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 reflects the overland leg out of Ukraine and the air routing through Poland. We confirm a firm quote at first contact, with no hidden costs.
*Estimated from when the death is registered. Our team does everything possible to complete the repatriation sooner.
Bringing a loved one home from Ukraine to the UK is, since the full-scale invasion of February 2022, a journey shaped by the war. Ukraine's civil airspace has been closed to all flights, so the deceased cannot be flown out of a Ukrainian airport; the journey begins overland. We coordinate the whole process — the Ukrainian formalities, the road transfer out of the country, the flight to the UK, and the receiving arrangements at home — so that the family in Britain never has to travel into a conflict zone or deal with offices there directly. If you are just starting, our repatriation hub explains the process in plain terms.
Ukraine is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, so its documents are legalised for the UK with an apostille, accompanied by a certified translation. The main considerations are the local registration of the death, the preparation of the deceased, and the overland leg to a neighbouring country before the flight home.
A death in Ukraine is registered by the State civil registration service (органи ДРАЦС), which records it, usually within a few days, and issues the Ukrainian death certificate. Because Ukrainian certificates do not state the cause of death, a separate medical cause-of-death certificate is issued to the next of kin. A local funeral service prepares the deceased and arranges the sealed, zinc-lined metal coffin required for international carriage, together with a health certificate confirming the death was not from a communicable disease. The apostille and certified translation are then obtained so the documents are recognised in the UK.
The deceased is embalmed and placed in a sealed, zinc-lined metal coffin. With the airspace closed, the coffin is carried by road across a Poland–Ukraine land border — through crossings such as Korczowa–Krakovets or Medyka–Shehyni — to an air hub in Poland (Rzeszów, Kraków or Warsaw), and then flown as documented air cargo to a UK airport. Our team coordinates the road convoy, the border clearance and the flight through to the receiving funeral director in the UK.
Once the deceased is home, the family can arrange the funeral. For a burial, the Ukrainian death certificate, apostilled and translated, 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). You can read more about the coroner's role in England in our resource centre. We liaise with the coroner's office so any authority needed is in place without delay.
Because the deceased must leave Ukraine by road before flying home, a repatriation from Ukraine combines a land-border clearance, a road transfer to Poland and a flight, and typically takes around 10 to 14 days — sometimes longer. The timing depends on how quickly the death is registered, the apostille and translation of the documents, and above all the security situation, which can change at short notice and is outside anyone's control.
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 at first contact, with no hidden costs. The final figure reflects the overland leg out of Ukraine, the air routing through Poland, and local fees. The agreed price is settled once the arrangements are confirmed, with no deposit or advance required, before your loved one departs; we then stay with you through the journey, the final paperwork and registering the death. A UK estate, travel insurance or a life-insurance policy may cover part of the cost, and we are glad to talk this through openly.
Bringing a loved one home from a country at war asks for experience, patience and honesty about what is possible. We manage the Ukrainian formalities, the overland journey through Poland and the UK reception as one coordinated process, keeping the family informed at every stage and remaining contactable 24/7, so that the distance and the circumstances never add to the distress of an already hard time.
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.
Yes. Because Ukraine's airspace has been closed to all flights since February 2022, the deceased cannot be flown out of a Ukrainian airport. The journey begins overland: the coffin is carried by road across a Poland–Ukraine land border to an air hub in Poland, and then flown to the UK.
We arrange the whole journey, so the family in Britain never has to travel into Ukraine.
The deceased travels with the Ukrainian death certificate, apostilled and with a certified translation, a separate medical cause-of-death certificate (Ukrainian certificates omit the cause of death), and a health certificate confirming the death was not from a communicable disease.
Ukraine is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, so the documents are legalised with an apostille rather than a longer consular process. We obtain everything on your behalf.
Because the deceased must leave Ukraine by road before flying home, the journey combines a land-border clearance, a road transfer to Poland and a flight, and typically takes around 10 to 14 days — sometimes longer.
The timing depends on how quickly the death is registered, the apostille and translation of the documents, and above all the security situation, which can change at short notice.
Yes. A burial can generally proceed on the apostilled and translated Ukrainian death certificate. For a cremation in England and Wales, the coroner must give authority first — 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. We liaise with the coroner's office so the authority is in place without delay.
The quoted price covers the Ukrainian documentation, the apostille and translation, embalming, a sealed zinc-lined metal coffin, the road transfer out of Ukraine, and the flight from Poland to the UK with handover to your funeral director. We confirm a firm quote at first contact with no hidden costs.
The agreed price is settled once the arrangements are confirmed, with no deposit or advance required, before your loved one departs; we then stay with you through the journey, 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.
