Practical guidance
What to do if someone dies in New Zealand
This guide explains what happens after a death in New Zealand, 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
14-21 days
FCDO 24hr helpline
+44 (0)20 7008 5000
New Zealand has a well established coronial system that will take charge quickly. Understanding what that means in practice is the most important thing a UK family can know.
Call 111 immediately. Police and ambulance will attend. A doctor or nurse practitioner must certify the death before anything else can happen. If the death is sudden, unexplained, violent, or the deceased had no treating physician, the police will notify the Coroner on your behalf. This is automatic and unavoidable.
The New Zealand Coroner holds legal authority over the body.
Under the Coroners Act 2006, no funeral preparation, embalming, or movement of the body can take place without the Coroner’s consent. The Coroner investigates the circumstances of death and may order a post-mortem. Once satisfied, the Coroner issues a formal release. Only then can the repatriation process begin.
New Zealand has 16 regional Coroner jurisdictions. If your family member died in Queenstown, Rotorua, or the Hawke’s Bay, the case is handled by the local Coroner for that region. Timelines vary by region and workload. Wellington and Auckland are fastest. Rural regions can be slower.
Contact the British High Commission in Wellington at +64 4 924 2888. There is also a consulate in Auckland. The High Commission will give you a list of funeral directors with international repatriation experience and help you contact family in the UK. They cannot intervene in the Coroner’s process, but they can make representations if there are communication difficulties.
Notify your travel insurer immediately. Young British nationals on working holiday visas are among the most common uninsured or underinsured cases the FCDO handles in New Zealand. If there is no insurance, the costs fall to the family. The FCDO’s New Zealand travel advice page (updated January 2025) specifically warns that repatriation from New Zealand without insurance is expensive.
After the Coroner releases the body
The funeral director takes charge. Embalming is required under UK regulations for repatriation. Zinc-lined coffin preparation follows. The documentation set includes the New Zealand death certificate, Coroner’s release, embalming certificate, and export permission. Processing takes five to fourteen working days after the Coroner acts.
Auckland’s international airport handles human remains freight to the UK via Singapore Airlines, Air New Zealand cargo, and Emirates. South Island cases route through Auckland. Direct flight time Auckland to London Heathrow is approximately 26 hours via connecting hub.
On arrival in the UK, the receiving funeral director notifies the coroner. A death investigated by the New Zealand Coroner with shared results typically does not trigger a UK inquest. Families can proceed with funeral arrangements once the receiving funeral director confirms clearance.
For the full process, costs and documentation checklist, see our repatriation from New Zealand guide.
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
Call 111 for police and ambulance. A doctor or nurse practitioner must certify the death. In New Zealand, a Coroner must be notified of any sudden, unexplained, or violent death under the Coroners Act 2006. The Coroner has jurisdiction over the body until they release it. Contact your insurer and the FCDO immediately.
Local emergency number: 111
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.
For British nationals, that is the British Embassy in Wellington.
Embassy: +64 4 924 2888
British nationals, FCDO 24hr: +44 (0)20 7008 5000
Appoint a local funeral director
A local funeral director in New Zealand 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 New Zealand requires specific paperwork before a body can be transported. Your local funeral director will handle most of this.
- New Zealand Death Certificate
- Coroner's release (if applicable, Coroners Act 2006)
- Embalming certificate
- Certificate of cause of death or coroner's authorisation before removal (Burial and Cremation Act 1964, s 46F)
- Passport of deceased
Documentation typically takes 5-14 working days to complete.
Official support
British Embassy in Wellington
The embassy can provide information and a list of local funeral directors, but they cannot arrange or pay for repatriation. Contact them early to register the death with consular services.
What the embassy can do
What the embassy cannot do
What to expect
How long does it take?
Factors that can extend the timeline
- Coroner's inquest (New Zealand Coroners Act 2006)
- Long-haul freight logistics from Oceania
- Insurance dispute or uninsured death
- Death in a remote region (Fiordland, Bay of Islands, Queenstown backcountry)
Cost guide
What affects the cost?
Nobody publishes a reliable figure for New Zealand 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 | New Zealand 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
The New Zealand Coroner has broad jurisdiction under the Coroners Act 2006 and must be notified of any sudden, unnatural, or unexplained death. Post-mortem is ordered at the Coroner's discretion. NZ coroners are generally thorough and the process is well-organised.. Adds 7-21 days. The Coroner must formally release the body before repatriation can proceed. This is the most common cause of extended timelines for UK families.
Common questions
Questions families ask about deaths in New Zealand
Repatriation from New Zealand typically takes 14-21 days. The fastest cases complete in 10 days where nothing is contested. Cases involving a post-mortem or a police investigation can take 35+ days.
We do not publish a figure for New Zealand, 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 New Zealand requires, and the flight routing available. Send us the details and we will price your case, with no obligation.
The New Zealand Coroner has broad jurisdiction under the Coroners Act 2006 and must be notified of any sudden, unnatural, or unexplained death. Post-mortem is ordered at the Coroner's discretion. NZ coroners are generally thorough and the process is well-organised. Adds 7-21 days. The Coroner must formally release the body before repatriation can proceed. This is the most common cause of extended timelines for UK families.
Cremation is available in New Zealand. 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.
Contact the insurer before anything is arranged, because most policies require authorisation first and many appoint their own funeral director. Look for repatriation of remains as a named benefit in the policy schedule. Where there is no insurance, the family meets the cost directly, and we can talk you through the options.
Full repatriation guide for New Zealand
Detailed information on the full repatriation process, embassy contacts, what affects the cost, cultural considerations, and more.
View full guideCremation in New Zealand
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 New Zealand to the UK, Ireland or any other country.
Send an enquiryTell us what has happened in New Zealand
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 New Zealand
Published by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office for British nationals. We are not connected to the firms listed.
- Lawyers, where an estate or an investigation needs local legal advice
Sources: FCDO gov.uk · Repatriation from New Zealand · Frequently asked questions