Funeral repatriation route guide
Repatriation from the United States to Ireland
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Repatriation from the USA to Ireland: what to expect
Bringing a loved one home from the USA to Ireland usually takes 10 to 21 days, because the death certificate and the permit to move the body are issued by the state where the death happened, not by a national office. Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs says repatriations average 10 to 14 days and often take longer (Department of Foreign Affairs, Death Abroad, checked October 2026).
- Key documents: a certified copy of the state death certificate and the state's permit to remove the body, which North Carolina, for example, calls a burial-transit permit issued by the local registrar (N.C. Gen. Stat. 130A-113).
- Where a medical examiner has taken jurisdiction, the body cannot leave the state until the examiner releases it, which is the most common cause of delay.
- Ireland has an Embassy in Washington DC and Consulates General in Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York and San Francisco (Embassy of Ireland, USA, checked October 2026).
- The Irish consular service cannot pay for repatriation. It can give practical guidance and lists of local undertakers who work with Irish funeral directors.
- US death certificates are in English, so no translation is needed when the death is later recorded in Ireland.
In Ireland
When the body arrives in Ireland
An Irish funeral director meets the coffin at the airport cargo terminal and takes custody. The coroner is notified where the death was sudden or unexplained, and may order a post-mortem; for remains flown into Dublin Airport it is the Dublin District Coroner who must be notified (Citizens Information, Bringing a body to Ireland, checked October 2026). Families can also ask the Irish coroner to carry out a further examination after the return. A death registered in a US state is not normally registered again in Ireland, but if the person was an Irish citizen ordinarily resident in Ireland within 5 years of death, the family can apply free of charge for a Record of Death Abroad at any Civil Registration Office (gov.ie, Record of Death Abroad).
Consular support
Department of Foreign Affairs consular assistance, Dublin: +353 1 408 2527 during office hours, +353 1 408 2000 out of hours for emergencies (DFA Consular Assistance Charter, checked October 2026). Embassy of Ireland, Washington DC: +1 202 462 3939. The Embassy and the Consulates General in Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York and San Francisco can give practical guidance and lists of local undertakers. They cannot pay for or arrange repatriation.
The process
What happens after a death in the USA
Call 911 for emergency services. A physician, or the county medical examiner or coroner, certifies the death, and the record is held by the records office of the state where the death occurred: the CDC National Center for Health Statistics directs families to each state for death records. Before the body can leave the state, the local registrar issues a permit for its removal, provided the death is not under medical examiner jurisdiction (N.C. Gen. Stat. 130A-113 is one example of this rule). A US funeral director then prepares the body and the paperwork for the flight to Ireland. The family in Ireland is usually informed through the Department of Foreign Affairs, which can ask An Garda Siochana to tell the next of kin in person.
Step by step
Timeline: United States to Ireland
Immediate steps after death
Day of death. Call 911. Contact the nearest Irish Consulate General, or the DFA in Dublin on +353 1 408 2000 out of hours.
Family or travel insurer
Death certified by a physician or the county medical examiner. Death certificate filed with the state records office.
Timescales differ by state and by county. A medical examiner case takes longer.
Local funeral director and state records office
Irish Consulate General notified
As early as possible. The consulate can supply a list of local undertakers used to working with Irish funeral directors.
Family or repatriation specialist
Body released and prepared
After the physician signs the certificate, or after the medical examiner releases the body.
Licensed local funeral director
State permit to remove the body obtained and export paperwork completed
Allow 5-14 days depending on the state. The permit is issued by the local registrar and travels with the body.
Local funeral director and local registrar
Air cargo from a major US airport to Ireland
Once all documentation is complete. The flight is booked as cargo, not as passenger baggage.
Repatriation specialist and airline cargo
Irish funeral director takes custody at the cargo terminal
On arrival. The coroner is notified if the death was sudden or unexplained (the Dublin District Coroner for arrivals at Dublin Airport).
Receiving funeral director
Common questions
FAQs: repatriation from the United States to Ireland
In a straightforward case, repatriation from the USA to Ireland takes 7 to 10 days. Most cases take 10 to 21 days. The Department of Foreign Affairs says repatriations average 10 to 14 days and often take longer. Cases where a US medical examiner investigates the death can take 3 to 8 weeks.
Yes, with guidance rather than money. Ireland has an Embassy in Washington DC (+1 202 462 3939) and Consulates General in Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York and San Francisco. They can give practical advice and lists of local undertakers, but cannot pay for or arrange repatriation. Out of hours, the Department of Foreign Affairs emergency line in Dublin is +353 1 408 2000.
The core documents are a certified copy of the state death certificate, the state permit for removal of the body (called a burial-transit permit in North Carolina and some other states), the medical examiner's release if the examiner took the case, the funeral director's preparation paperwork, and the passport of the deceased. The funeral director confirms any extra papers the airline asks for.
Yes. Each US state keeps its own death records and sets its own rules for the permit needed to move a body out of the state. Whether a medical examiner or a coroner handles sudden deaths also depends on the state and county. This is why timescales on this route vary more than on most European routes.
An Irish funeral director takes custody at the airport cargo terminal. If the death was sudden or unexplained, the coroner is notified and may order a post-mortem; for Dublin Airport arrivals that is the Dublin District Coroner. Otherwise the family can go ahead with funeral arrangements.
No. A death registered in a US state is not normally registered again in Ireland. If the person was an Irish citizen ordinarily resident in Ireland within 5 years of death, the family can choose to apply for a Record of Death Abroad at any Civil Registration Office. It is free, and a certified copy of the US death certificate is needed.
Yes. Ashes generally need the death certificate and the cremation certificate. Airport security may need to screen the urn, so a non-metallic container is often advised. Check the airline's own rules on whether ashes travel as hand luggage or checked baggage.
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If your loved one has died in the United States, 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 to Ireland.
Reviewed by the Repatriate Service editorial team. Information sourced from official government and embassy guidance and professional repatriation experience. Facts last checked September 2026; page updated .
Sources: Official guidance on a death in the United States (gov.uk) · United States repatriation guide · Frequently asked questions