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If a person dies abroad, the next of kin may wish to have the body returned to England or Wales and cremated. Because the normal certification required for cremation is not available for a death overseas, the Secretary of State may issue an order to authorise the medical referee to allow the cremation without the statutory certificates (or ones to like effect). In all cases the final decision whether to permit the cremation still rests with the medical referee.

It is advisable NOT to make funeral arrangements until a Home Office cremation order has been issued, in case there are any difficulties with the application.

Applying for a Cremation Order

A completed Application Form ‘A' - The Form ‘A' is available from your local crematorium and must normally be completed by the nearest surviving relative or an executor of the deceased's estate. If the form is completed by another person, as with any other cremation, a covering letter should be provided to explain why the application has not been made by the relevant person. Only the original of the application form is acceptable for our purposes.

An official document stating a specific cause of death - The application must be accompanied by an original document (or certified copy of an original document) that gives a specific cause of death.

This does not necessarily have to be a death certificate. A number of different official documents may be acceptable, including a consular death certificate, a doctor's certificate, or a mortuary certificate. It is sensible to submit all of the official overseas documentation accompanying the body. If you are unsure, please contact us in advance for advice.

If you do not have originals or certified copies of the relevant documents, you should contact the funeral directors that assisted with the deceased in the country where he/she died, or contact the issuer of the documents and ask them to send you a certified copy. In certain circumstances the Consular Division Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Tel: 0207 270 1500) may be able to assist.

If the cause of death is one which, had the death occurred in England or Wales, would have been referred to the coroner, the Home Office will not issue an order until the coroner has been consulted. The coroner may himself issue a certificate for cremation if he accepts the case, but if he declines jurisdiction the Home Office will consider the application on receipt of confirmation of the coroner's decision.

If the cause of death stated is generic, for example ‘heart attack', ‘respiratory failure' or ‘natural causes', it may not be possible to issue a cremation order until a more specific cause is ascertained. In such cases the death should be reported to the coroner, as above. Alternatively a more precise cause of death may be obtained by contacting the relevant foreign authority.

If documents are in a foreign language, it is for the applicant to have the documents officially translated. However, documents in most West European languages will usually be accepted without translation. If in any doubt, please contact this office in advance.

Applications can be made in person or by post - For applications by post, we will aim to process the application the same day as it is received. Applications will be returned by first class post. If you wish the application to be returned by any other means e.g. special delivery, please enclose the relevant pre-paid envelope with the application. Applications should be marked on the outside ‘cremation order' and sent to:

Coroners Section, 5 th Floor, Allington Towers, 19 Allington Street, London SW1E 5EB .

Where applications are made in person, we will aim to process the application within 20 minutes of receipt.

Our counter service, at the above address, is available 11:00a.m – 12:30p.m and 2:30p.m – 4:00p.m. Monday to Friday (not bank holidays). The counter service is not normally available outside these hours.

Tel: 0207 035 5530 or 0207 035 5531
Fax: 0207 035 5525

In the case of the remains of a person who has died in Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands, certificates substantially to the like effect as Forms “B,” “C,” “D” and “E” and given in accordance with the law relating to cremation for the time being in force in Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Isle of man, the Bailiwick of Jersey or the Bailiwick of Guernsey, should be acceptable to the medical referee.