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Landscape in Chile
“Reliable, professional, a reasonable price, and most important of all, my brother arrived exactly on time.”
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Our funeral ambulance on an airport apron, a plane behind it

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 Chile

£6,000

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 Chile 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 Chile 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 Chile 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 Chile 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 Chile

    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 Chile and the United Kingdom

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

Repatriation from Chile to the United Kingdom

Chile is one of the longest routes we handle, and a death there, whether of a British expatriate, a dual national or a traveller at the end of a long route south, can feel especially far from home. Bringing your loved one back to the UK brings together the Chilean authorities, the documents needed for the flight, and the receiving arrangements in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. We coordinate all three in Spanish and English, so the family does not have to deal directly with Chilean offices in a language they may not speak. If you are at the very start of this, our repatriation hub explains the process in plain terms.

Chile is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, so where a Chilean public document must be legalised for use in the UK it can be apostilled rather than going through a longer legalisation chain. Chilean documents are issued in Spanish and are translated for the UK where needed.

The process in Chile

The Registro Civil e Identificación (Civil Registry Office) issues the Chilean death certificate. Before your loved one can be released from the morgue, the court must authorise the release. An international funeral director and local burial company then arrange the release and the repatriation. Your loved one travels with the Chilean death certificate, the court authorisation for release of your loved one, and the next-of-kin authorisation, together with hygienic treatment (embalming) and freedom from infection certificates. We obtain these on the family's behalf while your loved one is prepared for the transport home.

Preparation and transport

Your loved one receives hygienic treatment and is placed in a sealed, transport-standard coffin suitable for long-haul flights. Because Chile lies roughly 11,700 km away, the transport home is made by air, usually with one or more connections, and your loved one travels by air, with the documents accompanying them. Our team coordinates collection from the Chilean funeral director, the airline routing and the customs formalities, through to the receiving funeral director in the UK.

Bringing your loved one into the UK

Once in the UK, the family can arrange the funeral. For a burial, the Chilean 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 England in our resource centre. We liaise with the coroner's office so this is in place without delay.

Timelines and what affects them

A repatriation from Chile usually takes 2 to 7 days from first contact to arrival in the UK, among the longer timelines we quote, reflecting the distance of roughly 11,700 km and the connecting flights involved. The timing depends on the court authorisation for release, the death certificate from the Registro Civil, the hygienic treatment and preparation, and the availability of suitable long-haul flights. Where the death was sudden or unexplained and a court investigation is involved, release can take 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 confirm a firm, fixed quote at first contact. The figure depends on the region and city of departure in Chile, the airport routing and local funeral-home fees. Families are often unaware that a UK estate, a life-insurance policy or travel insurance held by your loved one may cover part of the cost, and we help you check what the policy covers.

Authorities involved

  • Registro Civil e Identificación (Civil Registry Office): issues the Chilean death certificate.
  • The court: authorises release of your loved one from the morgue.
  • International funeral director and local burial company: arrange the release and the repatriation.
  • 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

  • Chilean death certificate: issued by the Registro Civil e Identificación.
  • Court authorisation for release: permitting release of your loved one from the morgue.
  • Next-of-kin authorisation: the family's authority for the repatriation.
  • Hygienic treatment and freedom from infection certificates: confirming preparation to international transport standard and 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 Chile

When someone dies in the UK and is to be returned to Chile for the funeral, the process brings together the UK coroner's formalities, the requirements set by the Chilean authorities, and a long-haul flight across the Atlantic and the length of South America. We manage the transport and the paperwork on both sides, in English and Spanish, so the family in Chile does not have to deal with UK offices from far away. Our repatriation hub sets out the essentials if you are at the start.

Taking a loved one out of England and Wales follows a set UK procedure; Chile's receiving requirements then set the standard for the documents that must accompany your loved one and for the way the coffin is prepared.

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 Chile: the receiving formalities

Your loved one travels after hygienic treatment (embalming), placed in a sealed, transport-standard coffin, accompanied by the UK death certificate, the coroner's out-of-England acknowledgement, and certificates of hygienic treatment and freedom from infection. In Chile, the receiving funeral director and local burial company handle the local formalities, including any authorisation required before the funeral. We prepare the document file and coordinate directly with the funeral director in Chile, who takes your loved one into their care.

Preparation and transport

Your loved one receives hygienic treatment and is placed in a sealed transport coffin suitable for long-haul flights. Because Chile lies roughly 11,700 km away, the transport is made by air, usually with one or more connections, and your loved one travels by air, with the documents accompanying them. Our team collects your loved one from the UK hospital, mortuary or funeral director, manages the flight routing and the customs formalities, and coordinates handover to the receiving funeral director in Chile.

Timelines and what affects them

A repatriation from the UK to Chile usually takes 2 to 7 days from first contact, among the longer timelines we quote, reflecting the distance of roughly 11,700 km and the connecting flights involved. The main factors are the four clear days' notice to the coroner (which can sometimes be shortened at the coroner's discretion), Chile's receiving requirements, and long-haul 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.

Costs and financial support

We confirm a firm, fixed quote at first contact. The figure depends on the destination city in Chile, flight charges to the arrival airport, 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.
  • Embalmer / UK funeral director: carries out hygienic treatment and preparation to international transport standard and provides the sealed transport coffin.
  • Registro Civil e Identificación in Chile: the civil registry for the destination.
  • Receiving funeral director and local burial company in Chile: take charge of your loved one on arrival and arrange the funeral.

Documents required

  • UK death certificate: issued by the registrar once the death is registered.
  • Coroner's "out of England" acknowledgement: after at least four clear days' notice.
  • Hygienic treatment certificate: confirming preparation to international transport standard.
  • Free from infection certificate: confirming no public-health risk in transit.
  • Sealed transport coffin: as required for international carriage to Chile.

Questions families ask us about bringing someone home from Chile

Your loved one travels with the Chilean death certificate from the Registro Civil e Identificación, the court authorisation for release of your loved one from the morgue, and the next-of-kin authorisation, together with hygienic treatment and freedom from infection certificates.

Chilean documents are in Spanish and are translated for the UK where needed. We obtain everything on your behalf.

Usually 2 to 7 days from first contact to arrival in the UK, among the longer timelines we quote. The distance of roughly 11,700 km means flights almost always involve one or more connections.

The timing also depends on the court authorisation for release, the death certificate from the Registro Civil, and the hygienic treatment and preparation. Where a court investigation is involved, release can take longer.

Chile is roughly 11,700 km from the UK, one of the longest routes we handle, and flights almost always involve one or more connections. Alongside the distance, the court must authorise release of your loved one from the morgue before travel.

Together these mean a timeline of 2 to 7 days rather than the few days a short European route can take.

Yes. We arrange repatriation from anywhere in Chile, coordinating the local funeral director, the court release and the routing to the nearest international airport.

Distance within Chile can add time, but we manage the whole route through to a UK funeral director.

The quoted price covers the Chilean documentation, the court release, hygienic treatment, a transport coffin suitable for the UK funeral, a long-haul flight to a UK airport and handover to your funeral director. We confirm a firm, fixed quote at first contact.

Questions families ask us about repatriation to Chile

Before removal, the coroner must be given at least four clear days' notice and issues an "out of England" acknowledgement. Your loved one then travels after hygienic treatment, in a sealed, transport-standard coffin, accompanied by the UK death certificate and certificates of hygienic treatment and freedom from infection.

In Chile, the receiving funeral director and local burial company handle the local formalities. We prepare the file and coordinate both sides.

Usually 2 to 7 days, your loved one travelling roughly 11,700 km by air, among the longer routes we handle, and one that almost always involves connecting flights.

The main factors are the four clear days' notice to the coroner, Chile's receiving requirements, and long-haul flight availability. Where the death has been referred to the coroner for investigation, the timeline can be longer.

Chile is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, so where a UK public document must be legalised for use in Chile it can be apostilled in the UK rather than going through a longer chain.

The receiving funeral director in Chile advises exactly which documents the destination requires, and we prepare and legalise the file accordingly.

The distance of roughly 11,700 km means the route is longer and usually involves connecting flights, which we plan around suitable long-haul flight routes.

The formalities themselves are the same as any outbound route, the coroner's notice and the accompanying documents, so while the flight takes longer, the process remains one we manage end to end.

The quoted price covers the coroner notification, hygienic treatment, a sealed transport coffin, the transport certificates, any required document legalisation, a long-haul flight to Chile and handover to the receiving funeral director. We confirm a firm, fixed quote at first contact.

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 Colombia, Grenada and Guyana.

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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