Repatriation from Ireland
How do you bring a loved one home from Ireland?
You appoint a repatriation specialist who coordinates local funeral directors, obtains all required documentation, and arranges air freight. The process typically takes 5-10 days.
Bringing someone home to a particular country? Find the guide for your route or send us the details. We arrange repatriation to any country.
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Send us the detailsFirst 24 hours
What should happen in the first 24 hours after a death in Ireland?
Call 999 or 112 for emergency services. A registered medical practitioner must certify the death. In Ireland, sudden, violent, or unexplained deaths are reported to the Garda (police) and referred to the local Coroner under the Coroner's Act 1962 (as amended). Contact your insurer and FCDO. Note: the British Embassy in Dublin can assist, but Ireland's English-language system means families can often deal directly with Irish funeral directors without embassy intermediary.
The most important step is to contact a specialist repatriation company. They will tell you exactly what to do and begin coordinating with local authorities on your behalf.
Timeline
How long does repatriation from Ireland take?
In most cases, repatriation from Ireland takes 5-10 days. The fastest straightforward cases complete in 3 days. Complex cases involving a post-mortem, criminal investigation, or a remote location can extend to 21+ days or beyond.
What makes a case complex?
- Irish Coroner's inquest for sudden or violent deaths
- Death in a remote rural area (Connemara, Donegal, west coast)
- Bank holiday delays (Ireland has frequent public holidays)
- Post-mortem required before death certificate can be issued
Documentation
What documents are required to bring a body home from Ireland?
All of these documents must be in place before air transport can proceed. Your appointed repatriation coordinator will obtain most of them.
- Irish Death Certificate
- Coroner's release (if applicable)
- Embalming certificate
- Freedom from infection certificate
- Passport of deceased
Documentation typically takes 2-5 working days to complete.
Post-mortem
Will a post-mortem be required in Ireland?
Required for sudden, violent, or unexplained deaths under the Irish Coroner's Act 1962. The Irish Coroner must be satisfied with the cause of death before releasing the body. Road accidents and drownings are the most common triggers for British nationals..
Adds 3-14 days. Post-mortem results and the Coroner's formal release are required before repatriation can proceed.
If you are bringing someone home to the UK and an inquest there may be required, do not authorise cremation in Ireland. Once cremation takes place, evidence is destroyed and the coroner cannot proceed. Other countries have their own rules on investigating deaths abroad; ask before agreeing to cremation.
British Embassy
What does the British Embassy in Ireland do when someone dies?
For British nationals, the British Embassy provides consular assistance, which includes giving you a list of local funeral directors, helping you notify relatives, and advising on local procedures. What the Embassy cannot do is pay for repatriation, organise the funeral director, or make arrangements on your behalf. If your loved one was a citizen of another country, contact that country's embassy or consulate instead.
Full embassy guide
All British Embassy contacts in Ireland
Alternative option
Can ashes be brought home from Ireland instead of a full body?
Yes, cremation facilities are available in Ireland. Transporting ashes home requires specific documents and must comply with airline regulations.
Getting started
How do you start the repatriation process from Ireland?
Call a specialist repatriation company. Do not wait until all other steps are complete. A specialist can begin the process immediately, even before the local death certificate has been issued.
You will need to provide: the name of the deceased, the location of the body, your contact details, and the name and contact of the local hospital or authority holding the body.
Get in touch now
Send the details any time. We begin working on your case from the first message.
Send an enquiryMore questions
Other frequently asked questions about repatriation from Ireland
Allow 5-10 days for a straightforward case from Ireland. Where nothing is contested it can be done in 3 days. Where a post-mortem or a police investigation has to conclude first, expect 21+ days.
There is no standard figure, and quoting one before we know the case would be misleading. The cost of bringing someone home from Ireland moves with the place of death, whether an investigation has to finish first, the paperwork required, and which flights carry remains on that route. Tell us what happened and we will come back with a figure, with no obligation.
1-2 hours by air; 3-8 hours by ferry depending on route. Aer Lingus, British Airways, Ryanair cargo. Dublin (DUB) to London Heathrow (LHR), Dublin (DUB) to Manchester (MAN), Dublin to Holyhead (ferry/road).
Call the insurer first, before anything is booked. Most policies will only pay where they authorised the arrangement, and many name the funeral director they want used. In the policy schedule, the benefit to look for is repatriation of remains. With no policy in place the family meets the cost directly, and we can set out what the options are.
Required for sudden, violent, or unexplained deaths under the Irish Coroner's Act 1962. The Irish Coroner must be satisfied with the cause of death before releasing the body. Road accidents and drownings are the most common triggers for British nationals. Adds 3-14 days. Post-mortem results and the Coroner's formal release are required before repatriation can proceed.
Route guides
Repatriation routes from Ireland
Each route guide covers the documentation, timeline and process for one corridor from Ireland, written for the family at the receiving end.
We are here to help. Send us the details, any time
If your loved one has passed away in Ireland, please do not face this alone. Send us the details and we will explain what happens next and prepare a quote for bringing them home, wherever home is.
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 · Embassy contacts: Ireland · Frequently asked questions