Repatriation of Bodies Abroad
Registering the Death
The death of a foreign national in England or Wales must be registered according to local law in the same way as if the person were British. See
Death Registration.
Once the death has been registered, then the family or a funeral director can make arrangements for the body to be repatriated abroad.
Repatriation abroad
There is no restriction on moving bodies within England and Wales, but you need to notify the coroner for the district in which the body is lying if you want to move the deceased to:
- Scotland
- Northern Ireland
- the Isle of Man
- the Channel Islands
- an Overseas country
To do this you will need Form 104 (Form of notice to a coroner of intention to remove a body out of England) which can be obtained from any Register Office in England or Wales or from a Coroner. You will then need to give the Form 104 to the Coroner and enclose any certificate for burial or cremation already issued.
The coroner will acknowledge receipt of your notice and let you know when the body can be moved – this is usually four clear days from when your notice was received. In urgent situations, it may be possible to bring this forward.
The names and telephone numbers of coroners are listed in your local phone book.
The Coroner for Blackpool and the Fylde District is Anne Hind. She can be contacted at:
283 Church Street
BLACKPOOL
FY1 3PF
Tel: 01253 625 731
To make arrangements for transporting the body, it is advisable to consult a funeral director as most carriers who permit the transportation of human remains will deal only with a funeral director. Many firms specialize in repatriation.