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

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Repatriation to and from USA

£6,000£4,500

Estimated, all inclusive

Enquire now, no obligation
  • Usually 7 to 10 days
  • 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 USA that apply.

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

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

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 USA 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 USA 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 USA 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 USA

    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 USA 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 States to the United Kingdom

Many British families have close ties to the United States, dual US-UK nationals who settled there, retirees who spend the winter months in warmer states, and relatives visiting family across the Atlantic. When a death occurs in America, bringing your loved one home to the UK brings together the authorities of the state where the death happened, the documents needed for the long-haul flight, and the receiving arrangements in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. We coordinate all three across the time difference, so the family does not have to deal with US offices, funeral directors or airlines directly. If you are at the very start of this, our repatriation hub explains the process in plain terms.

US documents are issued in English, so no translation is needed for the UK. The United States is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, so where a US public document has to be legalised for use in the UK it can be apostilled rather than going through a longer legalisation chain.

The process in the United States

The death is first registered with the state Vital Records office or county registrar, which registers it and issues the certified US death certificate. Where the death was sudden, violent or unattended, the medical examiner or coroner becomes involved and must release your loved one before travel. A US funeral director then arranges the documentation and the shipment itself. Your loved one travels with the certified US death certificate, a certificate of hygienic treatment (embalming) (or of cremation, where your loved one has been cremated), and the accompanying transport documentation arranged by the funeral director. We obtain these on the family's behalf while your loved one is prepared for the transport.

Preparation and transport

Your loved one receives hygienic treatment and is placed in a sealed, transport-standard coffin suitable for international air transport. The transport home is made by air from the nearest international airport to a UK airport, with the documents accompanying your loved one. Our team coordinates collection from the US funeral director, the airline booking 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 US 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 the United States usually takes 7 to 10 days from first contact to arrival in the UK, over a distance of roughly 5,900 km. The timing depends on how quickly the state issues the certified death certificate, the hygienic treatment and preparation, and the availability of a suitable transatlantic flight from the region of departure. Where the death was sudden or unexplained and a medical examiner or coroner 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 US state and city of departure, the airport routing and local funeral-home fees, which vary considerably across the country. 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

  • State Vital Records office / county registrar: registers the death and issues the certified US death certificate.
  • Medical examiner or coroner: where the death is sudden, violent or unattended, examines your loved one and authorises release.
  • US funeral director: arranges the documentation and the shipment of 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

  • Certified US death certificate: issued by the state Vital Records office or county registrar (in English; no translation needed).
  • Certificate of hygienic treatment: or a certificate of cremation, where your loved one has been cremated.
  • Transport documentation: the accompanying paperwork arranged by the US funeral director for international carriage.
  • Free from infection certificate: confirming 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 States

When someone dies in the UK and is to be returned to the United States for the funeral, the process brings together the UK coroner's formalities, the requirements set by the American authorities, and the transatlantic flight itself. We manage the transport and the paperwork on both sides, so the family in the United States does not have to deal with UK offices in a country they may not know. 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 destination country's requirements then set the standard for the documents that must accompany your loved one and for the way the coffin is prepared. For the United States this includes a consular step handled with the US authorities in the UK, which we set out in the note below.

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 States: the receiving formalities

Your loved one travels after hygienic treatment (embalming), placed in a sealed, transport-standard coffin, accompanied by the UK death certificate stating the cause of death, the coroner's out-of-England acknowledgement, and certificates of hygienic treatment and freedom from infection. A consular step with the US authorities in the UK is completed before the coffin is dispatched, we set this out in the consular note below and handle it on the family's behalf. On arrival, the receiving funeral director in the destination state takes your loved one into its care and arranges the funeral.

Preparation and transport

Your loved one receives hygienic treatment and is placed in a sealed transport coffin suitable for international air transport. For the United States the transport is made by air, with the documents accompanying your loved one to the destination airport. Our team collects your loved one from the UK hospital, mortuary or funeral director, manages the flight and the customs formalities, and coordinates handover to the receiving funeral director in the United States.

Timelines and what affects them

A repatriation from the UK to the United States usually takes 2 to 7 days from first contact, your loved one travelling roughly 5,900 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), the consular certification, and flight availability to the destination state. 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 state, 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, stating the cause of death, that accompanies your loved one.
  • US Embassy or Consulate in the UK: completes the consular certification required before remains are sent to the United States (see the consular note).
  • Embalmer / UK funeral director: carries out hygienic treatment and preparation to international transport standard and provides the sealed transport coffin.
  • Receiving funeral director in the United States: takes charge of your loved one on arrival and arranges the funeral in the destination state.

Documents required

  • UK death certificate: issued by the registrar and stating the cause of death, as the US authorities require.
  • Coroner's "out of England" acknowledgement: after at least four clear days' notice.
  • Consular certification: the document issued by the US Embassy or Consulate before remains are sent to the United States (see the consular note).
  • 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 United States.

Questions families ask us about bringing someone home from USA

Your loved one travels with a certified US death certificate from the state Vital Records office or county registrar, a certificate of hygienic treatment (or of cremation, where the person has been cremated), the transport documentation arranged by the US funeral director, and a freedom-from-infection certificate for carriage.

US documents are issued in English, so no translation is needed for the UK. We obtain everything on your behalf.

Usually 7 to 10 days from first contact to arrival in the UK, over a distance of roughly 5,900 km. The timing depends on how quickly the state issues the certified death certificate, the hygienic treatment and preparation, and the availability of a suitable transatlantic flight.

Where the death was sudden or unexplained and a medical examiner or coroner is involved, release can take longer.

No. The repatriation follows the same route regardless of nationality: the US state authorities register the death and release your loved one, and we bring them home to the UK.

Dual nationality does not add consular steps for a return to Britain, the US death certificate and the transport documentation are what the transport needs. We can also advise the family on registering the death in the UK and on any estate matters.

Yes. Deaths among British retirees spending the winter in Florida, Arizona or California are among the routes we handle most often.

Distance and local funeral-home fees vary by state, but the process is the same: we coordinate with the local funeral director and Vital Records office and arrange the flight home, wherever in the country your loved one was staying.

The quoted price covers the US documentation, hygienic treatment, a transport coffin suitable for the UK funeral, the transport documentation, a 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 USA

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 stating the cause of death and certificates of hygienic treatment and freedom from infection.

A consular certification is completed with the US authorities in the UK before departure. We handle the coroner notification and the consular step on your behalf.

It is a document issued by the US Embassy or Consulate, one of the documents required to send a coffin to the United States, confirming that the paperwork is in order before the coffin is dispatched.

We prepare and lodge the consular application on the family's behalf, so no one needs to attend the consulate in person.

Usually 2 to 7 days, your loved one travelling roughly 5,900 km by air. The main factors are the four clear days' notice to the coroner, the consular certification, and flight availability to the destination state.

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

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

In practice the consular certification and the receiving funeral director set out exactly what the destination state requires, and we prepare the file accordingly.

The quoted price covers the coroner notification, hygienic treatment, a sealed transport coffin, the transport certificates, the US consular certification, a flight to the United States 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 Australia, New Zealand and Bulgaria.

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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