Body Repatriation Costs: What You Pay For and Who Pays

There is no standard price for bringing a body home from abroad. Providers set their own prices. The bill is a set of separate charges that can add up to a large sum, and it grows with distance, paperwork delays and the number of providers involved. Governments do not pay it. The money comes from the estate, the family, an insurer, an employer or a charity.

This guide explains what you are paying for, who may be responsible, and the options that can cut the cost. We do not quote route-by-route prices, because we found no official source for reliable, current figures. Get written quotes instead.

What does repatriation of a body include?

Most quotes combine the following. Ask for each as its own line.

In the US, the FTC Funeral Rule requires US funeral providers to give you a written General Price List and an itemized statement of what you chose. That rule does not apply to a provider in another country, so ask any overseas provider for the same level of detail in writing.

Who pays for repatriation?

Governments do not. All three governments below say so in their own words:

• United States. Under 22 CFR 72.7, the legal representative of the deceased bears all disposition costs, including embalming, cremation and burial, and consular officers cannot create financial obligations. If there is no legal representative, costs fall to next of kin or interested parties. The State Department's fee schedule lists no fee for assistance to next of kin after the death of a US citizen abroad, but the costs of the arrangements themselves are yours.
• United Kingdom. The FCDO says it cannot pay burial, cremation, repatriation or legal costs. If there is no travel insurance, you must appoint and pay for your own funeral director.
• Canada. Government offices will not pay for burial, cremation or repatriation. Costs are the responsibility of the next of kin or estate, and funeral homes often require upfront payment.

Other possible sources of money:

• Travel or expat insurance. The UK government says travel insurance should cover repatriation costs if you or a family member die abroad. See our guide to travel insurance death coverage.
• An employer. The Consulate General of India in Dubai says that in the UAE the employer shall bear all the costs of preparing and transporting the body of a worker who dies. If the person was on a work posting, ask the employer before paying anyone. Our guide to repatriation from the UAE has more.
• A welfare fund. Some governments run a fund for workers abroad. India's consulate says it helps on a strictly means-tested basis when there is no employer, sponsor or insurance.
• Charities. The UK's FCDO guidance lists the JackTheLad Foundation (for ages 16 to 30 who died in accidents abroad), the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust (Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland) and the Repatriation Services Trust (Wales).
• Crowdfunding. Some families raise the money online. See our crowdfunding funeral tips.

What are the cheaper options?

Cremate or bury locally

The largest saving is usually not sending a body at all. A local cremation followed by taking the ashes home avoids embalming, a sealed container and air cargo. Ashes can travel as baggage: TSA allows cremated remains in carry-on and checked bags, in a container that X-ray can see through, though some airlines do not allow them in checked bags. The US Postal Service allows cremated remains to be mailed domestically only by Priority Mail Express, and internationally only by Priority Mail Express International when the destination country permits it. See our guide to shipping cremated remains.

Not every faith accepts cremation, and local rules can limit your choices. In the UAE, for example, the UK government says cremation is only possible for non-Muslims, and burial only if the person held a valid residency visa.

Return embalmed or cremated remains and keep the rest simple

Once remains are home, you choose the service. A direct cremation or a simple burial usually costs less than a full funeral. The CDC says embalmed or cremated remains entering the US do not need a CDC import permit, which keeps the paperwork lighter.

Shop around and ask questions

• Get at least two itemized written quotes, and ask what happens to the price if there are delays.
• Ask whether the quote covers both ends or only the departure country.
• Ask whether the insurer has an approved provider before you commit.
• Watch for unofficial agents. India's consulate warns of fraudulent agents charging excessive rates and says its approved panel associations charge no service fees.

What if you cannot afford it?

Tell the embassy or consulate early. Under 22 CFR 72.7, consular officers must get funds and instructions for disposition of the remains from the legal representative or next of kin, and if the funds are not available within the time local law allows for burial or preservation, local authorities will dispose of the remains under local law.

The US government says embassies can explain how to send funds to cover necessary costs. The UK FCDO can advise on transferring money from friends and family. If repatriation is out of reach, local burial or cremation may be the realistic choice, and you can hold a memorial at home.

What to do next

1. Call your insurer and, if the person worked abroad, their employer, before you agree to anything.
2. Ask your embassy for its list of local funeral directors, then request itemized written quotes from at least two.
3. Decide whether the body or the ashes are coming home, and line up a funeral director at home.
4. Read our guides on what embassies can do when someone dies abroad and dealing with a death overseas.