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Landscape in Sierra Leone
“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 Sierra Leone

£4,500

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 Sierra Leone 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 Sierra Leone 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 Sierra Leone 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 Sierra Leone 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 Sierra Leone

    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 Sierra Leone and the United Kingdom

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

Repatriation from Sierra Leone to the United Kingdom

Bringing a loved one home from Sierra Leone is a well-established but document-heavy route. It brings together the registration of the death in Sierra Leone, the clearances needed for international air transport, and the receiving arrangements in the UK. We coordinate the whole process, so the family does not have to travel to Freetown or deal with local offices, the British High Commission or the airline directly. If you are at the very start of this, our repatriation hub explains the process in plain terms.

Documents are issued in English, so no translation is usually needed for the UK. In most repatriation cases the death certificate is accepted as issued, and we advise on any document that needs legalisation for a specific purpose such as probate.

The process in Sierra Leone

A doctor first issues a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death, and the local registry office then registers the death and issues the death certificate. The coroner issues permission to remove your loved one, and the British High Commission issues a Letter of No Objection confirming there is no barrier to repatriation. The documents that accompany your loved one are the Sierra Leonean death certificate, the coroner's permission to remove your loved one, and the British High Commission Letter of No Objection, together with your loved one's passport. We obtain and check these on the family's behalf.

Preparation and transport

Your loved one receives hygienic treatment (embalming) to international transport standard by a licensed local funeral director and placed in a sealed, transport-standard coffin. From Freetown the transport is made by air, usually connecting through a regional hub to a UK airport. Our team collects your loved one, arranges the airline documentation, and manages the connecting leg 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 Sierra Leonean 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 Sierra Leone usually takes 2 to 7 days from first contact, over a distance of roughly 4,930 km. The timeline is driven mainly by the fact that direct air links between Freetown and the UK are limited and space for repatriation is not always immediate, alongside the local registration, the coroner's permission and the Letter of No Objection. Where the police are involved after a sudden death, 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 put a firm price in writing on the first call, and that is the figure on the invoice. The figure depends on the local funeral-home fees, the clearances and the flight routing out of Freetown. A UK estate, travel insurance or a life-insurance policy may cover part of the cost, and we help you check what the policy covers.

Authorities involved

  • Attending doctor / hospital: issues the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death that underpins registration.
  • Local registry office: registers the death and issues the Sierra Leonean death certificate.
  • Coroner: issues permission to remove your loved one from the country.
  • British High Commission: issues the Letter of No Objection confirming there is no barrier to repatriation to the UK.
  • 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

  • Sierra Leonean death certificate: preceded by a doctor's Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (issued in English).
  • Coroner's permission to remove your loved one: the authorisation to take your loved one out of the country.
  • British High Commission Letter of No Objection: confirming there is no barrier to repatriation to the UK, with your loved one's passport.
  • Coroner's authority (Cremation Form 6): only where a cremation is planned in England and Wales.

Repatriation from the United Kingdom to Sierra Leone

When someone dies in the UK and is to be returned to Sierra Leone for the funeral, the process brings together the UK coroner's formalities, the requirements of the Sierra Leonean authorities, and an air route with limited flight options. We manage the transport and the paperwork on both sides so that the family does not have to deal with UK offices themselves. 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; the receiving arrangements in Sierra Leone then set the standard for the documents that accompany your loved one and 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 Sierra Leone: the receiving formalities

Your loved one travels after hygienic treatment (embalming), 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 Sierra Leone a licensed local funeral director receives your loved one and handles the formalities where the funeral will take place. We prepare the document file and coordinate directly with the funeral director in Sierra Leone.

Preparation and transport

Your loved one receives hygienic treatment to international transport standard and placed in a sealed transport coffin. The route is made by air from the UK to Freetown, usually connecting through a regional hub, as direct services are limited. Our team collects your loved one from the UK hospital, mortuary or funeral director, arranges the airline documentation, and manages the connecting leg through to the receiving funeral director in Sierra Leone, who takes your loved one into their care for the funeral.

Timelines and what affects them

A repatriation from the UK to Sierra Leone usually takes 2 to 7 days from first contact, over a distance of roughly 4,930 km. The main factors are the four clear days' notice to the coroner (which can sometimes be shortened at the coroner's discretion) and the limited flight schedule to Freetown, where repatriation space is not always immediate. 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 airline routing to Freetown, 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.
  • Local registry office (Sierra Leone): registers the death locally where the funeral takes place in Sierra Leone.
  • Receiving funeral director in Sierra Leone: meets your loved one on arrival and arranges 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 Sierra Leone.

Questions families ask us about bringing someone home from Sierra Leone

The core documents are the Sierra Leonean death certificate (preceded by a doctor's Medical Certificate of Cause of Death), the coroner's permission to remove your loved one, and the British High Commission Letter of No Objection with your loved one's passport.

Documents are issued in English, so no translation is usually needed. Where a cremation is planned in England and Wales, the coroner must also authorise it (Cremation Form 6). We obtain and check everything on your behalf.

Usually 2 to 7 days from first contact, over a distance of roughly 4,930 km. The timeline is driven mainly by the fact that direct flights out of Freetown are limited and repatriation space is not always immediate.

The timing also depends on the local registration, the coroner's permission and the Letter of No Objection. Where the police are involved after a sudden death, release can take longer.

No. We coordinate directly with the licensed local funeral director, the registry office, the British High Commission and the airline, so the family does not need to travel or make calls to offices in Freetown.

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

No. For a repatriation, the Sierra Leonean death certificate is accepted in the UK as issued, without legalising, and the documents are in English, so translation is not usually required.

We advise on any document that needs legalisation for a separate purpose, such as probate.

The quoted price covers the Sierra Leone documentation and clearances, hygienic treatment, a transport coffin suitable for the UK funeral, air transport 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 Sierra Leone

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 Sierra Leone a licensed funeral director receives your loved one and handles the formalities. We prepare the file and coordinate both sides.

Usually 2 to 7 days from first contact, over a distance of roughly 4,930 km. The timeline is driven mainly by the fact that direct flights are limited and repatriation space is not always immediate.

The four clear days' notice to the coroner also affects timing, and where the death has been referred to the coroner for investigation the timeline can be longer.

No. We complete the coroner notification, obtain the "out of England" acknowledgement and prepare the document file that travels with your loved one.

The family provides a simple written authorisation, and we coordinate the UK formalities and the transport remotely, keeping both sides informed.

No. The UK documents that accompany your loved one to Sierra Leone do not need legalising.

In practice the receiving funeral director in Sierra Leone advises on exactly which documents are needed, and we prepare the file accordingly.

The quoted price covers the coroner notification, hygienic treatment, a sealed transport coffin, the transport certificates, and air transport to Freetown 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 Somalia, South Africa and Sudan.

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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