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 destination region in Slovakia and the airport served. 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 Slovakia for the funeral, the process brings together the UK coroner's formalities, the requirements set by the Slovak authorities, and the transport itself. Slovakia is landlocked and roughly 1,300 km away, so the deceased travels by air freight to a Slovak airport, most often Bratislava or Košice. We manage the full journey and the paperwork on both sides so the family in Slovakia 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 destination country's import requirements then set the standard for the documents that must accompany the deceased and for the way the coffin is prepared. For Slovakia, an EU member state, those requirements are comparatively predictable, and as a Hague member Slovakia recognises a UK document legalised with an apostille where legalisation is asked for.
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 body 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. For international carriage, permission for the international transport of the body — the transport authorisation — is required, and the receiving international funeral director assembles this and completes the local formalities with the registry office (matričný úrad) in the district where the funeral will take place. We prepare the document file and coordinate directly with the funeral director. You can read more about repatriating a body from the UK in our guidance.
The deceased is embalmed and placed in a transport-standard sealed coffin that meets airline requirements. We arrange air freight to the Slovak airport nearest the destination — usually Bratislava or Košice — with a receiving funeral director meeting the flight. Our team collects the deceased from the UK hospital, mortuary or funeral home and manages the journey, roughly 1,300 km, through to the funeral director in Slovakia, who completes the local registry formalities before the funeral.
A repatriation from the UK to Slovakia typically takes 5–7 days from first contact, the deceased travelling roughly 1,300 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 permission for the international transport of the body, and the availability of suitable flights to Bratislava or Košice. 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 destination region in Slovakia, the airport served, and any UK funeral-home and mortuary fees. 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 Slovak receiving requirements and the air transport as one coordinated process, in English and in Slovak, keeping both sides of the family informed and remaining contactable 24/7.
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.
For international carriage, permission for the international transport of the body is required, which the receiving international funeral director assembles. We prepare the file and coordinate both sides.
Typically 5–7 days, the deceased travelling roughly 1,300 km by air to Bratislava or Košice. The main factor is the four clear days' notice to the coroner, which can occasionally be shortened at the coroner's discretion.
The permission for the international transport of the body and the availability of suitable flights also affect timing, and where the death has been referred to the coroner for investigation the timeline can be longer.
Slovakia is landlocked and roughly 1,300 km away, so the deceased travels by air freight to the nearest Slovak airport, usually Bratislava or Košice.
We arrange the flight and the transport coffin and have a receiving funeral director meet it, managing the journey through to the funeral in Slovakia.
Slovakia is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, so where the Slovak authorities require a UK public document to be legalised, it can be apostilled in the UK rather than passing through a longer legalisation chain.
In practice the receiving international funeral director advises on exactly which documents the destination district requires, and we prepare the file accordingly.
No. We handle the UK coroner's formalities and registration in English, and liaise with the receiving international funeral director and registry office in Slovakia in Slovak.
The family provides a simple written authorisation, and we coordinate both sides of the process remotely, so no one needs to travel to the UK.
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.
