The Final Trip Home- A Guide to Repatriation

Admin • October 12, 2016

When a death occurs away from home, it’s important to know what to do. After all, it’s a complicated time made even more difficult by the geographic limitations.

Contact Us for International Shipping

Your first step should be to contact us. We have extensive experience with international shipping and know how complex the process can be. We will work on your behalf to ensure that all of the appropriate documentation is obtained and filled out, that the consulate is contacted, and that all measures are in place.

What You Will Need For Repatriation

When deciding to ship your loved one’s body, you’ll be required to provide specific documentation. Our job is to make sure that you have everything that you need to proceed with the ship out and to take care of all of the details.

An example of required shipping documentation:

  • Certified copies of the Death Certificate (3)
  • Letter from Public Health Office indicating that there are no communicable diseases and outlining the packaging procedure
  • Letter of embalming and declaration of contents from the funeral home
  • Burial permit
  • Coroner’s out of province shipment certificate
  • Board of Funeral Services letters- 1 for the funeral establishment, 1 for the funeral director
  • Letter from the funeral home outlining travel arrangements (airline, flight schedule, address and contact information for the consignee)

Please note that these documents aren’t representative of all country’s requirements. Please consult our comprehensive funeral shipping guide for more information

Accompanying Your Loved One

Should you decide to accompany your loved one home, it’s important to contact to contact the airline as many of them offer bereavement fares. This discount allows reduced ticket prices, provided that you’re able to supply documentation confirming the reason for your travel. Each airline’s bereavement policies vary so be sure to inquire before confirming plans.

The Question of a Funeral Service

When repatriating a loved one, there’s often a concern as to where to hold the service. On the one hand, they likely have family in their homeland who would like to honour them but there’s also the matter of members of their adopted community. Often, families choose to hold two services; one in the country where the death occurred and another at home. This way, everyone has the chance to pay their respects and say a final good bye.

We’re happy to work with you to plan the funeral or cremation service of your choice, simply contact us for more information.

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