Anyone wanting to move a body out of England and Wales (including to Scotland) must have authority from the coroner. This applies even if the death was completely natural and did not need to be reported to the coroner before registration.
If you want to repatriate a body, your funeral director will make the arrangements for you.
They will:
- complete a notice to the coroner of the intention to remove a body out of England or Wales
- produce a statement or form of ID for the deceased
- provide contact details for the next of kin
- provide a copy of the death certificate (unless an inquest has been opened)
You must register the death before you can arrange repatriation.
Once the request is made, the coroner will issue an authority to repatriate (Form 103).
Funeral directors should not book repatriation flights until they have the signed authority. We cannot take responsibility for missed flights that were booked against our advice.
You do not need authority from the coroner to repatriate cremation ashes. If you intend to transport them by air, contact your airline for advice.