International Body Repatriation

Repatriation to the Caribbean

Our complete body repatriation service from the UK to the Caribbean starts from £2,675, covering the full process from collection to arrival.

Contact us
Repatriation to the Caribbean

The Caribbean is one of the most common destinations for UK families arranging repatriation. Many British Caribbean communities have strong ties to islands like Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, St Lucia and Grenada, and when someone dies, bringing them home matters enormously. 

Rowland Brothers International has been managing Caribbean repatriations for decades. We arrange repatriation from the UK to the Caribbean, from Caribbean islands back to the UK, and between islands where needed. Our team manages the whole process — paperwork, logistics, flights, coordination with local funeral homes — so you don’t have to at an already difficult time. 

What to Do When Someone Dies in the Caribbean

The Caribbean isn’t one country, so each island has its own death registration process and its own rules around releasing a body for repatriation, so what applies in Jamaica won’t necessarily apply in Barbados or Trinidad. 

In most cases, the local hospital or medical authority will certify the death and issue a death certificate. If the deceased was a British national, notify the British High Commission on the relevant island and they can help with paperwork – though the repatriation itself is something we manage. 

After that, give us a call. We know the local protocols across the islands we cover and we’ll liaise with the authorities at the Caribbean end, handle the documentation, and get things moving as quickly as the local system allows. 

FAQs

Documentation requirements vary from island to island, but there’s a core set of paperwork that most Caribbean repatriations will require. Getting this right is what determines how quickly things can move. 

Standard documents typically include: 

  • Passport of the deceased 
  • Death certificate, registered with the local authorities on the island 
  • Embalming certificate 
  • Freedom from infection certificate 
  • Authority to remove the body from the country 
  • Import documentation for the UK or destination country, if required 

 Some islands have additional local requirements; a few require apostille stamps on certain documents, while some have specific regulations around the type of coffin or casket used for international transport. We’ll tell you exactly what’s needed for the specific island you’re dealing with. 

Once all documentation is confirmed and approved, we can usually arrange a flight within a few hours. 

Our Caribbean repatriation service is fully managed. You’re not coordinating between a UK funeral director, a Caribbean funeral home, an airline, and a documentation service separately — we bring all of that together. Here’s what’s covered: 

  • Collection of the deceased from the island 
  • Professional preparation, including embalming to international transport standards 
  • A coffin or casket suitable for international air freight 
  • Full documentation service, including island-specific requirements 
  • Translations where required 
  • Transfer to the departure airport 
  • Arrangement of the repatriation flight 
  • Assistance with the return of personal luggage 

 If you need anything additional, such as a service in the UK before the body departs, or help coordinating the funeral at the Caribbean end, talk to us. We have contacts across the region and can advise on what’s possible. 

Generally speaking, repatriation from the Caribbean takes between 5 and 10 working days from when the local authorities release the body. That’s not a guarantee, but it’s a realistic estimate based on how these cases typically unfold. 

The main variable is documentation. Each island has its own registration system and its own pace; some move quickly and others, particularly during public holidays or if there’s a backlog at the registrar, can take longer. Flight availability on the specific route also plays a role, though most major Caribbean islands have regular services to the UK. 

If the death is subject to a post-mortem or police investigation, the timeline naturally extends as the body can’t be moved until the authorities release it. We’ll be upfront with you about what to expect if that’s the situation. 

Caribbean repatriation from the UK starts from £2,675. That covers the core service: collection, preparation, coffin, documentation, and the repatriation flight. The final cost depends on the specific island, which UK location the deceased is departing from, and whether any additional services are needed. 

Some islands are more straightforward and therefore less expensive than others. A repatriation to Barbados, for example, will be priced differently to one going to a smaller island with less frequent flight connections. We’ll give you a clear, honest estimate once we understand your specific situation. 

Costs for the reverse route (repatriation from the Caribbean to the UK) vary in the same way.  

We also manage repatriation in the other direction — bringing a loved one home to the Caribbean from the UK or from elsewhere in the world. For many British Caribbean families, this is the service they need. Someone passes away in the UK, and the family wants them buried back home on the island they came from. 

This kind of repatriation requires export documentation from the UK and import clearance at the Caribbean end, as well as coordination with a receiving funeral home on the island. We manage all of that through our working relationships with funeral homes across the Caribbean. 

If you need to repatriate a loved one from the UK to the Caribbean, or from any other country to the Caribbean, all you need to do is call us and explain the situation. We’ll take it from there. 

What to Do When Someone Dies in the Caribbean

The Caribbean isn’t one country, so each island has its own death registration process and its own rules around releasing a body for repatriation, so what applies in Jamaica won’t necessarily apply in Barbados or Trinidad. 

In most cases, the local hospital or medical authority will certify the death and issue a death certificate. If the deceased was a British national, notify the British High Commission on the relevant island and they can help with paperwork – though the repatriation itself is something we manage. 

After that, give us a call. We know the local protocols across the islands we cover and we’ll liaise with the authorities at the Caribbean end, handle the documentation, and get things moving as quickly as the local system allows. 

FAQs

Documentation requirements vary from island to island, but there’s a core set of paperwork that most Caribbean repatriations will require. Getting this right is what determines how quickly things can move. 

Standard documents typically include: 

  • Passport of the deceased 
  • Death certificate, registered with the local authorities on the island 
  • Embalming certificate 
  • Freedom from infection certificate 
  • Authority to remove the body from the country 
  • Import documentation for the UK or destination country, if required 

 Some islands have additional local requirements; a few require apostille stamps on certain documents, while some have specific regulations around the type of coffin or casket used for international transport. We’ll tell you exactly what’s needed for the specific island you’re dealing with. 

Once all documentation is confirmed and approved, we can usually arrange a flight within a few hours. 

Our Caribbean repatriation service is fully managed. You’re not coordinating between a UK funeral director, a Caribbean funeral home, an airline, and a documentation service separately — we bring all of that together. Here’s what’s covered: 

  • Collection of the deceased from the island 
  • Professional preparation, including embalming to international transport standards 
  • A coffin or casket suitable for international air freight 
  • Full documentation service, including island-specific requirements 
  • Translations where required 
  • Transfer to the departure airport 
  • Arrangement of the repatriation flight 
  • Assistance with the return of personal luggage 

 If you need anything additional, such as a service in the UK before the body departs, or help coordinating the funeral at the Caribbean end, talk to us. We have contacts across the region and can advise on what’s possible. 

Generally speaking, repatriation from the Caribbean takes between 5 and 10 working days from when the local authorities release the body. That’s not a guarantee, but it’s a realistic estimate based on how these cases typically unfold. 

The main variable is documentation. Each island has its own registration system and its own pace; some move quickly and others, particularly during public holidays or if there’s a backlog at the registrar, can take longer. Flight availability on the specific route also plays a role, though most major Caribbean islands have regular services to the UK. 

If the death is subject to a post-mortem or police investigation, the timeline naturally extends as the body can’t be moved until the authorities release it. We’ll be upfront with you about what to expect if that’s the situation. 

Caribbean repatriation from the UK starts from £2,675. That covers the core service: collection, preparation, coffin, documentation, and the repatriation flight. The final cost depends on the specific island, which UK location the deceased is departing from, and whether any additional services are needed. 

Some islands are more straightforward and therefore less expensive than others. A repatriation to Barbados, for example, will be priced differently to one going to a smaller island with less frequent flight connections. We’ll give you a clear, honest estimate once we understand your specific situation. 

Costs for the reverse route (repatriation from the Caribbean to the UK) vary in the same way.  

We also manage repatriation in the other direction — bringing a loved one home to the Caribbean from the UK or from elsewhere in the world. For many British Caribbean families, this is the service they need. Someone passes away in the UK, and the family wants them buried back home on the island they came from. 

This kind of repatriation requires export documentation from the UK and import clearance at the Caribbean end, as well as coordination with a receiving funeral home on the island. We manage all of that through our working relationships with funeral homes across the Caribbean. 

If you need to repatriate a loved one from the UK to the Caribbean, or from any other country to the Caribbean, all you need to do is call us and explain the situation. We’ll take it from there. 

We help with Customs and Documentation and Flight Booking for Repatriation to the Caribbean and Repatriation from the Caribbean.

Caribbean Islands We Cover 

We arrange repatriation to and from islands across the Caribbean, including: 

  • Jamaica — one of our most frequently served routes, managed regularly in both directions 
  • Barbados — well-connected to the UK, generally a straightforward route 
  • Trinidad and Tobago — served via Piarco International Airport 
  • St Lucia — via Hewanorra or George F. L. Charles Airport depending on the final destination 
  • Grenada — served via Maurice Bishop International Airport 
  • Antigua and Barbuda — via V.C. Bird International Airport 
  • Dominica — smaller island with connecting flights; we’ll advise on routing 
  • St Vincent and the Grenadines — via Argyle International Airport 
  • St Kitts and Nevis — via Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport 
  • Sint Maarten — via Princess Juliana International Airport 
  • Martinique and Guadeloupe — French territories; documentation follows French overseas department rules 
  • The Bahamas — via Nassau or Freeport 
  • Bermuda — UK Overseas Territory; slightly different documentation process 

 If the island you need isn’t listed here, contact us anyway. We cover a wide range of Caribbean destinations and can usually advise on next steps. 

Repatriation to the Caribbean

Why Families Trust Us for Repatriations 

 Caribbean repatriation is something we know well. The UK has deep family and community connections to the Caribbean, and we’ve been helping families navigate this process for over 40 years. These aren’t occasional cases for us – the Caribbean is one of our most active repatriation routes. 

We’ve built real working relationships with funeral homes, registrars, and airline cargo teams across the islands. We know which authorities move quicker or slower, as well as the documentation quirks specific to certain islands. That experience matters when you’re trying to bring someone home. 

We work with families directly, with UK funeral directors and with insurance companies managing repatriation claims. With Rowland Brothers International, you’ll have one point of contact and clear communication throughout. 

We can arrange flights to:*

  • Abidjan Félix Houphouët-Boigny Airport

*Subject to availability at booking.

Countries we repatriate to and from in Americas

View all locations

Talk to Us about Coffins and Caskets

Coffins & Caskets

Our experienced, specialist team will provide practical advice and support at a difficult time with care and compassion. We keep you updates at each stage of the process to make is as easy as possible.

Find out more about working with Rowland Brothers International:

About us

We’re Here When You Need Us

Our team is available 24 hours a day. If you’ve just had news of a bereavement and don’t know where to start, call us. You don’t need to have figured anything out before you make contact — we’re here to help.

UK Families:
0800 917 3585 (freephone)

International:
+44(0)20 8684 2324

Email:
info@rowlandbrothersinternational.com

    Complete the Form