“Reliable, professional, a reasonable price, and most important of all, my brother arrived exactly on time.”
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.
The paperwork at both ends
Collection
Hygienic treatment
A sealed coffin
Transport, by road or by air
One specialist, start to finish
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.
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.
Repatriation to and from India
£4,000
Estimated, all inclusive
- 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 India 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 India and the UK, and we do all of them. You hear from us at each one, not only at the end.
The first call
You tell us where your loved one is, in India or in the UK. We tell you the cost and what happens next, at any hour.
The paperwork
The death certificate, the permit to travel and the papers the carrier needs. We obtain them in India and here.
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.
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.
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Out of England permission
From the coroner, when the death happened in England.
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Free from infection certificate
Confirms there is no infectious disease, for the carrier and the receiving country.
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Funeral director’s declaration
Our signed declaration for the transport.
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Embalming certificate
Where the route or the receiving country requires one.
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Apostille
Where the receiving country asks for one.
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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
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The death certificate
Or the coroner’s interim certificate, where there is an inquest.
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Their passport
Or a copy to begin with. We tell you if the original is needed.
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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
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Their passport, or a copy
Whatever you have to hand. We tell you what else is needed.
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Any papers you already hold from India
A death certificate or a hospital letter, if you have one. If not, we obtain it.
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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 
India and the 
United Kingdom
The whole route in plain terms, in both directions, written for someone reading it for the first time.
Repatriation from India to the United Kingdom
India is one of our most frequent long-haul routes home. Britain has one of the largest Indian communities in the world, and many families keep close ties to relatives, property and their home region across India, so a death there is felt keenly on both sides. Bringing your loved one home brings together the death registration in India, the documents needed for international air transport, and the receiving arrangements in the UK. We coordinate all three across the time difference, so the family does not have to deal with Indian offices, hospitals or airlines directly, or travel to India. If you are at the very start of this, our repatriation hub explains the process in plain terms.
India lies a long way from the UK and is outside any shared European framework, so there is no multilingual death certificate. The death is registered under Indian law and the certificate is then legalised for use in the UK. Where a death is sudden or unexplained, the local police may become involved and a post-mortem may be required before your loved one can be released, and this is the single biggest factor in how long a repatriation from India takes.
The process in India
The local registrar's office registers the death and issues the official death certificate. The hospital or attending doctors certify the medical cause of death, and for a non-natural death the local police are involved. Because your loved one is a British national, the British High Commission can confirm the appointed funeral director and cancels your loved one's passport. Your loved one must receive hygienic treatment (embalming) before repatriation, and an hygienic treatment certificate is issued for the flight. India is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, so its public documents, including the death certificate, can be apostilled for use in the UK rather than going through a longer legalisation chain. We obtain and legalise the documents on the family's behalf, and arrange a certified English translation of anything not already issued in English.
Preparation and transport
Once the death is registered and your loved one given hygienic treatment, your loved one is placed in a sealed, transport-standard casket and carried in the hold of a scheduled flight to a UK airport. A coffin cannot travel as passenger baggage. Our team completes the airline formalities in India, manages the routing from the nearest international airport, and coordinates the transport 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 Indian death certificate is generally sufficient. For a cremation in England and Wales, the coroner 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. Where a family's faith calls for a swift funeral, we keep delays to a minimum and can prioritise a burial, which does not need to wait on the coroner's authority.
Timelines and what affects them
A repatriation from India usually takes 2 to 7 days from first contact. The timing depends on how quickly the registrar issues the death certificate, the apostille and any translation, the hygienic treatment and preparation, and the availability of a suitable flight. Where the death was sudden and a police investigation or post-mortem is required, release can take considerably longer, and we keep the family informed at every stage.
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 city and region of departure, the airport routing, whether a police investigation is involved and local fees, which vary across India. Families are often unaware that a UK estate, an 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
- Local registrar's office: registers the death and issues the official death certificate.
- Hospital or attending doctors: certify the medical cause of death.
- Local police: involved in non-natural deaths, and may require a post-mortem before your loved one can be released.
- British High Commission: confirms the appointed funeral director and cancels your loved one's passport.
- 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
- Indian death certificate: issued by the local registrar and apostilled for use in the UK.
- Medical cause-of-death certificate: from the hospital or attending doctors.
- Hygienic treatment certificate: your loved one must receive hygienic treatment before repatriation.
- British High Commission letter: confirming the funeral director, with your loved one's passport.
- Free from infection certificate: confirming no public-health risk in transit.
- Certified English translation: where a document is not already issued in English.
- Coroner's authority (Cremation Form 6): only where a cremation is planned in England and Wales.
Repatriation from the United Kingdom to India
When someone dies in the UK and is to be returned to India for the funeral, the process brings together the UK coroner's formalities, the receiving requirements set by the Indian authorities, and a long-haul flight of roughly 6,700 km. Britain has one of the largest Indian communities in the world, and many families wish to lay their loved one to rest in their home region. We manage the transport and the paperwork on both sides so that the family in India does not have to deal with UK offices in English. 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; India's own consular and import requirements then set the standard for the documents that must accompany your loved one and for the way the coffin is prepared. We complete the consular application on the family's behalf, as set out in the note alongside this guide, so that entry into India is cleared before departure.
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 India: 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. India is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, so where a UK public document must be legalised for use in India it can be apostilled in the UK rather than going through a longer chain. On arrival, the receiving funeral director or the family takes your loved one into their care for the funeral. We prepare the document file and the consular application, and coordinate directly with the receiving agent in India, so that clearance is in place before the flight.
Preparation and transport
Your loved one receives hygienic treatment to international transport standard and placed in a sealed coffin, as airlines require for long-haul carriage. A coffin cannot travel as passenger baggage; they are carried in the hold of a scheduled flight from a UK airport to the destination airport in India, most often Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad or Kochi, depending on the family's home region. Our team collects your loved one from the UK hospital, mortuary or funeral director, completes the airline formalities, and coordinates with the receiving agent and funeral director in India through to arrival.
Timelines and what affects them
A repatriation from the UK to India usually takes 2 to 7 days from first contact, your loved one travelling roughly 6,700 km by air. The main factors are the four clear days' notice to the coroner, the time the consular formalities take, any legalisation of the UK documents, and flight availability to the destination city. Where the death has been referred to the coroner for investigation, the timeline can be longer. We understand that many Indian families wish to observe a swift funeral and feel any delay keenly, and we work as quickly as the formalities allow.
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 India, airline rates, 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.
- Indian consular authorities in the UK: clear your loved one for entry into India (see the note above).
- Embalmer / UK funeral director: carries out hygienic treatment to international standard and provides the sealed coffin.
- Airline and receiving agent in India: carry your loved one by air, with the documents accompanying them, and manage clearance and handover to the family's funeral arrangements.
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 coffin: as required for long-haul carriage to India.
UK procedure
- The Removal of Bodies Regulations 1954 (legislation.gov.uk)
- Cremation (E&W) Regulations 2008: form Cremation 6 (gov.uk)
Legalisation
Receiving country (India)
Last verified July 2026.
Questions families ask us about bringing someone home from India
Your loved one travels with the Indian death certificate (apostilled for use in the UK), the medical cause-of-death certificate, an hygienic treatment certificate, your loved one must receive hygienic treatment before repatriation, and a free from infection certificate, together with the British High Commission letter confirming the funeral director and your loved one's passport.
Where there has been a police investigation, the relevant clearance is included, and where a document is not in English we arrange a certified translation. We obtain everything on your behalf.
Yes. India is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, so its public documents, including the death certificate, can be apostilled for use in the UK rather than going through a longer legalisation chain.
Where a document is issued in a regional language rather than English, a certified English translation is also arranged. We manage the apostille and any translation.
Usually 2 to 7 days from first contact. This mainly reflects the distance, roughly 6,700 km, and the legalisation of documents.
The timing depends on how quickly the registrar issues the death certificate, the apostille and any translation, the hygienic treatment and preparation, and the availability of a suitable flight. Where the death was sudden and a police investigation or post-mortem is required, release can take longer.
A prompt funeral matters in Hindu and Muslim practice, and how many British Indian families hold to it. A long-haul repatriation, with hygienic treatment, legalisation and a flight, cannot match the speed of a local funeral, and we say so from the first call.
What we can do is move quickly on every step within our control, keep you informed, and once your loved one is home prioritise a burial, which does not need to wait on the coroner's authority, so the rites can be carried out with dignity.
The quoted price covers the Indian documentation and legalisation, hygienic treatment, a sealed transport casket, the transport certificates, a flight to the UK 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 India
Yes. For repatriation to India the High Commission of India in London issues a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the transportation of a coffin before the coffin is dispatched.
We prepare and lodge the consular application on the family's behalf, so no one needs to attend the mission in person.
India is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, so where the Indian authorities require a UK public document to be legalised, it can be apostilled in the UK rather than going through a longer legalisation chain.
We prepare the document file to meet the receiving requirements so it is accepted on arrival.
A prompt funeral matters in Hindu and Muslim practice, and how many British Indian families hold to it. Regrettably, repatriation over this distance cannot meet a same-day or next-day timescale, because the coroner's notice, the consular formalities and the long-haul flight all take time.
We work as quickly as the formalities allow so the rites can be carried out with dignity on arrival, and where a family would rather the burial took place in the UK, we explain what that involves.
Your loved one receives hygienic treatment and is placed in a sealed coffin and carried in the hold of a scheduled flight, a coffin cannot travel as passenger baggage.
Flights usually route to Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad or Kochi, depending on the family's home region. We complete the airline formalities and coordinate the handover on arrival.
The quoted price covers the coroner notification, the consular application, hygienic treatment, a sealed coffin, the transport certificates, and air transport to India with handover to the receiving agent. 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 Indonesia, Malaysia and Nepal.
Europe
Albania
Andorra
Armenia
Austria
Belarus
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Georgia
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Moldova
Monaco
Montenegro
Netherlands
North Macedonia
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
San Marino
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Ukraine
Vatican City
Africa
Algeria
Angola
Benin
Botswana
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cameroon
Cape Verde
Central African Rep.
Chad
Comoros
Congo
Cote d'Ivoire
Djibouti
DR Congo
Egypt
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Eswatini
Ethiopia
Gabon
Gambia
Ghana
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Kenya
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Madagascar
Malawi
Mali
Mauritania
Mauritius
Morocco
Mozambique
Namibia
Niger
Nigeria
Rwanda
Sao Tome and Principe
Senegal
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Somalia
South Africa
South Sudan
Sudan
Tanzania
Togo
Tunisia
Uganda
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Asia
Middle East
Americas
Oceania
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In a family's own words
Someone answers, any hour of the day
Tell us where your loved one is and we will tell you what happens next, and what it costs.