Understanding How Repatriation Works
When a loved one passes away, the time can be extremely distressing and stressful for you. And if this occurs either abroad or interstate, this stress is compounded by a number of practical challenges. Repatriation of a person’s body from overseas/interstate can throw a number of hurdles. Various questions and thoughts rush through your mind such as:
- What am I to do now?
- Who should I contact?
- Who should I discuss this with?
- What paperwork do I need to fill out?
- How do I communicate with individuals in a foreign language?
- How long will the process take?
Interstate Repatriation
If a loved one has passed away across state lines, by Australian law it is necessary that the death has be recorded in the state it has occurred in. The body can be repatriated interstate without a death certificate. The transfer can be arranged by caring staff at our funeral home.
Overseas repatriation back to Australia
In case a death occurs abroad, it needs to be registered in the country where the person has passed. You can obtain immediate help from your tour guide, the local police, or even from the closest Australian Consul. Before travelling, it’s a good idea to check if the place you are travelling to has an Australian Embassy, note their telephone number and what alternatives are available if there is no embassy.
The repatriation process
While these are the basic things you can do, you would need experts like us to handle the actual repatriation. It is a very common practice to return the mortal remains of a loved one to the country of their birth. We at Paul Lahood’s Funerals can organise for the person’s body to be embalmed and prepared for travel before it is sent overseas. Since we handle all these aspects expertly, it relieves the family of all the stress and strain of this procedure.
Our experts will embalm the body in line with global embalming standards. They will liaise with the respective consulate and Freight Company on your behalf to ensure the body is safely transported to its destination. Aside from this, we also specialise in the recovery of individuals that have passed abroad.
Some things to keep in view
If you are travelling abroad with a family member or friend and are faced with a death, it’s important to have as much of documentation as possible about the decedent such as:
- Full name
- The date of birth
- The passport number
- Where and when the passport was issued
- The contact details of the next of kin of the decedent
As you can see, there are a number of things that come into the picture in case repatriation is required. Its best to contact us and discuss your requirements with us for the best solutions. For any more information, simply speak with the Paul Lahood’s Funerals’ funeral director in Sydney at this number-(02) 9564 0223. You also have the option to send us your queries using this contact us form and we will call you back within the shortest possible time.