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Landscape in Jamaica
“Reliable, professional, a reasonable price, and most important of all, my brother arrived exactly on time.”
Gezimon Trustpilot
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 Jamaica

£3,800

Estimated, all inclusive

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

Outside the estimate, on request: customs and clearance and onward transport.

  • 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 Jamaica that apply.

The costs specific to Jamaica, outside the estimate. We confirm each one, and what it costs, before anything is booked.

  • Customs and clearance, on request. Receiving the coffin at the airport in Jamaica and clearing it through customs.
  • Onward transport, on request. The transport from the airport on to the town your family has chosen in Jamaica.

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 Jamaica 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 Jamaica 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 Jamaica 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 Jamaica

    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 Jamaica and the United Kingdom

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

Repatriation from Jamaica to the United Kingdom

Jamaica and Britain share one of the deepest of all the Windrush ties. The Jamaican community is the largest of Caribbean heritage in the UK, and many families make the long route to bring a loved one home from the island, or back to the UK to rest near the family now settled here. The process draws together the formalities of the Jamaican civil authorities, the documents an airline needs to carry your loved one, and the receiving arrangements in the UK. We coordinate the whole process from beginning to end, so the family does not have to deal with registrars or airlines in Jamaica directly. If you are just starting, our repatriation hub explains the process in plain terms.

Jamaica issues its civil documents in English, so no translation is needed for the UK, and Jamaica is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, which keeps any legalisation of documents comparatively simple. The main considerations are the local registration, the preparation of your loved one for a long flight, and the transatlantic schedule of roughly 7,500 km.

The process in Jamaica

A death in Jamaica is recorded by the Registrar General's Department (RGD), or the Local District Registrar for the parish where the death occurred, which registers it and issues the death certificate. An appointed funeral director then prepares your loved one and arranges the transfer. The core papers that accompany your loved one are the Jamaican death certificate from the local civil registry, a certificate of hygienic treatment (embalming), and a certificate giving permission to move your loved one to the UK. Where a death is sudden, unexplained or violent, a local examination may be required before your loved one can be released, which can add time.

Preparation and transport

Your loved one receives hygienic treatment to international transport standard and placed in a sealed transport coffin suitable for the funeral in the UK. Jamaica is reached by air, and your loved one travels by air, with the documents accompanying them on a scheduled service to a UK airport. Our team works with the appointed funeral director in Jamaica to complete the certificates, book the flight, and manage the airport formalities at both ends, through to the receiving funeral director in the UK.

Bringing your loved one into the UK

Once your loved one is home, the family can arrange the funeral. For a burial, the Jamaican 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. HM Coroner may also be notified once your loved one is brought home. We liaise with the coroner's office so any authority needed is in place without delay.

Timelines and what affects them

A repatriation from Jamaica typically takes around 7 to 10 business days from first contact. The timing depends on how quickly the RGD issues the death certificate, the hygienic treatment and preparation, any legalisation of documents, and the availability of a suitable transatlantic flight. Where a sudden death leads to a local examination before release, the process 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 put a firm price in writing on the first call, and that is the figure on the invoice. The figure depends on where in Jamaica the death occurred, the airport of departure, and local funeral-home fees. A UK estate, travel insurance or a life-insurance policy may cover part of the cost, and some Jamaican church and community funds also help, and we help you check what the policy covers. Many families choose to hold the funeral unhurried, once relatives from across the diaspora can gather, and the process allows for that.

Authorities involved

  • Registrar General's Department (RGD), or the Local District Registrar: registers the death and issues the Jamaican death certificate.
  • Appointed funeral director in Jamaica: prepares your loved one, arranges hygienic treatment and manages the transfer for air transport.
  • Local civil registry: issues the death certificate that accompanies your loved one.
  • Airline: carries your loved one by air, with the documents accompanying them, under international regulations.
  • HM Coroner in the UK (or the procurator fiscal in Scotland): may be notified once your loved one is brought home, and where a cremation is planned in England and Wales authorises it via Cremation Form 6.

Documents required

  • Jamaican death certificate: from the local civil registry (in English; no translation needed).
  • Certificate of hygienic treatment: confirming preparation to international transport standard.
  • Certificate giving permission to move your loved one to the UK: the Jamaican authority to move your loved one.
  • Free from infection certificate: confirming no public-health risk in transit.
  • Apostille: where a UK authority requires the death certificate to be formally recognised (Jamaica is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention).
  • Coroner's authority (Cremation Form 6): only where a cremation is planned in England and Wales.

Repatriation from the United Kingdom to Jamaica

When someone dies in the UK and is to be returned to Jamaica for the funeral, the transport brings together the UK coroner's formalities, the receiving arrangements in Jamaica, and a long-haul flight of roughly 7,500 km across the Atlantic. Jamaica shares one of the deepest of all the Windrush ties with Britain, and for many British-Jamaican families bringing a loved one home to their own parish, often for a large community funeral, matters more than almost anything. We manage the transport and the paperwork on both sides, so the family in Jamaica does not have to deal with UK offices directly. 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; Jamaica's own receiving requirements then set the standard for the documents that accompany your loved one and for the way the coffin is prepared. Because Jamaica is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention and its dealings with the UK are in English, any legalisation of the UK documents is comparatively straightforward.

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 Jamaica: the receiving formalities

Your loved one travels after hygienic treatment (embalming), placed in a sealed transport coffin, accompanied by the UK death certificate, the coroner's out-of-England acknowledgement, and certificates of hygienic treatment and freedom from infection. In Jamaica, an appointed funeral director receives your loved one, records the arrival with the local civil registry as required, and arranges the funeral in the family's parish. Where a UK public document has to be formally recognised in Jamaica, it can be legalised with an apostille rather than through a longer consular process. We prepare the document file and coordinate directly with the receiving funeral director in Jamaica.

Preparation and transport

Your loved one receives hygienic treatment to international transport standard and placed in a sealed transport coffin suitable for the funeral. Jamaica is reached by air, so your loved one travels by air, with the documents accompanying them on a scheduled service. Our team collects your loved one from the UK hospital, mortuary or funeral director, completes the coffin sealing and the accompanying certificates, and manages the airline documentation and the airport formalities at both ends, to the destination airport, coordinating with the receiving funeral director in Jamaica.

Timelines and what affects them

A repatriation from the UK to Jamaica typically takes around 7 to 10 business days from first contact, your loved one travelling roughly 7,500 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), any legalisation of the documents, and the availability of a suitable transatlantic flight. 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 airport of arrival in Jamaica, the airline, any document legalisation, 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 to international transport standard and provides the sealed transport coffin.
  • Appointed funeral director in Jamaica: receives your loved one and arranges the funeral in the family's parish.
  • Local civil registry in Jamaica: records the arrival and death as required for 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 Jamaica.
  • Apostille: where a UK public document has to be formally recognised in Jamaica (a member of the Hague Apostille Convention).

Questions families ask us about bringing someone home from Jamaica

The Jamaican community is the largest of Caribbean heritage in Britain, with roots in the Windrush generation. Many families keep deep ties to the island, and bringing a loved one home to Jamaica, or back to the UK to rest near relatives settled here, is a long-held tradition, often marked by a large gathering of the wider community.

We handle this route regularly and understand how much these arrangements mean to Jamaican families on both sides of the Atlantic.

Your loved one travels with the Jamaican death certificate from the local civil registry, a certificate of hygienic treatment, a certificate giving permission to move your loved one to the UK, and a freedom-from-infection certificate.

Jamaican documents are in English, so no translation is needed. Where a UK authority requires it, the death certificate can be legalised with an apostille. We obtain everything on your behalf.

Typically around 7 to 10 business days from first contact. The timing depends on how quickly the Registrar General's Department issues the death certificate, the hygienic treatment and preparation, any legalisation of documents, and the availability of a suitable transatlantic flight.

Where a sudden death leads to a local examination before release, the process can take longer.

Jamaica is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, so where a UK authority requires the death certificate to be formally recognised, it can be legalised with an apostille rather than through a longer consular process.

Because Jamaican documents are issued in English, no certified translation is needed. We advise whether legalisation applies to your circumstances and arrange it where it does.

The quoted price covers the Jamaican documentation, hygienic treatment, a sealed transport coffin suitable for the UK funeral, the certificate permitting transfer, any apostille, and the flight to the UK with 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 Jamaica

The Jamaican community is the largest of Caribbean heritage in Britain, with roots in the Windrush generation. Bringing a loved one home to their own parish, often for a large community funeral, is a deeply held tradition for many families.

We handle this route regularly and understand how much the arrangements mean to Jamaican families here and on the island.

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 coffin, accompanied by the UK death certificate and certificates of hygienic treatment and freedom from infection.

In Jamaica, an appointed funeral director receives your loved one and arranges the funeral. We prepare the file and coordinate both sides.

Typically around 7 to 10 business days, your loved one travelling roughly 7,500 km by air. The main factors are the four clear days' notice to the coroner, any legalisation of the documents, and the availability of a suitable transatlantic flight.

Where the death has been referred to the coroner for investigation, the timeline can be longer.

Jamaica is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, so where a UK public document has to be formally recognised there, it can be apostilled rather than going through a longer legalisation chain. Dealings between the two countries are in English, so no translation is needed.

The receiving funeral director in Jamaica advises on exactly which documents are required, and we prepare the file accordingly.

The quoted price covers the coroner notification, hygienic treatment, a sealed transport coffin, the transport certificates, any apostille, and the flight to Jamaica with handover to the receiving funeral director. 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 Paraguay, USA and Australia.

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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