delhi or Mumbai will typically move faster than a death in rural Rajasthan, eastern Uttar Pradesh, or a remote area of the Northeast. The major cities have professional repatriation services experienced with foreign nationals. Hospital systems in Delhi and Mumbai are accustomed to the documentation requirements. In rural areas, the same documents must be obtained from departments that may have never processed an international repatriation case before.
This variation is not predictable in advance. The stated requirement is the same across India. The practical experience differs significantly.
The embalming question
India’s climate is not kind to preservation. In summer – March through June – temperatures across much of the country exceed 40 degrees Celsius. Embalming or continuous refrigeration must begin quickly after death.
Embalming is not a traditional practice in Indian funeral culture. Hindu, Muslim, and Sikh traditions do not use it. Professional embalming for international repatriation purposes is available in Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai. In smaller cities, tourist areas like Goa and Rajasthan heritage towns, and in rural regions, quality and availability are variable. In some cases, the body needs to be transported to a major city for proper preparation before the international journey.
When India is the destination, not the origin
India occupies a distinctive position in repatriation work. A significant number of enquiries we receive are from British families of Indian heritage wanting to send the remains of a deceased relative to India for Hindu cremation – particularly in Varanasi, where immersion of ashes in the Ganges holds deep religious significance.
This is not simply a cost-saving option. For many Hindu families, it is the only right thing to do. We handle this direction with the same care as a UK-bound repatriation, and we understand that the decision is not primarily a logistical one.
If you are considering cremation in India, take advice on UK coroner requirements before proceeding, as cremation destroys evidence that a UK inquest would need.
Sources: FCDO guidance on death in India; Registration of Births and Deaths Act 1969 (India); British High Commission New Delhi.
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 local emergency services (112 in many states, or 100 for police, 102/108 for ambulance). If death occurs in a hospital, the hospital handles the initial death certification. If death occurs outside a hospital, police must be notified and will attend. Contact the British High Commission in New Delhi or nearest deputy high commission or consulate.
Local emergency number: 112 (unified emergency number, not available in all states)
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 India 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 India requires specific paperwork before a body can be transported. Your local funeral director will handle most of this.
- Indian death certificate
- Embalming certificate
- No Objection Certificate (NOC) from local police
- Freedom from infection certificate from health authority
- Passport of deceased (or certified copy)
- Visa details of deceased
- Police report (for all cases, standard requirement)
- Post-mortem report (if conducted)
- Letter from British High Commission (may be required)
- Airline cargo documentation
Documentation typically takes 14-30 days minimum. Often 4-6 weeks. to complete.
What the embassy can do
What the embassy cannot do
What to expect
How long does it take?
Factors that can extend the timeline
- State-by-state bureaucratic variation (28 states, each with different procedures)
- Police No Objection Certificate can be delayed if any investigation is pending
- Post-mortem examination routinely required for foreign nationals
- Internal transport across India's vast distances
- Multiple government departments involved (police, health, municipal, immigration)
- Weekend and public holiday closures (India has many national and state-specific holidays)
- Monsoon season (June-September) can disrupt transport and office operations in some regions
- Rural or remote location deaths (limited facilities, poor road access)
- Embalming quality issues may require re-embalming at a major city
- Unofficial facilitation expectations in some states
Cost guide
What affects the cost?
Nobody publishes a reliable figure for India 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 | India 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.
If a post-mortem is required
Post mortem is frequently required for foreign nationals in India. Indian police routinely order post-mortem examinations for unexpected deaths, accidents, and cases involving foreign nationals.. Post-mortem processing significantly extends the timeline. Combined with other documentation, this is a major factor in the 4-6 week average.
Post-mortems in India are conducted by Government hospital forensic medicine department. Post mortem is conducted by a government-appointed forensic pathologist..
Common questions
Questions families ask about deaths in India
Repatriation from India typically takes 4-6 weeks. The fastest cases complete in 14-21 days where nothing is contested. Cases involving a post-mortem or a police investigation can take 8-16 weeks or longer.
India is one of the slowest countries in the world for repatriation documentation. The combination of multiple government departments, police requirements, state variation, and bureaucratic pace means 4-6 weeks is a realistic average, not a worst case. Families must be prepared for this timeline and should engage a professional repatriation agent or funeral director experienced with Indian processes.
We do not publish a figure for India, because the cost turns on the specifics of the case. What moves it is where the death happened, whether an investigation must conclude first, the documentation India requires, and the flight routing available. Send us the details and we will price your case, with no obligation.
Cremation is available in India. Widely available across India. Cremation is the default Hindu and Sikh practice. Electric crematoria exist in all major cities. Traditional open-air cremation pyres are available, particularly in Varanasi and other holy cities. Where cremation has taken place, ashes can usually be carried to the UK in hand luggage with the cremation certificate, which is the least costly way to bring someone home. Do NOT cremate abroad if a UK coroner may need to hold an inquest. Cremation destroys evidence. This is particularly important to communicate because Hindu families may feel strong religious urgency to cremate quickly.
IMPORTANT CONTENT ANGLE: Families of Indian Hindu heritage in the UK may specifically want the deceased cremated in India, particularly in Varanasi (Benares) on the banks of the Ganges. This is considered the most auspicious cremation. This is a reverse repatriation scenario where the body travels FROM the UK TO India for cremation, with ashes potentially scattered in the Ganges.
Body transported as human remains cargo on international flights. Delhi (DEL) and Mumbai (BOM) are the main cargo hubs. Deaths in other cities or states require internal transport to a major airport with international cargo capability. India's size means internal transport can involve 1,000+ km journeys. India's vast size means internal transport is a major factor. Death in Goa, Kerala, Rajasthan, or other states requires road or domestic air transport to Delhi or Mumbai. Indian roads and domestic airlines handle human remains cargo, but logistics can be complex. Long-haul repatriation. Gulf carrier connections (Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi) are often used and may be cheaper than direct flights. Internal Indian transport can be a significant logistical challenge for deaths in remote areas.
Embalming is essential and urgent due to India's tropical and subtropical climate. Bodies deteriorate rapidly in the heat outside air-conditioned hospital mortuaries. Embalming quality varies significantly across India. Major cities (Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore) have professional embalming services. Smaller cities, rural areas, and tourist locations (Goa, Kerala, Rajasthan) may have variable quality. Embalming is not a traditional Indian practice (Hindu, Muslim, and Sikh traditions do not use embalming), so facilities exist primarily for repatriation purposes.
The documents required from India are: Indian death certificate, Embalming certificate, No Objection Certificate (NOC) from local police, Freedom from infection certificate from health authority, Passport of deceased (or certified copy), Visa details of deceased, Police report (for all cases, standard requirement), Post-mortem report (if conducted), Letter from British High Commission (may be required), Airline cargo documentation. India is one of the slowest countries in the world for repatriation documentation. The combination of multiple government departments, police requirements, state variation, and bureaucratic pace means 4-6 weeks is a realistic average, not a worst case. Families must be prepared for this timeline and should engage a professional repatriation agent or funeral director experienced with Indian processes. Documentation typically takes 14-30 days minimum. Often 4-6 weeks. Your local funeral director gathers most of this on your behalf.
IMPORTANT: Embalming quality is variable outside major cities. Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai have professional facilities, often attached to major hospitals. In Goa, Kerala beach areas, Rajasthan tourist towns, and rural areas, embalming may be basic. This can affect the condition of remains on arrival in the UK.
IMPORTANT: For Hindu families, cremation in India (particularly Varanasi) may be the preferred and religiously significant choice, not just a cost-saving measure. The ashes can then be scattered in the Ganges or another holy river. This should be presented respectfully as a spiritual choice, not merely a budget option.
Full repatriation guide for India
Detailed information on the full repatriation process, embassy contacts, what affects the cost, cultural considerations, and more.
View full guideCremation in India
If local cremation is the right choice for your family, our country guide covers the documentation, airline rules, and costs.
Cremation guideSend us the details
If you need someone to take over the arrangements, tell us what has happened. We arrange repatriation from India to the UK, Ireland or any other country.
Send an enquiryTell us what has happened in India
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 .
Official lists for India
Published by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office for British nationals. We are not connected to the firms listed.
- Translators and interpreters, for certified translation of the death certificate and permits
- Lawyers, where an estate or an investigation needs local legal advice
Sources: FCDO gov.uk · Repatriation from India · Frequently asked questions