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“Reliable, professional, a reasonable price, and most important of all, my brother arrived exactly on time.”
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By air, arranged end to end

Routes this far go by air. We book the flight, prepare the papers the airline asks for, and our partners receive your loved one at the other end.

Everything in the estimate

  • The paperwork at both ends
  • Collection
  • Hygienic treatment
  • A sealed coffin
  • Transport, by road or by air
  • One specialist, start to finish
A written quote on a desk

One price, in writing, before anything moves

Before anything is booked you have an itemised quote in writing, and nothing is added to it afterwards, so you can plan without surprises.

In the families’ own words

“We were so worried about the process of getting my mum safely back home to Slovakia, but every detail was handled with care, compassion and professionalism.”
Sofia BartkovaUK to Slovakia
“Our loved one died on holiday in Egypt and what felt impossible was made possible. They kept us informed every step, translated everything, and their reps in Egypt worked so hard for us.”
NatEgypt to UK
“Their pricing was competitive and the process was incredibly fast. What stood out most was the attentive and caring staff who spoke Italian fluently.”
GenovesiUK to Italy
Two of our team at the front desk of our office

One specialist, from the first call to the last

The same person holds your case, deals with the offices at both ends and tells you when each step is done, so you never have to explain it twice.

Rated excellent, 4.8 out of 5

See reviews

Repatriation to and from Australia

£4,400

Estimated, all inclusive

Enquire now, no obligation
  • Usually 2 to 7 days
  • Agreed in writing
  • We answer any hour

  • Our fees, and one specialist from the first call to the last
  • Collection from the hospital or mortuary
  • Hygienic treatment, and care until your loved one travels
  • A sealed coffin that meets the route’s requirements
  • All the paperwork required
  • Transport by road in our own refrigerated funeral ambulances, or by air where the road is not possible

When your loved one needs an urgent collection, usually from a home: the estimate covers collection from a hospital or mortuary. Tell us where they are on the first call and the written quote includes it, with any of the costs specific to Australia that apply.

The estimate for any country, in either direction, and what it covers.

Work out an estimate for another countryWork out an estimate for another country

How body repatriation works, step by step

Four steps between Australia and the UK, and we do all of them. You hear from us at each one, not only at the end.

  1. The first call

    You tell us where your loved one is, in Australia or in the UK. We tell you the cost and what happens next, at any hour.

  2. The paperwork

    The death certificate, the permit to travel and the papers the carrier needs. We obtain them in Australia and here.

  3. Care and transport

    Hygienic treatment and a sealed coffin. Most routes travel by road in our own vehicles, by air only where the distance calls for it.

  4. Arrival

    By road, we drive on to the funeral director you have chosen, or to ours. By air, collection at the destination is an optional extra.

The papers we obtain for you

This is the set most routes need. Where a country asks for something else, we tell you before we quote, and we obtain that too.

  • Out of England permission

    From the coroner, when the death happened in England.

  • Free from infection certificate

    Confirms there is no infectious disease, for the carrier and the receiving country.

  • Funeral director’s declaration

    Our signed declaration for the transport.

  • Embalming certificate

    Where the route or the receiving country requires one.

  • Apostille

    Where the receiving country asks for one.

  • Translations

    Certified, where a document is not in the receiving country’s language.

Procedures change from time to time, so this list may lag behind them. We keep up with every change and confirm what your case needs on the first call.

What we need from you

  • The death certificate

    Or the coroner’s interim certificate, where there is an inquest.

  • Their passport

    Or a copy to begin with. We tell you if the original is needed.

  • Your permission for us to act

    A short form we send you to sign, so we can deal with the offices for your family.

What we need from you

  • Their passport, or a copy

    Whatever you have to hand. We tell you what else is needed.

  • Any papers you already hold from Australia

    A death certificate or a hospital letter, if you have one. If not, we obtain it.

  • Your permission for us to act

    A short form we send you to sign, so we can deal with the offices for your family.

Repatriation between Australia and the United Kingdom

The whole route in plain terms, in both directions, written for someone reading it for the first time.

Repatriation from Australia to the United Kingdom

With such a large British-Australian population, generations of families with ties on both sides of the world, bringing a loved one home from Australia is a well-established route, though one of the longer routes we arrange in both distance and paperwork. The process draws together the requirements of the Australian state or territory where the death occurred, the legalisation of the documents for use in the UK, the certificates needed for a long-haul flight, and the receiving arrangements at home. We coordinate all of it across a large time difference, so the family does not have to deal with Australian undertakers, state registries or airlines directly. If you are at the very start of this, our repatriation hub explains the process in plain terms.

Australia is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, so the death certificate is legalised for use in the UK with an apostille rather than a longer consular chain. Australian documents are issued in English, so no translation is needed here.

The process in Australia

A local undertaker registers the death with the state or territory Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages, which issues the death certificate, and arranges the hygienic treatment (embalming) and preparation for air transport. The undertaker provides the supporting hygienic treatment certificate and airline documentation for the export. Your loved one's passport and the airline documentation complete the file that travels with the coffin. We work with the exporting undertaker so the paperwork is consistent before a flight is booked.

Preparation and transport

Your loved one receives hygienic treatment and is placed in a sealed, transport-standard coffin for the flight. Repatriation from Australia is by air, on a long-haul service from the nearest suitable international airport, over a distance of roughly 17,000 km. Our team manages the airline documentation, the airline booking and the transport through to the receiving funeral director in the UK.

Bringing your loved one into the UK

Once your loved one is in the UK, the family can arrange the funeral. For a burial, the Australian death certificate is generally sufficient. For a cremation, the coroner in England and Wales 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 our resource centre. Separately, HM Coroner in the UK may examine or require a post-mortem once your loved one is repatriated. We liaise with the coroner's office so any authority needed is in place without delay.

Timelines and what affects them

A repatriation from Australia usually takes 2 to 7 days from first contact. The timing depends on how quickly the state registry issues the death certificate, the apostille turnaround, the hygienic treatment and preparation, and the availability of a suitable long-haul flight, which is usually a distance of some 2 to 7 days door to door.

This estimate is counted from when the death is registered, and our team does everything possible to complete the repatriation sooner.

Costs and financial support

We put a firm price in writing on the first call, and that is the figure on the invoice. The figure depends on the Australian state and city of departure, the airport routing and the length of the flight, and local undertaker fees, which vary across the country. A UK estate, a life-insurance policy or travel insurance may cover part of the cost, and we help you check what the policy covers.

Authorities involved

  • Local undertaker (Australia): registers the death, arranges hygienic treatment and preparation, and provides the airline documentation for export.
  • State / territory Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages: registers the death and issues the death certificate.
  • HM Coroner in the UK: may examine or require a post-mortem once your loved one is repatriated.
  • Airline: carries your loved one by air, with the documents accompanying them, under international regulations.
  • UK coroner / procurator fiscal: where a cremation is planned in England and Wales, authorises it via Cremation Form 6 (in Scotland, the procurator fiscal; in Northern Ireland, the coroner).

Documents required

  • Australian state / territory death certificate: issued by the Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages (in English; no translation needed).
  • Apostille: legalising the death certificate for use in the UK under the Hague Apostille Convention.
  • Hygienic treatment certificate and airline documentation: from the exporting undertaker.
  • Your loved one's passport and airline documentation: completing the file that travels with the coffin.
  • Free from infection certificate: confirming no public-health risk in transit.
  • Coroner's authority (Cremation Form 6): only where a cremation is planned in England and Wales.

Repatriation from the United Kingdom to Australia

When someone dies in the UK and is to be returned to Australia for the funeral, the transport is one of the longest we arrange, roughly 17,000 km from London, so your loved one travels by air on a long-haul service to the nearest suitable Australian airport. With generations of British-Australian families settled on both sides of the world, it is a route we know well. The process brings together the UK coroner's formalities, the legalisation of the UK documents, Australia's entry and biosecurity requirements, and the flight itself. We manage the transport and the paperwork on both sides so the family in Australia does not have to deal with UK offices or consulates. Our repatriation hub sets out the essentials if you are at the start.

Australia is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, so the UK documents that accompany your loved one are legalised with an apostille rather than a longer consular chain. Both countries issue their documents in English, so no translation is needed.

Telling the coroner: taking a loved one out of England and Wales

Before a loved one 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 your loved one 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.

Arriving in Australia: the receiving formalities

Bringing a coffin into Australia is governed by the Australian border and biosecurity requirements, and the coffin is declared and may be inspected on entry. In practice a receiving local undertaker in the destination state or territory must be engaged, and airlines will generally accept the coffin only when a funeral director is handling it at both ends; that firm completes the clearance on arrival and registers the death with the state or territory Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages where required. We coordinate with the receiving undertaker so that entry is arranged before the flight.

Preparation and transport

Your loved one receives hygienic treatment (embalming) to international transport standard, with a freedom-from-infection certificate issued, and placed in a sealed, transport-standard coffin prepared for air transport and for entry into Australia. Our team collects your loved one from the UK hospital, mortuary or funeral director, books the coffin on a long-haul flight to the destination city, and manages the handover to the receiving undertaker.

Timelines and what affects them

A repatriation from the UK to Australia usually takes 2 to 7 days from first contact, your loved one travelling roughly 17,000 km by air. The main factors are the four clear days' notice to the coroner, the apostille turnaround, and flight availability to the destination city. 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.

Costs and financial support

We put a firm price in writing on the first call, and that is the figure on the invoice. The figure depends on the destination city in Australia, airline charges, and any UK funeral-home and mortuary fees. A UK estate, a life-insurance policy or your loved one's own arrangements may cover part of the cost, and we help you check what the policy covers.

Authorities involved

  • UK coroner (or procurator fiscal in Scotland): must be given at least four clear days' notice before your loved one is taken out of England and Wales, and issues the "out of England" acknowledgement.
  • UK registrar: registers the death and issues the death certificate that accompanies your loved one.
  • FCDO Legalisation Office: issues the apostille that certifies the UK documents for use in Australia.
  • Australian border and biosecurity authorities: govern the entry of a coffin and may inspect the coffin on arrival.
  • Local undertaker (Australia): receives your loved one at the port of arrival, completes clearance and arranges the funeral.
  • State / territory Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages: registers the death on arrival where required.

Documents required

  • UK death certificate: issued by the registrar once the death is registered (in English; no translation needed).
  • Coroner's "out of England" acknowledgement: after at least four clear days' notice.
  • Apostille: the FCDO's legalisation of the UK documents for use in Australia under the Hague Apostille Convention.
  • Hygienic treatment certificate: confirming preparation to international transport standard.
  • Free from infection certificate: confirming no public-health risk in transit.
  • Sealed transport coffin and airline documentation: as required for air transport and entry into Australia.

Questions families ask us about bringing someone home from Australia

Your loved one travels with the Australian state or territory death certificate carrying an apostille, an hygienic treatment certificate and airline documentation from the exporting undertaker, and your loved one's passport and airline documentation.

Australian documents are in English, so no translation is needed for the UK. We obtain and legalise everything on your behalf.

Yes. Australia is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, so the death certificate is legalised with an apostille rather than by a longer consular legalisation.

Because the documents are in English, no certified translation is needed. We arrange the apostille as part of the process and start it early, as it is one of the steps that adds time to an Australian repatriation.

Usually 2 to 7 days from first contact, over a distance of roughly 17,000 km. This mainly reflects the distance, the state-level formalities and the apostille step.

The timing depends on how quickly the state registry issues the death certificate, the apostille turnaround, and the availability of a suitable long-haul flight, usually a distance of some 2 to 7 days door to door.

No. Many British-Australian families making this repatriation are on the UK side, and we coordinate directly with the Australian undertaker, the state registry and the airline across the time difference, so no one needs to travel or make calls to Australian offices.

The process is arranged remotely on the basis of a simple written authorisation.

The quoted price covers the Australian documentation and apostille, hygienic treatment and a transport coffin, the airline documentation, a flight to a UK airport, and handover to your funeral director. We put a firm price in writing on the first call, and that is the figure on the invoice.

Questions families ask us about repatriation to Australia

Before removal, the coroner must be given at least four clear days' notice and issues an "out of England" acknowledgement. The UK death certificate is then legalised with an apostille, and your loved one travels with hygienic treatment and freedom from infection certificates in a sealed, transport-standard coffin prepared for entry into Australia.

We complete the coroner notification, arrange the apostille and coordinate the Australian entry requirements on your behalf.

Usually 2 to 7 days from first contact, your loved one travelling roughly 17,000 km by air. The distance, the four clear days' notice to the coroner and the apostille turnaround all shape the timeline, along with flight availability to the destination city.

Where the death has been referred to the coroner for investigation, the timeline can be longer. We keep you updated at every stage.

Yes. Because both the UK and Australia are parties to the Hague Apostille Convention, the UK death certificate is legalised with an apostille from the FCDO rather than a longer consular legalisation.

We arrange the apostille and the entry formalities so that the family does not deal with any office directly.

Bringing a coffin into Australia is governed by the Australian border and biosecurity requirements, and the coffin is declared and may be inspected on arrival. In practice a receiving local undertaker must be engaged, as the coffin are released only to a funeral director.

We prepare the coffin and documentation to that standard and coordinate with a receiving undertaker so that entry is arranged before the flight.

The quoted price covers the coroner notification, the apostille legalisation, hygienic treatment and a sealed transport coffin, the transport certificates, and a flight to the destination airport in Australia with handover to the receiving undertaker. We put a firm price in writing on the first call, and that is the figure on the invoice.

Every other country, in both directions

We bring loved ones home to the UK from anywhere, and from the UK to anywhere in the world. Three more routes written up in the same detail: repatriation to and from New Zealand, Bulgaria and Cyprus.

Talk to a specialistRepatriation routes for every country

“We were so worried about the process of getting my mum safely back home to Slovakia, but every detail was handled with care, compassion and professionalism.”

Sofia Bartkova
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