Repatriating a Body From Canada to Another Country
When a death occurs in Canada and the body needs to travel to another country — for cultural burial, family tradition, or because the deceased was a visitor — the process involves multiple coordinated steps across funeral homes, airlines, consulates, and destination authorities. For Canadian families navigating this, working with an experienced international funeral home is essential.
When repatriation is needed
- Non-resident dies while in Canada (visiting, working temporarily, traveling)
- Recent immigrant dies and family wants burial in country of origin
- Dual citizen or expatriate with cultural burial preferences
- Specific religious or family burial site requires the body in a particular country
- Long-time resident with family burial plot elsewhere
The process
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Choose an experienced funeral home. Some Canadian funeral homes specialize in international repatriation; others rarely do it. Choose one with established processes.[2]
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Determine destination country requirements. Each country has different documentation requirements. The funeral home (or the destination country's consulate) provides the specific list.
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Obtain Canadian documentation. Provincial death certificate, embalming certificate, transit permit. Provincial offices handle these.
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Consular processing. The destination country's consulate or embassy in Canada may need to certify documents (apostille or consularization). Some destinations also require an import permit from their consulate before the body can be sent.[1]
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Embalming. Required for most international transport. Performed by the Canadian funeral home.
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Special transport container. Hermetically sealed metal-lined casket designed for international air cargo.
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Airline arrangement. Booking cargo space; not all flights accept human remains, and most airlines have specific carriers (e.g., Air Canada Cargo, KLM Cargo).
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Documentation accompaniment. Documents travel with the cargo, typically in a sealed envelope.
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Destination country reception. A receiving funeral home in the destination country handles customs clearance and onward transport to the family.
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Final arrangements in the destination country.
Cost considerations
Total costs typically run $4,000-$15,000+. Major variables:
- Distance and destination (Europe and Asia are major-airline destinations; Africa and South America may have less direct routing and higher cost)
- Airline cargo fees (vary significantly)
- Documentation complexity (some destinations require extensive consularization)
- Embalming and casket
- Receiving funeral home fees in destination country
For many families, the cost difference between repatriation and local Canadian funeral is substantial. Some families choose cremation in Canada and transport of ashes (much cheaper) when local Canadian burial is acceptable.
Cremated remains alternative
Cremated remains can be transported much more easily — typically as carry-on or checked baggage. Total cost may be under $500 vs. several thousand for body repatriation. For families with disposition flexibility, this is often the practical solution.
Different airlines have different policies for cremated remains transport — some require specific documentation, some accept generic urns, others require specific containers. Confirm with the airline.
Cultural and religious considerations
Some traditions strongly prefer or require specific burial. Islamic and Jewish traditions emphasize burial in consecrated ground; some families prioritize burial in homeland soil even at substantial cost. Other traditions have more flexibility. Consider whether the cultural preference can be honoured locally (Islamic section in a Canadian cemetery, etc.) before committing to full repatriation.
What we focus on at It's Simple Will
The Funeral Pre-Planner captures preferences about location of burial or disposition. For Canadians with strong preferences for burial in another country, documenting the destination, preferred destination funeral arrangements, and any cultural requirements gives the family direction.
Related guides
Citations & sources
- [1]Global Affairs Canada — Death outside Canada — Global Affairs Canada
- [2]Funeral Service Association of Canada — Funeral Service Association of Canada
Frequently asked questions
When is repatriation needed?
Common scenarios — non-resident dies while visiting Canada and family wants burial in home country; recent immigrant dies in Canada and family wants traditional burial in country of origin; Canadian dies abroad and family wants the body returned to Canada (separate process — see our bringing-body-to-Canada guide); dual citizens or expatriates with specific cultural or family burial preferences.
What documents are required?
Typically — original certified death certificate (sometimes apostilled or consularized for destination country), embalming certificate from the Canadian funeral home, transit permit (provincial), airline transport documentation, destination country import permit (varies by country), translation of documents into destination country language if required. Specific requirements vary substantially by destination country.
Why is embalming usually required?
International airline cargo regulations and most destination countries require embalming for non-refrigerated long-distance transport of human remains. The embalming preserves the body for the multi-day journey. Some Islamic and Jewish traditions object to embalming; alternative arrangements (refrigerated container, faster timeline) may be possible but are more complex and expensive.
How long does it take?
Typically 5-14 days from death to arrival in destination country. Factors — destination country documentation requirements, embassy/consulate processing time, airline cargo scheduling, holidays at either end. Some destinations and airlines move faster; others slower.
How much does it cost?
$4,000-$15,000+ in total. Components — Canadian funeral home services and embalming ($1,500-$4,000), special transport container ($300-$1,500), airline cargo fees ($1,500-$8,000 depending on destination), documentation and consularization fees ($200-$1,500), destination country reception and onward transport ($500-$3,000). Costs to common destinations (UK, India, Philippines) are typically lower than to less-served destinations.
Can cremated remains be transported instead?
Yes, and much more easily and cheaply. Cremated remains can be transported as airline carry-on or checked baggage (different airlines have different policies) with much less documentation required. Cost is typically under $500 in total. For families with flexibility on disposition, cremation in Canada followed by transport of ashes is often the practical solution.