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Landscape in the UAE
“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 UAE

£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 UAE 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 UAE 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 UAE 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 UAE 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 UAE

    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 UAE and the United Kingdom

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

Repatriation from the United Arab Emirates to the United Kingdom

Bringing a loved one home from the United Arab Emirates is a longer route than a route within Europe, in distance and in paperwork, but it is a well-established one. Many British families have a relative living or working in Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Sharjah, and a death there brings sudden, unfamiliar formalities at a painful time. The process draws together the requirements of the emirate where the death occurred, the legalisation of documents for use in the UK, and the receiving arrangements at home. We coordinate all three so the family does not have to deal with UAE hospitals, police stations, government offices or airlines directly. If you are just starting, our repatriation hub explains the process in plain terms.

Because the United Arab Emirates is not part of the European Union, there is no multilingual EU death certificate. UAE documents are issued in Arabic, and for use in the UK they are legalised through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and the UAE embassy, with the death certificate first attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a certified English translation prepared. We manage each of these steps.

The process in the United Arab Emirates

A death is first reported and certified locally. The emirate health authority. Emirates Health Services, the Dubai Health Authority or the Department of Health, Abu Dhabi, issues the official death certificate (شهادة الوفاة). The UAE Ministry of Interior and police issue the dead-body transport permission, the permit that allows your loved one to be carried out of the country, and the British Embassy in Abu Dhabi provides a no-objection letter that accompanies your loved one. The certificate is attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and your loved one is prepared for transport with hygienic treatment (embalming) and freedom from infection certificates. We obtain these on the family's behalf.

Preparation and transport

Your loved one is given hygienic treatment at an approved facility and placed in a sealed, transport-standard coffin, with certificates of hygienic treatment and freedom from infection issued for the flight. Because of the distance, the transport is made by air from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to a UK airport. Our team collects your loved one, arranges the flight, with the documents accompanying them, and stays with them 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 attested and translated UAE 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. Many UAE families, particularly Muslim families, wish for burial to take place quickly in keeping with faith; where a swift burial is important we prioritise the paperwork and the first available flight, and advise on what is realistic.

Timelines and what affects them

A repatriation from the United Arab Emirates usually takes 2 to 7 days from first contact, your loved one travelling roughly 5,470 km by air. The timing depends on how quickly the death certificate is issued and attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the certified translation, the police transport permission and the British Embassy no-objection letter, and the availability of a suitable flight. Where the police or public prosecutor order an examination 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 emirate of departure, the airport routing and local charges, which vary. A UK estate, travel insurance or a life-insurance policy may cover part of the cost, and some UAE employers provide repatriation cover for their staff, and we help you check what the policy covers.

Authorities involved

  • Emirate health authority (Emirates Health Services / Dubai Health Authority / Department of Health, Abu Dhabi): issues the official UAE death certificate.
  • UAE Ministry of Interior and police: issue the dead-body transport permission and, for a sudden or unexplained death, may order an examination before release.
  • UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs: attests the death certificate so it can be used abroad.
  • British Embassy in Abu Dhabi: provides the no-objection letter that accompanies your loved one.
  • 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

  • UAE death certificate: issued in Arabic by the emirate health authority and attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
  • Certified English translation: of the death certificate, for acceptance by the UK authorities.
  • Dead-body transport permission (transit permit): with police no-objection certificate, permitting your loved one to leave the country.
  • No-objection letter from the British Embassy: accompanying your loved one.
  • Hygienic treatment certificate and freedom-from-infection certificate: 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 the United Arab Emirates

When someone dies in the UK and is to be returned to the United Arab Emirates for the funeral, the process brings together the UK coroner's formalities, the requirements of the UAE authorities, and the flight itself. The distance is roughly 5,470 km, so your loved one travels by air, to Dubai or Abu Dhabi in most cases. We manage the transport and the paperwork on both sides so the family in the UAE 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; the UAE's own entry requirements then set the standard for the documents that accompany your loved one and for the way the coffin is prepared. Because the United Arab Emirates is not part of the European Union, the UK death certificate must be legalised before the UAE will recognise it, and we build this into the timeline from the first call.

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 the United Arab Emirates: the receiving formalities

For the UAE to admit your loved one, the UK death certificate must be recognised there. Because the United Arab Emirates is not part of the European Union, the certificate is legalised through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and the UAE embassy in London, usually with a certified Arabic translation. Your loved one travels in a sealed, transport-standard coffin, accompanied by the UK death certificate in legalised form and certificates of hygienic treatment (embalming) and freedom from infection. On arrival at Dubai or Abu Dhabi, the receiving agent or family takes your loved one into their care and completes the local formalities for the funeral.

Preparation and transport

Your loved one receives hygienic treatment and is placed in a sealed, transport-standard coffin, with certificates of hygienic treatment and freedom from infection issued for the flight. Our team collects your loved one from the UK hospital, mortuary or funeral director, manages the airline check-in, and coordinates with the receiving agent and family in the UAE through to arrival at Dubai or Abu Dhabi. Many families returning a loved one to the UAE bury according to Islamic rites, where a prompt burial is preferred; while hygienic treatment is required by airlines and the UAE for transport, we work to complete the formalities as quickly as the coroner's notice and the legalisation allow.

Timelines and what affects them

A repatriation from the UK to the United Arab Emirates usually takes 2 to 7 days from first contact, your loved one travelling roughly 5,470 km by air. The main factors are the four clear days' notice to the coroner, the legalisation of the death certificate through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and the UAE embassy, and 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 put a firm price in writing on the first call, and that is the figure on the invoice. The figure depends on the UAE destination, airline charges and any UK funeral-home 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, once legalised, accompanies your loved one.
  • Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and the UAE embassy in London: legalise the UK death certificate so it is recognised in the United Arab Emirates.
  • Embalmer / UK funeral director: carries out hygienic treatment to international transport standard and provides the sealed transport coffin.
  • Receiving agent or family in the UAE: take delivery at Dubai or Abu Dhabi and arrange the funeral.

Documents required

  • UK death certificate: issued by the registrar once the death is registered.
  • FCDO and UAE embassy legalisation: the certificate legalised in the UK, usually with a certified Arabic translation, so the UAE will recognise it.
  • Coroner's "out of England" notice: the acknowledgement of removal, 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 the UAE.

Questions families ask us about bringing someone home from UAE

Your loved one travels with the UAE death certificate, attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and translated into English, a dead-body transport permission with police no-objection certificate, a no-objection letter from the British Embassy, and hygienic treatment and freedom from infection certificates.

UK documents are legalised through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and the UAE embassy. We obtain everything on your behalf.

Usually 2 to 7 days from first contact, your loved one travelling roughly 5,470 km by air.

The timing depends on how quickly the death certificate is issued and attested, the certified translation, the police transport permission and the British Embassy no-objection letter, and flight availability. Where the police order an examination after a sudden death, release can take longer.

Yes. The death certificate is issued in Arabic and is first attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. UK documents are legalised through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and the UAE embassy.

A certified English translation is then prepared so the certificate is accepted by the UK authorities. We arrange the attestation, the legalisation and the translation.

Yes. A burial can generally proceed on the attested and translated UAE death certificate. For a cremation in England and Wales, the coroner must first give authority using Cremation Form 6, once satisfied that no further investigation is needed (in Scotland, the procurator fiscal).

We liaise with the coroner's office so this authority is ready when your loved one arrives.

The quoted price covers the UAE documentation, the attestation and certified translation, hygienic treatment, a transport coffin suitable for the UK funeral, the transport permission, 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 UAE

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 through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and the UAE embassy in London, usually with an Arabic translation, before the UAE will recognise it.

Your loved one travels with the legalised certificate and hygienic treatment and freedom from infection certificates, in a sealed transport coffin. We complete the coroner notification and arrange the UAE requirements on your behalf.

Usually 2 to 7 days from first contact, your loved one travelling roughly 5,470 km by air.

The main factors are the four clear days' notice to the coroner, the legalisation of the death certificate, and flight availability. Where the death has been referred to the coroner for investigation, the timeline can be longer.

Because the United Arab Emirates is not part of the European Union, it recognises the UK death certificate only once it has been legalised. In practice it is legalised through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and the UAE embassy in London, usually with a certified Arabic translation.

We arrange this legalisation and liaise with the embassy directly, so the family does not have to approach any office themselves.

Yes. Many families returning a loved one to the UAE bury according to Islamic rites, where a prompt burial is preferred. Hygienic treatment is not part of Islamic practice, but airlines and the UAE require it for transport, and where this applies it is understood as a necessity of the transport.

We are mindful of these expectations, and of the wishes of families of other faiths, and complete the formalities as quickly as the coroner's notice and the legalisation allow.

The quoted price covers the coroner notification, the legalisation and translation, hygienic treatment, a sealed transport coffin, the transport certificates, and air transport to the UAE 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 Barbados, Brasil and Canada.

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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