Repatriation from Portugal to Ireland

Most cases from Portugal to Ireland take 7-14 days, and a straightforward case can take 5-7 days. The Department of Foreign Affairs says repatriations take 10-14 days on average and often longer. Where the public prosecutor opens an inquiry and orders a post-mortem, allow 3-6 weeks.

The core documents are the certidão de óbito (ask for the international version with a multilingual translation), the transport permits for the body, the funeral director's preparation paperwork and the passport of the person who died. If the public prosecutor opened an inquiry, its release is needed too. The Portuguese funeral director gathers these.

The Embassy of Ireland in Lisbon (+351 213 308 200) can give practical advice on local processes, liaise with local authorities, provide a list of English speaking undertakers and arrange for Gardaí to tell next of kin in Ireland. It cannot pay for the return of your loved one or for funeral costs. Out of hours, the Department of Foreign Affairs Duty Officer is on +353 1 408 2000.

An inquiry into the cause and circumstances is compulsory in Portugal where a death was sudden, happened in suspicious circumstances or followed an accident. The public prosecutor runs it, and a post-mortem is normally held within 3 to 4 working days of death. The body cannot leave Portugal until the prosecutor allows it.

The Irish funeral director takes custody at the cargo terminal. If the death was sudden or unexplained, the coroner for the district where the body is going must be told, which for Dublin Airport is the Dublin District Coroner. If the death was unexplained or suspicious, the family can also ask the coroner's office to examine the remains further.

Yes. After a cremation in Portugal the ashes can be carried home or sent by air freight with the death certificate and the cremation certificate. Where there was an inquiry, permission from the public prosecutor may be needed before a cremation can go ahead.