Hadaway & Denton Funeral Directors
Bringing your loved one home, or sending them on their final journey abroad — with care, dignity and complete coordination.
Contact UsMeet Andy — Our Repatriation Specialist
Repatriation is one of the most paperwork-heavy and emotionally difficult parts of our profession — which is why we have a dedicated specialist on the team. Andy Davison has been with Hadaway & Denton from the very beginning and has spent more than 22 years in the funeral sector. He personally carries out our UK repatriations.
Whether your loved one has passed away abroad and you need to bring them home to Kent, or your family wishes to send a relative back to a country that meant something to them, Andy — along with Jo and Carl — will guide you through every form, every embassy call and every onward journey.
You will not be passed between call centres or third-party agents. You speak to us directly, day or night, and we take care of the rest.
Meet The TeamDeath certificates, removal permits, coroner statements, passports, FCO paperwork — we prepare, lodge and chase every document so you don't have to.
Certified English translations of foreign death certificates and supporting paperwork, accepted by UK coroners, registrars and crematoria.
Embalming to international transport standards — required by most airlines and destination countries before a body can be flown.
We book and coordinate the air freight, sealing, wrapping and crating of the coffin or casket so your loved one travels safely and without delay.
If your loved one is returning to the UK, we will be at the airport to receive them and transfer them straight to our Chapel of Rest in Ashford.
You speak to us directly — not a call centre. As an independent funeral director, every repatriation is overseen personally by our small, experienced team.
Why Choose Us
When a death occurs overseas, or a family wants to send a loved one to a country with which they have a deep connection, the process can feel overwhelming — embassies, consulates, coroners, customs, airlines and translators all need to be coordinated, often across time zones.
That is exactly what we do. We pride ourselves on creating tailored repatriations, and with Andy's decades of experience our team can arrange the journey of a loved one to or from anywhere in the world.
Most importantly, you are not alone. Call us at any time and you'll speak to someone who has done this before and who treats your loved one with the same care we would offer our own family.
Speak to UsOur Repatriation Service
Every family's needs are different. Tell us what matters and we will tailor the service around it — from a private viewing before the flight to a full funeral on arrival.
Speak to UsHow It Works
Call us on 01233 421852 at any time, day or night. We will listen, take down the essential details — where your loved one is, where they need to go, and any time pressures — and start the process the same day.
Depending on direction of travel, we work with the relevant embassy, consulate or the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, prepare and translate documents, arrange specialist embalming, and select the appropriate coffin or casket for international transport.
We coordinate the flight, the crating, the airline handover and the receiving director at the other end. If your loved one is returning to the UK, we will be at the airport to meet them and bring them to our Chapel of Rest in Ashford.
Two Directions of Travel
You will first need to register the death with the local authorities in the country where it occurred. The local British embassy, high commission or consulate can guide you through this. Once we have the necessary paperwork, we manage everything required to bring your loved one home.
If a UK resident wishes to be laid to rest overseas, we will arrange everything from our premises in Ashford. You provide a copy of the death certificate and we handle the rest — including all paperwork required to repatriate the deceased by air.
Your Questions Answered
Repatriation is the process of transporting a person who has passed away from one country to another. Most commonly this means bringing a British national home to the UK after a death overseas, but it equally applies to UK residents whose final wish is to be buried or cremated in a country abroad. As an independent funeral director we are able to arrange repatriation in either direction.
If you are arranging repatriation into the UK from another country, the death first needs to be registered with the local authorities where the person passed away. The local British embassy, high commission or consulate can help with this — you can find the relevant office at gov.uk/world/embassies.
If you are in the UK and arranging repatriation overseas, you can also speak to the London-based Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, 24 hours a day, on 020 7008 5000. Once you have made initial contact, call us — we will pick up the documentation and logistics from there.
If your loved one wishes to be buried or cremated overseas, we will arrange everything once you provide us with a copy of the death certificate. We prepare the additional documentation required to repatriate the deceased by air, arrange a coffin suitable for international transport, coordinate embalming, and book the flight. If you wish, we can also arrange a UK service before they leave.
To return the body of a loved one to the UK you will typically need:
• A certified English translation of the death certificate
• Permission to remove the body, issued by a coroner (or the equivalent authority) in the country of death
• A coroner statement — if the death was unnatural or unexpected, a UK coroner will review the documents and decide if an inquest is required
• The deceased's passport
We will guide you through obtaining each of these and handle the certified translations on your behalf.
Timings vary depending on the country involved, but for a death from natural causes it usually takes between five and seven days from start to flight. On average, including the documentation process, repatriation takes around ten to fifteen days end-to-end.
If the death was sudden or required a post-mortem, that can extend the timeline by up to three months, as a foreign coroner's review — and possibly a UK inquest — may be required before the body can be released.
Repatriation costs vary depending on the distance, the airline, the type of coffin required (some destinations require an airtight zinc-lined unit), and any additional services such as embalming or a UK ceremony. As a guide, most repatriations fall between £2,000 and £4,000, though more complex cases can sit outside that range.
We will always quote you upfront, in writing, with no hidden fees. If your loved one had travel insurance or an expat policy, it may cover all or part of the cost — we are happy to liaise with the insurer on your behalf.
Yes. When your loved one returns to the UK, we will be at the receiving airport to meet them and bring them directly to our Chapel of Rest here in Ashford. We will also handle any onward customs or paperwork at that point.
If the death was sudden, unexplained or violent, the authorities in the country of death may require a post-mortem before releasing the body, and a UK coroner may also wish to open an inquest. This can add several weeks to the process. We will keep you informed at every step and make sure that, as soon as your loved one is released, they begin the journey home without unnecessary delay.
