Losing a loved one overseas and arranging their funeral can create a few challenges, both practically and emotionally…!

REPARTRIATING YOU LOVED ONE’S AFTER DEATH

The first step is to register the person’s death in the country where he died. You need to do this through the local authorities of that country.

If you know that the person wanted to donate their organs or their body to science, then you need to let the hospital know as soon as possible.

If the person was on holiday, find out about their travel insurance policy and whether this covers the cost of returning their body to the home place in the event of their death.

If the person was working abroad then do inform the international pension sector which will let you know about the future economic stability the person will get but generally the respective country embassy informs you about the formalities

CONTACT A KNOWN FUNERAL DIRECTOR

Funeral directors know better than anyone that death is not always predictable, and many are experts at dealing with a wide variety of circumstances relating to deaths abroad. When searching for your funeral director, look for one that can provide a repatriation service, whether this is the transportation of the body home for the funeral, or arranging an overseas cremation and repatriating their ashes.

BRINGING THE PERSON’S BODY HOME

In India, you need to get a certified English translation of the death certificate from the country where the person died. You will need permission to remove the body, and this will be issued by that country’s embassy. If the person died suddenly, violently or from unnatural causes, then you will need to contact the authorities in India and let them know. They will then create a death certificate and will give an allowance.

Before you do any of the above, you should seek advice from the Indian embassy. Rules may differ from country to country.

You do not need to arrange flights or other transportation for bringing home the person’s body. Your chosen funeral directors in the country will adjust with overseas hospital morgues and funeral companies to arrange the shipping of the body. You can specify requests for things such as costs, transport dates and times, and body preparation.

When the person’s body has returned home to the country, you need to take the death certificate to the register office in the local authority where the funeral will take place.

BRINGING HOME THE PERSON’S ASHES

If you choose to have your loved one cremated abroad, be aware that different countries have different laws and regulations about transporting human remains. Speak to the Indian embassy to find out more. To leave a country with human ashes, you will need to show the death certificate and the certificate of cremation. You should also check with the airline beforehand about whether you can have the ashes as hand luggage or checked-in luggage.