Repatriation from Seychelles to the UK

Expected timelines

How long does repatriation from Seychelles take?

Timelines depend on circumstances. Here is an honest guide to what to expect.

Factors that can extend the timeline

• Seychelles has limited forensic pathology capacity; complex forensic cases may require body transfer to Reunion or South Africa for specialist post-mortem, significantly extending the timeline
• Seychelles Police Force investigates all unnatural deaths; Ministry of Health issues the export permit
• Small island administration is relatively efficient for straightforward cases but has limited capacity for simultaneously managing multiple complex cases
• Island dispersal: deaths on outer islands (Praslin, La Digue, Silhouette, Denis, Bird) require transfer to Mahe before documentation and export processing begins

Documentation

Documents required for repatriation from Seychelles

All of these must be obtained before air transport can take place.

The process

Overview of the repatriation process from Seychelles