A dignified, fully-managed repatriation to the United Kingdom. We handle the paperwork, coordinate with the authorities in both countries, and bring your loved one home with care.
The final price depends on the Chinese city of departure, the airport routing, and local funeral and administrative fees, which vary across the country. The agreed price is settled once the flight is confirmed, with no deposit or advance required, before your loved one departs. We confirm a firm quote at first contact.
*Estimated from when the death is registered. Our team does everything possible to complete the repatriation sooner.
China is a long-haul route, and bringing a loved one home involves more steps than a European one. There is a settled British community across China — including many teachers and their families in the larger cities — and when a death occurs the journey home brings together the Chinese authorities who register the death and release the deceased, the documents needed for the flight, and the receiving arrangements in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. We coordinate all of this across the time difference, so the family does not have to deal directly with Chinese hospitals or offices. If you are at the very start of this, our repatriation hub explains the process in plain terms.
Because the Chinese death certificate is issued in Chinese, it travels with a notarised (certified) English translation, and the documents are legalised for use in the UK. China has been a member of the Hague Apostille Convention since it came into force there in November 2023, so that legalisation is now done by apostille rather than a longer consular chain.
Where the death occurs in hospital, the hospital issues the death certificate; for a death outside hospital, the local Public Security Bureau issues a police death certificate. The local authorities then issue permission to remove the body, and a local funeral director prepares the deceased and arranges the transfer. We appoint and instruct that funeral director on the family's behalf and gather the paperwork as it is issued.
The documents that travel with the deceased are the Chinese death certificate with a notarised (certified) English translation, the permission to remove the body issued by the local authorities, and an embalming certificate together with the deceased's passport.
The deceased is embalmed and placed in a sealed, transport-standard coffin by the local funeral director. Because of the distance, the journey home is made by air, with the deceased carried as documented cargo on a scheduled flight from the nearest international airport to a UK airport. Our team manages the collection, the airline booking and the documentation, so that nothing is missing when the flight is confirmed.
Once your loved one is in the UK, the family can arrange the funeral. For a burial, the Chinese death certificate, once legalised and translated, is generally sufficient. For a cremation, the coroner in England and Wales must give authority first — this is the Cremation Form 6, issued once the coroner is satisfied there is no need for further investigation (in Scotland this role falls to the procurator fiscal; in Northern Ireland, the coroner). You can read more about the coroner's role in England in our resource centre. We liaise with the coroner's office so this is in place without delay.
A repatriation from China typically takes 5–7 days from first contact, over a distance of roughly 8,150 km. The timing depends on how quickly the hospital or Public Security Bureau issues the certificate, the local permission to remove the body, the translation and legalisation of the documents, and the availability of a suitable long-haul flight. Where a death is sudden or unexplained and the police are involved, release can take longer.
This estimate is counted from when the death is registered, and our team does everything possible to complete the repatriation sooner.
We quote a firm price for the services included at first contact, with no hidden costs. The final figure depends on the Chinese city of departure, the airport routing, and local funeral and administrative fees, which vary across the country. The agreed price is settled once the flight is confirmed, with no deposit or advance required, before your loved one departs; we then stay with you through arrival, the final paperwork and registering the death. Families are often unaware that a UK estate, a life-insurance policy or travel insurance held by the deceased may cover part of the cost, and we are happy to talk this through openly.
We manage the Chinese formalities, the translation and legalisation, the airline logistics and the UK reception as one coordinated process, across the time difference, keeping the family informed at every stage and remaining contactable 24/7.
Last verified July 2026.
Common questions about bringing someone who has died abroad home to the UK — the paperwork, timescales, costs, and who arranges each step.
The deceased travels with the Chinese death certificate — issued by the hospital, or a police death certificate from the local Public Security Bureau for a death outside hospital — together with a notarised English translation, the local authorities' permission to remove the body, an embalming certificate and the deceased's passport.
Because the certificate is issued in Chinese, it must be translated and legalised before it can be used in the UK. We obtain everything on your behalf.
Yes. China has been a member of the Hague Apostille Convention since it came into force there in November 2023, so the Chinese documents are legalised with an apostille rather than through a longer consular chain.
Because they are issued in Chinese, a notarised English translation is also required. We arrange both as part of the process.
Typically 5–7 days from first contact, over a distance of roughly 8,150 km.
The timing depends on how quickly the hospital or Public Security Bureau issues the certificate, the local permission to remove the body, the translation and legalisation, and the availability of a suitable long-haul flight. Where the police are involved in a sudden death, release can take longer.
No. Whether you are in the UK or part of the British community living and teaching in China, we coordinate directly with the Chinese hospital, the local funeral director, the authorities and the airline across the time difference.
The family does not need to travel or deal with Chinese offices; the process is arranged remotely on the basis of a simple written authorisation.
The quoted price covers the Chinese documentation, the apostille and translation, embalming, a transport coffin suitable for the UK funeral, the permission to remove the body, air transport to the UK and handover to your funeral director. We confirm a firm quote at first contact with no hidden costs.
The agreed price is settled once the flight is confirmed, with no deposit or advance required, before your loved one departs; we then stay with you through arrival, the final paperwork and registering the death.
When choosing, it was hard — we'd never done anything like this before. We definitely chose the right company; their whole ethos is built around caring. From start to finish, Sebastian and his team worked tirelessly for a smooth process and took all the stress away. Our family can't thank Funero enough.
I can't speak highly enough of Sebastian and the Funero team. I'll admit I was slightly worried about using them as they were far more competitive — but their service was impeccable, with regular, timely communication that was a huge comfort at a difficult time.
Funero truly stands out — caring staff, affordable prices and excellent communication. Their team goes above and beyond to make the process smooth and respectful, making a difficult time a little easier, and affordable without ever compromising on quality or care.
I'm from Sydney and lost my brother in London. I was lucky to find Funero to help with the repatriation. Sebastian was fast, helpful and available at all times — they made the whole process easy for me. Highly recommended!
Every colleague at Funero went over and above during the repatriation of our loved one, from the first moment to the end and beyond. They spared no effort to make it happen far sooner than usual, treated our loved one with outstanding respect, and their empathy made an unbearable time feel manageable. Your loved ones will be in the best of hands.
Considering the shock and our lack of knowledge, Sebastian and Mihai were absolutely amazing with their help and guidance. It was an emotionally draining time, but they are calm, polite, empathetic and warm — from practical advice to personal effort and so much patience. We can't thank them enough.
An exceptionally professional and compassionate team. During one of the most painful moments of my life they went above and beyond, offering genuine support and care. Thanks to their kindness and dedication, the burden of losing my mother was made a little easier. I am deeply grateful for their respect, empathy and humanity.
Our loved one died on holiday in Egypt and, as a family of modest means, what felt impossible was made possible. Funero was the only company that didn't ask for money upfront, which gave us time to fundraise — and their quote was more than reasonable. They kept us informed every step, translated everything, and their reps in Egypt worked so hard for us. We can't thank them enough for bringing our loved one home.
Speak to a repatriation specialist any time, day or night — we'll guide you through every step.
