South Eastern Sydney Local Health District Bereavement Information 26 Repatriation of Bodies Overseas Repatriation involves transfer of your loved ones’ remains from one part of the world to another (either interstate or overseas). It is understandable that family and friends may want their loved ones’ remains to be returned home, to be laid to rest in accordance with their wishes. The process of repatriation can be daunting, particularly whilst grieving. A funeral director who specialises in interstate and international repatriation can assist you in navigating this. Costs can vary widely; therefore, it is recommended that you obtain several quotes before appointing a funeral director. The Funeral Directors Role The funeral director’s role is to register the death, manage required paperwork, including hospital certification and letter of non-infection status to facilitate the repatriation and coordinate safe transfer of your loved one from one location to another, ensuring that local customs and spiritual and cultural beliefs are respected. The funeral directors may need to make interstate, and/or international arrangements with relevant state and federal government departments, and the Consul-General of the country your loved one is travelling to. Timeframes Once a funeral director is identified repatriation from Australia usually takes about 5-10 working days, from time of release from the coroner or hospital. This time frame can sometimes vary depending on government departments processing and issuing of paperwork, and flight availability etc.
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