Repatriation from Hawaii, United States

Hawaii presents specific logistical challenges for repatriation to the UK that mainland US states do not. The islands are mid-Pacific, flights to the UK require connections through Los Angeles, San Francisco, or another US hub, and the geographic distance adds time and cost to every case.

Hawaii Medical Examiner

Deaths occurring in Hawaii fall under the jurisdiction of the Hawaii Office of the Medical Examiner (OME), based in Honolulu. The OME must certify deaths that are sudden, unexpected, accidental, or where the cause is uncertain. Water-related deaths — drownings, snorkelling accidents, diving incidents — are among the most common cases involving OME review for visiting British nationals.

For straightforward natural deaths certified by an attending physician, the Hawaii death certificate process typically takes 5 to 10 working days. Deaths referred to the OME take longer: expect 2 to 4 weeks for the certificate. Diving fatalities with suspected decompression illness may require specialist toxicological assessment.

Certified copies of Hawaii death certificates are issued by the Hawaii Department of Health, Vital Records Section, in Honolulu.

Source: Hawaii Department of Health, Office of Health Status Monitoring, 2024.

Honolulu International Airport cargo

Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), Honolulu, is the main departure point for remains leaving Hawaii. There are no direct flights to the UK. Remains are typically routed via Los Angeles (LAX) or San Francisco (SFO) to London Heathrow. This connection adds a minimum of one to two days to the logistics timeline.

The licensed Hawaiian funeral home will coordinate the inter-island transfer (if death occurred on Maui, Kauai, the Big Island, or another outer island) and the mainland connection. Inter-island transfers require a separate transit permit before the body can be moved to Oahu for the international shipment.

Documentation required for export from Hawaii:

• Hawaii death certificate (certified copy)
• Embalming certificate
• Freedom from infection certificate
• Hawaii burial transit permit
• Airline cargo booking confirmation (via mainland hub)
• Passport of the deceased

Outer island cases

If the death occurred on Maui (OGG), Kauai (LIH), or the Big Island (KOA/ITO), the body must first be transferred to Honolulu. This requires coordination between the outer island funeral home and a Honolulu-based firm with international repatriation experience. The inter-island leg typically adds 2 to 3 days to the overall timeline.

British consular contacts

The British Consulate General in Los Angeles covers Hawaii for consular purposes. For urgent matters, contact the FCDO 24-hour line: +44 (0)20 7008 5000. The consulate can register the death of a British national and assist with documentation queries.

Typical timeline from Hawaii

Straightforward cases routed through Honolulu and a mainland US hub: 14 to 21 days. Cases involving OME review or outer island transfer: 21 to 35 days. Diving fatalities with specialist investigation: 5 to 8 weeks.

Key local considerations

Hawaiian funeral homes vary significantly in their international repatriation experience. Resort areas on Maui and Kauai have funeral directors accustomed to handling tourist deaths, but some smaller firms have limited experience with UK-specific documentation requirements. Confirm with your repatriation coordinator that the chosen local firm has completed UK repatriations previously.

Travel insurance policies that include repatriation should be checked carefully: some policies exclude sports and water activities, which would cover a significant proportion of incidents in Hawaii.

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

Information based on Hawaii Department of Health vital records guidance and FCDO consular services documentation. Last reviewed May 2026.