Repatriation to Home Country
A person passed away abroad and needs to be returned to the country they came from.
A traveller who died on holiday, returning to their country of residence.
International Repatriation Coordination
What is international repatriation?
International repatriation is the transfer of a deceased person from the country where the death occurred to another country. It involves the local funeral provider, the documentation required by both countries, the preparation of the deceased, a suitable coffin, and transport, usually by air, through to a receiving party at the destination.
How It Works
Five Stages, One Point of Contact
International repatriation involves authorities, documents and providers in at least two countries. This is how we structure it so the family does not have to.
- 01
Case Intake
We take the details of the case: where the death occurred, where the deceased needs to be transferred, and the circumstances that affect what will be required.
- 02
Operational Assessment
We review the requirements for that specific route: documentation, authorisations, available providers and flight options, and come back to you with what the case involves.
- 03
Coordination in the Country of Origin
We coordinate with the local professional providers and the relevant authorities in the country where the death occurred.
- 04
The International Transfer
Documentation, airline, cargo and the flight itself are coordinated and tracked through to departure.
- 05
Arrival in the Destination Country
We coordinate the handover to the receiving party in the destination country and the continuation of the arrangements there.
The stages above describe how a case is typically managed. The specific requirements, sequence and timing depend on the countries involved and are confirmed case by case.
Cross-Border Cases
From Anywhere. To Anywhere.
Our work is not limited to bringing people to one country. Most of the cases we coordinate involve a route between two countries, and often neither of them is ours.
Country-to-Country Repatriation
A transfer between two foreign countries, where neither is the family's own country.
From Thailand to France. From Greece to Germany. From Georgia to Germany.
Repatriation To and From Israel
Transfer into Israel from abroad, or out of Israel to another country, subject to review.
Both directions are handled, each with its own documentation requirements.
We assess the route that is actually required and coordinate the process with the relevant parties in each of the countries involved.
What We Coordinate
Complete International Repatriation Coordination
TLM acts as the coordinating party. The professional work in each country is carried out by local providers and authorities, and we manage them as a single process on the family's behalf.
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International Repatriation
Coordination of the transfer of a deceased person between countries, from the country of death to the destination country.
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Air Transportation
Coordination of the air transport of the deceased, including the booking and the requirements of the operating carrier.
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Local Funeral Director
Engaging and coordinating a local funeral home in the country where the death occurred.
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Documentation Support
Assistance in identifying and coordinating the documents required for the specific route.
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Consular Coordination
Coordination with the relevant consulates and embassies where their involvement is required.
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Required Authorisations
Coordination of the permits and authorisations that the route requires.
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Translations
Arranging translation of documents where the destination country requires it.
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Preparation of the Deceased
Coordination of the preparation of the deceased in accordance with the applicable requirements.
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Embalming
Coordination of embalming through a local provider where it is required for the route.
Requirements differ between countries and routes. Not every service listed is applicable, available or required in every case. Each case is reviewed and confirmed individually.
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to what families and professionals most often need to know. Where an answer depends on the countries involved, we say so rather than generalising.
What is international repatriation?
International repatriation is the transfer of a deceased person from the country where the death occurred to another country. It involves the local funeral provider, the documentation required by both countries, the preparation of the deceased, a suitable coffin, and transport, usually by air, through to a receiving party at the destination.
How is a deceased person transported between countries?
In most cases the deceased is transported by air, as cargo on a scheduled commercial flight, in a coffin prepared to meet the carrier's requirements. The exact arrangement depends on the airline, the route and the requirements of both countries.
How much does international repatriation cost?
The cost is built from four main components: the care of the deceased in the country of death, the documentation and consular authorisations, a transport coffin meeting airline requirements, and the airline's cargo charge. Cargo is usually the largest single item, calculated by weight and distance. Ground transport at both ends and the receiving funeral director complete the total. Tell us the route and we will price that case.
How long does the process take?
It depends primarily on how quickly the required documents can be issued in the country where the death occurred, and on flight availability for the route. Some countries process the documentation quickly, others do not, and circumstances such as an investigation or a post-mortem can extend it. We give an assessment for the specific case rather than a general timeframe.
What documents are required?
The set differs by country, but commonly includes a death certificate, an authorisation to transfer the deceased out of the country, documentation regarding the preparation of the deceased, and documentation required by the destination country, sometimes including consular certification. We identify the specific list for the route as part of the assessment.
Can a deceased person be transferred between two foreign countries?
Yes. Country-to-country transfers, where neither country is the family's own, are a substantial part of the cases we coordinate. The route is reviewed and confirmed individually, as with any other case.
Your question isn't here?
Every case has its own circumstances. Send us the details and we will answer for your specific situation.
Case Intake
Need to Arrange a Repatriation?
Send us the details of the case. The more you can tell us, the faster we can assess the route and what it will require.
Your request has been received
We have your case details and our team will review the route and requirements.
Your reference:
If this is urgent, you can reach us directly right now:
Guides
The parts families ask about most
Short pages on the documents, the preparation and the coffin, written for someone reading them for the first time.
- The first hoursThe decisions taken in the first hours after a death abroad shape everything that follows. What to secure, who to call, and what not to authorise yet.
- Death certificateA local death certificate is rarely enough on its own. What is issued, what has to be translated and legalised, and what the receiving country asks for.
- Preparation and embalmingWhen embalming is required, when refrigeration is accepted instead, and how religious requirements are handled on an international transfer.
- Coffin and air transportWhy a sealed inner container is normally required, how the outer case and weight affect the cost, and what differs when ashes are transported.
- Exhumation and reburialMoving someone already buried abroad: the permits involved, what governs the timing, how the transport differs, and where religious law sits.
- How long it takesWhy there is no single answer, what actually sets the pace of a case, what lengthens it, and what can be started in parallel.
- Travel insuranceWhat a policy usually covers, why pre-authorisation decides everything, where policies exclude, and what to ask the insurer in writing.
- Transfer to IsraelWhy a transfer to Israel runs differently: burial without delay, the Shabbat and holiday calendar, the consular documents, and who receives at the airport.
- Apostille and legalisationA death certificate issued abroad is rarely accepted at home as it is. What legalisation means, when an apostille is enough, and where delays come from.
- Autopsy and investigationAn official investigation is the most common reason a repatriation stops. Why it is opened, how it affects timing, and what a family can influence.
- Ashes and cremationCremation cannot be undone and rules out repatriating the body. What the decision involves, how ashes travel, and what the receiving country may require.
- Personal effectsBelongings do not automatically travel with the deceased. What is normally removed, how valuables are handled, and how effects are returned to the family.
- IdentificationA death cannot be registered before formal identification. When a relative must travel, when a photo is enough, and what happens when identity is in doubt.
- A death in IsraelRepatriation out of Israel has its own rules, authorities and timing. What the family abroad needs to know, and what the Israeli side handles.
- Without insuranceRepatriation without a policy is possible; the family carries the cost. What can be reduced, what cannot, and where hidden cover is sometimes found.
- Choosing a providerFamilies choose a provider within hours, with no way to compare. The questions that show how a case will really be handled, and the answers to worry about.
Available 24/7
Get Immediate Repatriation Assistance
Tell us where the death occurred and where the deceased needs to go. We will assess the route and come back to you.