A dignified, fully-managed repatriation from 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 receiving city in China and the airline and routing. 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. The base covers transport to the destination airport; customs clearance and onward delivery are quoted separately, where available.
*Estimated from when the death is registered. Our team does everything possible to complete the repatriation sooner.
When someone dies in the UK and is to be returned to China for the funeral, the process brings together the UK coroner's formalities, the documents the Chinese authorities require, and a long-haul flight of roughly 8,150 km. The deceased travels by air, and we manage the full journey and the paperwork on both sides so the family in China does not have to deal with UK offices in English. Our repatriation hub sets out the essentials if you are just starting.
Taking a body out of England and Wales follows a set UK procedure; the documents that accompany the deceased are then prepared for use in China. China has been a member of the Hague Apostille Convention since November 2023, so UK public documents can be legalised for China by apostille.
Before a deceased person can be taken out of England and Wales, the law requires that the coroner for the district be given at least four clear days' notice (the Removal of Bodies Regulations 1954). The coroner then issues an acknowledgement — the "out of England" notice — confirming there is no objection to removal, and can release the deceased sooner where satisfied that no further enquiries are needed. We complete this notification and obtain the acknowledgement on the family's behalf. In Scotland the equivalent authority is the procurator fiscal; in Northern Ireland, the coroner.
The deceased travels embalmed and placed in a sealed, transport-standard coffin, accompanied by the UK death certificate, the coroner's out-of-England acknowledgement, and certificates of embalming and freedom from infection. Where the Chinese authorities require the UK documents to be legalised, this is done by apostille and, as they will be read in China, with a certified Chinese translation. The receiving funeral director in China takes the deceased into their care and handles the local formalities. We prepare the document file and coordinate directly with them.
The deceased is embalmed and placed in a transport-standard sealed coffin. We arrange air freight from a UK airport to the nearest receiving Chinese airport, collecting the deceased from the UK hospital, mortuary or funeral home and managing the journey to the destination airport, coordinating with the receiving funeral director in China, who takes the deceased into their care for the funeral.
A repatriation from the UK to China typically takes 5–7 days from first contact, the deceased travelling roughly 8,150 km by air. The main factors are the four clear days' notice to the coroner (which can sometimes be shortened at the coroner's discretion), the legalisation and translation of the UK documents, and flight availability. Where the death has been referred to the coroner for investigation, the timeline can be longer.
This estimate is counted from when the death is registered, and our team does everything possible to complete the repatriation sooner.
We confirm a firm quote at first contact, with no hidden costs. The final figure depends on the receiving city in China, the airline and routing, and any UK funeral-home and mortuary fees. 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. A UK estate, a life-insurance policy or the deceased's own arrangements may cover part of the cost, and we are glad to discuss this openly.
We handle the UK coroner's formalities, the Chinese document requirements and the transport as one coordinated process, in English and in Chinese, keeping both sides of the family informed and remaining contactable 24/7. You can read more about repatriating a body from the UK in our guidance.
Last verified July 2026.
Common questions about repatriating someone who has died in the UK to their home country — the paperwork, timescales, costs, and who arranges each step.
Before removal, the coroner must be given at least four clear days' notice and issues an "out of England" acknowledgement. The deceased then travels embalmed in a sealed, transport-standard coffin, accompanied by the UK death certificate and certificates of embalming and freedom from infection.
Where the Chinese authorities require the UK documents to be legalised, this is done by apostille and with a certified Chinese translation. We complete the coroner notification and prepare the file on both sides.
Typically 5–7 days from first contact, the deceased travelling roughly 8,150 km by air. The main factor is the four clear days' notice to the coroner, which can occasionally be shortened at the coroner's discretion.
The legalisation and translation of the documents and flight availability also affect timing, and where the death has been referred to the coroner for investigation the timeline can be longer.
China has been a member of the Hague Apostille Convention since November 2023, so where the Chinese authorities require a UK public document to be legalised, it can be apostilled in the UK rather than passing through a longer legalisation chain.
As the documents will be read in China, a certified Chinese translation is generally provided, and we prepare the file accordingly.
No. We handle the UK coroner's formalities and the registration in English, arrange the apostille and translation where required, and coordinate with the receiving funeral director in China.
Many British families in China, and Chinese families with relatives in the UK, arrange everything remotely with us on the basis of a simple written authorisation, and we keep both sides informed throughout.
The quoted price covers the coroner notification, embalming, a sealed transport coffin, the transport and legalisation documents, and air transport to China with handover to the receiving 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.
