Repatriation of a Deceased Body Abroad
If a body is to be taken out of England and Wales, notice must be given to the coroner for the area where the body is lying. There is no restriction on the removal of bodies within England and Wales, but notice is necessary where the removal is to Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, as well as abroad.
A Form of Notice (form 104) may be obtained from a registrar or a coroner. Any certificate for burial or cremation already issued by the registrar or the coroner must be given to the coroner with the notice.
The coroner will acknowledge receipt of the notice and say when the removal of the body may take place. This will normally be after four clear days from when the coroner received the notice. If it is urgent, the person giving notice to the coroner should speak to him or her personally since it may be possible to allow the removal sooner than the four days.
Cadaver certificates
Some countries require a Cadaver Certificate before they will allow a body into the country for burial
The certificate, if issued, confirms that no epidemic of infectious disease occurred in the borough for some three months preceding the death. The certificate is issued by the Environmental Health Officer for the Council in whose area the person died, or is to be exhumed from before reburial elsewhere.
This formality of obtaining the cadaver certificate is usually handled by the undertaker, making the arrangements on behalf of the relatives. The funeral directors will also help with anything requested by the Coroner and with requirements of the authorities in the country to which the deceased is going. Some of these requirements may also apply for burial in another part of the United Kingdom.
The certificate is issued by the Environmental Health Officer for the Council in whose area the person died, or is to be exhumed from before reburial elsewhere.
Page updated: 18 Jan 2008