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Burials | Coroners | Cremations | Doctors | Exhumation | Funeral directors | Help with funeral expenses from the DSS | Professional Associations | Registration | Repatriation to England or Wales | Repatriation to a foreign country | What to do initially after a death

If someone has died in this country from overseas the family may wish the deceased’s funeral to take place in the home country. Sending bodies abroad requires a large amount of paperwork. Only the coroner can give permission for a body to be moved out of England or Wales. Permission must be obtained at least four days before the body is to be moved (at the coroners discretion). A Removal Notice (form 104) will be issued and part of this will be sent to the registrar. This procedure applies in all cases where the body is to be moved out of England or Wales not just where the death was referred to the coroner.

The deceased must be embalmed to a standard suitable for overseas travel. They must then be sealed in a zinc-lined coffin. The specific paperwork required and regulations are dependent on the destination country and you should check with the relevant consular office.