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 Colombian city of departure, the airport routing, and local funeral-home fees, which vary across the country. We confirm a firm quote at first contact.
Bringing a loved one home from Colombia is a long-haul journey of roughly 8,500 km across the Atlantic, and there is a settled Colombian community in the UK for whom this route matters deeply. The process brings together the Colombian formalities for registering a death, the legalisation and translation of those documents for use here, the certificates needed for international air transport, and the receiving arrangements at home. We coordinate all of it across the time difference and in Spanish, so the family does not have to deal with Colombian offices or airlines directly. If you are at the very start of this, our repatriation hub explains the process in plain terms.
Colombia is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, so UK and Colombian public documents can be apostilled for use between the two countries rather than passing through a longer legalisation chain. Because Colombian documents are issued in Spanish, a certified English translation is prepared alongside the apostille so the papers are accepted without difficulty when the deceased arrives.
The death is first certified by the attending doctor, who issues the medical certificate of death. It is then registered with the Registraduría Nacional del Estado Civil (the Registry Office), which issues the Colombian death certificate — the certificado de defunción. A local funeral director arranges the paperwork and the transfer of the deceased to Bogotá for the flight, and carries out the embalming and preparation required for international carriage. The documents that travel with the deceased are the apostilled certificado de defunción with its certified English translation, an embalming certificate and freight documentation from the exporting funeral director, and a copy of the deceased's passport or other proof of identity.
The deceased is embalmed and placed in a sealed, transport-standard coffin, then booked as documented air cargo from Bogotá to a UK airport. Airlines carry the deceased under strict rules, so we make sure every document is complete and correctly apostilled before a flight is confirmed, to avoid delays at the terminal. Our team coordinates the routing and the handover to the receiving funeral director in the UK.
Once in the UK, the family can arrange the funeral. For a burial, the apostilled Colombian death certificate is generally sufficient. For a cremation in England and Wales, the coroner 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). Where a death abroad is repatriated, HM Coroner may also open an inquest. You can read more about the coroner's role in England in our resource centre, and we liaise with the coroner's office so any authority needed is in place when the deceased arrives.
A repatriation from Colombia typically takes 7–10 business days from first contact, longer than a European route because of the distance, the apostille and translation, and the transatlantic flight schedule. The timing depends on how quickly the death is registered and apostilled, the embalming and preparation, and the availability of a suitable flight from Bogotá. Where the death is sudden or unexplained and referred to the local authorities for examination, release can take longer.
The agreed price is settled before your loved one departs; we then stay with you through arrival, the final paperwork and registering the death. We confirm a firm, fixed quote at first contact, with no hidden costs. The final figure depends on the Colombian city of departure, the airport routing, and local funeral-home fees, which vary across the country. A UK estate, travel insurance or a life-insurance policy may cover part of the cost, and we are happy to talk this through openly.
We manage the Colombian formalities, the apostille and translation, the airline logistics and the UK reception as one coordinated process, in Spanish and 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 Colombian certificado de defunción, apostilled and accompanied by a certified English translation, together with an embalming certificate and freight documentation from the exporting funeral director and a copy of the deceased's passport or proof of identity.
Because the documents are issued in Spanish, we arrange the apostille and the translation as part of the service, so everything is accepted in the UK without difficulty.
Typically 7–10 business days from first contact. This is longer than a European route because of the distance of roughly 8,500 km, the apostille and translation, and the transatlantic flight schedule.
The timing depends on how quickly the death is registered and apostilled, the embalming and preparation, and the availability of a suitable flight from Bogotá. Where the death is referred to the local authorities for examination, release can take longer.
Yes. Colombia is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, so its public documents are legalised for use in the UK with an apostille rather than a longer legalisation chain.
As the documents are in Spanish, a certified English translation is also prepared. We handle both the apostille and the translation so the paperwork is ready for use in the UK.
No. Many of the families we help are settled members of the Colombian community in the UK, and there is no need to fly back. We coordinate directly with the Colombian funeral director and the registry, in Spanish and across the time difference.
The whole process is arranged remotely on the basis of a simple written authorisation, so the family can grieve at home while we handle the formalities in Colombia.
The quoted price covers the Colombian documentation, the apostille and translation, embalming, a transport coffin suitable for the UK funeral, freight documentation, air transport to the UK and handover to your funeral director. We confirm a firm, fixed quote at first contact with no hidden costs.
The agreed price is settled 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.
