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 air freight arrangements and the receiving services in Malta. We confirm a firm quote at first contact, settled once the flight is confirmed, with no deposit or advance required, before your loved one departs. 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 Malta for the funeral, the process brings together the UK coroner's formalities, the receiving formalities in Malta, and the flight itself. Malta is an island in the central Mediterranean, so the deceased travels by air. We manage the full journey and the paperwork on both sides, so the family in Malta does not have to travel to the UK or deal with British offices. 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 receiving requirements in Malta then govern the documents that accompany the deceased and the way the coffin is prepared. English is an official language of Malta, so the UK death certificate is read without translation, and Malta is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, so where a UK public document must be legalised it can be apostilled in the UK rather than passing through a longer legalisation chain.
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.
In Malta the death is registered with the Public Registry — Civil Status (Identità), which issues the Act of Death (Att tal-Mewt), and the hospital's doctor's death certificate precedes that formal registration where the death occurs there. The receiving funeral operator in Malta takes the deceased into care and handles the local formalities and the funeral arrangements. The deceased travels with the UK death certificate, the coroner's out-of-England acknowledgement, and certificates of embalming and freedom from infection. We prepare the document file and coordinate directly with the funeral operator in Malta.
The deceased is embalmed and placed in a sealed, transport-standard coffin that meets the airline requirements for international carriage. We then arrange air freight to Malta, where the receiving funeral operator takes the deceased into their care. Our team collects the deceased from the UK hospital, mortuary or funeral home and manages the journey through to the funeral in Malta.
A repatriation from the UK to Malta typically takes 5–7 days from first contact, the deceased travelling roughly 2,100 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) and the availability of suitable flights to Malta. 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 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 in Malta. The figure depends on the air freight arrangements, any UK funeral-home and mortuary fees, and the receiving services in Malta. A UK estate, a life-insurance or travel-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 Maltese receiving requirements and the transport as one coordinated process, 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.
In Malta, the death is registered with the Public Registry — Civil Status (Identità), which issues the Act of Death, and the receiving funeral operator handles the local formalities. We prepare the file and coordinate both sides.
Typically 5–7 days, the deceased travelling roughly 2,100 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, and the availability of suitable flights to Malta.
Where the death has been referred to the coroner for investigation, the timeline can be longer.
English is an official language of Malta, so the UK death certificate is read without translation. Malta is also a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, so where a UK public document must be legalised it can be apostilled in the UK rather than passing through a longer chain.
The receiving funeral operator in Malta advises on exactly which documents are needed, and we prepare the file accordingly.
No. We handle the UK coroner's formalities and the death registration in the UK, and liaise with the receiving funeral operator and the Public Registry — Civil Status in Malta.
The family provides a simple written authorisation, and we coordinate both sides of the process remotely.
The quoted price covers the coroner notification, embalming, a sealed transport coffin, the transport certificates, and air freight to Malta with handover to the receiving funeral operator.
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, and we then stay with you through arrival, the final paperwork and registering the death. The figure depends on the air freight arrangements and UK funeral-home fees.
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.
