Repatriation from Atlanta, United States

Atlanta has one of the strongest logistical profiles of any US city for repatriation: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is the world’s busiest airport by passenger count, with established British Airways direct cargo operations to LHR. For British families needing to bring a loved one home from anywhere in the southeastern United States — Georgia, Tennessee, the Carolinas, Alabama, Mississippi — Atlanta is often the most practical cargo hub, even for deaths that occurred elsewhere in the region.

What the British Consulate does — and does not do

The British Consulate General Atlanta (1000 Abernathy Road NE, Suite 2250, Atlanta GA 30328) covers one of the largest US consular territories: Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky, and Indiana.

The Consulate can: Register the death in UK consular records. Advise on documentation for UK authorities. Provide a list of funeral homes with international repatriation experience.

The Consulate cannot: Repatriate the body. Pay any costs. Override US or Georgia state law.

FCDO 24-hour emergency line: +44 (0)20 7008 5000.

What Georgia law requires

Under Georgia Code Title 45, Chapter 16 (Georgia Medical Examiner Act), Georgia operates a county-based Medical Examiner system. Deaths in Atlanta and Fulton County are handled by the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office (FCMEO). Sudden, violent, or unexplained deaths must be reported to the FCMEO (430 Pryor Street SW, Atlanta GA 30312) for investigation.

Georgia death certificates are issued by the Georgia Department of Public Health, Vital Records Unit.

The documentation chain

1. Georgia Death Certificate. Issued via the Georgia DPH through the licensed funeral home. Certified copies required.

2. FCMEO release (where applicable). The FCMEO authorises body release on case completion.

3. Georgia burial/transit permit. Arranged by the licensed Georgia funeral home.

4. Embalming certificate.

5. IATA airline cargo documentation.

Source: Georgia Code Title 45, Chapter 16; Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office, 2024; FCDO USA travel advice, 2024.

Airport and cargo routing

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta (ATL) has British Airways ATL-LHR direct — one of BA’s highest-frequency transatlantic routes. The ATL cargo terminal handles human remains and is well-practised with this type of case. For deaths in other southeastern states within the BCG Atlanta consular territory, the licensed funeral director can arrange road or air transfer to ATL for the cargo leg.

Timeline from Atlanta

• Hospital-certified natural death: 7 to 14 days
• FCMEO investigation: 14 to 21 days
• Extended investigation: 4 to 8 weeks

Key local considerations

Atlanta is the headquarters of multiple global companies, drawing British business travellers year-round. The city is also a major convention hub. Deaths during conferences and business events are a regular occurrence in a city of this size. British families should note that for deaths in the wider BCG Atlanta territory — Nashville, Charlotte, Birmingham AL — ATL is almost always the cargo hub, and coordination between the out-of-Atlanta death location and the ATL cargo operation is the key logistical step.

For the broader US repatriation framework, see our USA repatriation guide.

For guidance on next steps, contact our team via our enquiry form or WhatsApp.

Information based on Georgia Code Title 45 Chapter 16, Fulton County Medical Examiner procedures, and FCDO USA consular guidance. Last reviewed May 2026.