When you get a repatriation quote, it usually arrives as one number. That’s useful in one sense, because it tells you what you’ll pay, but it doesn’t really tell you what you’re paying for. And when you’re already dealing with the death of someone close to you, the last thing you want is to be second-guessing whether a cost is fair. 

This is meant to pull back the curtain a little. We’ll go through what’s typically covered, what usually isn’t, and roughly how long the whole thing takes, since that question comes up almost as often as cost does. 

If you haven’t already, it’s worth reading our main guide to repatriation costs first. This article goes into more depth on the quote itself. 

Read more: The Cost of Repatriation: A Complete Price Guide 

What’s Usually Covered in the Quote?

Most repatriation quotes are built around the same core elements, even though the final number varies a lot from case to case. In general, you’re paying for: 

  • Collecting your loved one from where they died, whether that’s a hospital, hotel, care setting or private residence 
  • A coffin or casket that meets international transport standards, usually hermetically sealed 
  • Embalming, when it’s legally required for travel or requested by the family 
  • The paperwork, which is more involved than people expect: death certificates, embassy authorisation, and sometimes local police or coroner sign-off 
  • Transport, almost always by air, arranged through the appropriate cargo or freight channels rather than as ordinary luggage 
  • A local funeral director or agent in the country of death, who handles everything on the ground before your loved one leaves 
  • Delivery once they land in the UK, either to a funeral director, a chapel of rest, or straight to a crematorium or cemetery 

It sounds like a lot when it’s written out like this, and it is. That’s really why repatriation costs what it does. There’s rarely one supplier involved. It’s more like a chain of people in different countries, all coordinating around the same outcome. 

What’s Usually Not Included? 

This is the part people ask about less, but it matters just as much. A repatriation quote almost never includes what happens after your loved one is home. 

  • A funeral service, whether that’s burial or cremation 
  • A memorial, headstone or any form of permanent marker 
  • Flights or accommodation for family members travelling to be with the deceased or to accompany them home 
  • Personal belongings shipped separately from the coffin, which sometimes needs arranging as its own process 
  • Extended embalming or preservation beyond what’s needed for the journey itself, if a family wants an open viewing some weeks later, say 

None of this is hidden from you deliberately. It’s just that a repatriation quote covers repatriation, not everything that follows. A UK funeral director usually picks up from there, and we’re happy to put you in touch with one if you don’t already have a preference. 

How Long Does Repatriation Actually Take? 

There’s no single answer here either, unfortunately, but most repatriations complete within one to three weeks from the point of death. Some are quicker. A few take longer, particularly when there’s an investigation involved or the country has slower administrative processes. 

A few things tend to affect the timeline more than anything else: how quickly a death certificate is issued locally, whether a post-mortem or police report is required, how easily flights or cargo space can be booked, and whether the country involved works over weekends and public holidays (some don’t, and that alone can add days). 

We’ll usually be able to give you a realistic estimate once we know the country and circumstances, rather than a generic range that may not apply to you. 

What Actually Happens, Step by Step:

If you're wondering how to repatriate a dead body from another country, it helps to see the process laid out rather than as one abstract task. Broadly, it looks like this: 

  1. You contact us, or your travel insurer contacts us on your behalf, and we take down the details ofwhat's happened. 
  2. We appoint a local funeral agent in the country where the death occurred, who collects your loved one and begins the local paperwork.
  3. Death certificates, embassyauthorisation and any required local permits are obtained. This is often the step that takes longest. 
  4. Your loved one is prepared for travel, which may include embalming, and placed in a coffin suitable for international transport.
  5. Flights are arranged, and your loved one travels to the UK, usually as air cargo rather than as a passenger booking.
  6. On arrival,they're handed over to a UK funeral director, a chapel of rest, or taken directly to the crematorium or cemetery, depending on what you've arranged. 

Every case has its own quirks, and some steps happen in a different order depending on the country. But that's the general shape of it. 

We're Here to Help 

Rowland Brothers International has been arranging international repatriations for over 45 years, working with local funeral agents in almost every country. Whatever stage you're at, whether you need to start the process today or you're just trying to understand what's involved, we're happy to talk it through. 

Contact Rowland Brothers International for a no-obligation repatriation quote. 

Frequently Asked Questions

A repatriation quote typically doesn’t include a funeral service, memorial, family travel, or shipping personal belongings separately. These are usually arranged once your loved one has arrived back in the UK. 

Most repatriations are completed within one to three weeks, although this depends on the country involved, whether a post-mortem or police report is needed, and how quickly local paperwork can be processed. 

Once repatriation is underway, we handle the coordination between countries. You may need to arrange a UK funeral director for what happens after your loved one arrives home, and we can help point you in the right direction if needed. 

No. Repatriation covers bringing your loved one back to the UK. Any funeral, burial or cremation arrangements after that are organised separately. 

Occasionally, if circumstances change, such as additional documentation being required or delays in the country of death. We’ll always talk you through anything that affects the original estimate before proceeding. 

Rowland Brothers Team Headshots

Fiona Greenwood is the Operations Director at Rowland Brothers International

She is a bilingual English/Spanish speaker with 26+ years extensive Operations Management experience in the Emergency Assistance & Travel Claims Industry, her Teams managed complex travel medical emergencies involving emergency medical treatment abroad, emergency medical evacuations/repatriations along with organising repatriations for those insured members that passed away abroad.

Fiona has worked both in the UK & USA and joined Rowland Brothers International in 2011.

She now has almost 40 years’ experience in managing complex situations, repatriations and assisting families during most difficult circumstances.