What Happens When A Family Member Dies Overseas?

The death of a loved one is a time of profound grief, as though your whole world has been thrown off balance. Grief can be compounded by complications when your loved one passes away while in a foreign country. What happens when someone dies while overseas? 

How You Will Be Informed

The first stages of the process are bureaucratic. Local authorities will contact the US embassy in the country in question. The embassy then informs the state department, and a department representative will contact the person's next of kin to break the tragic news to them. 

Funeral Homes and Repatriation

When you have been informed of the death of your loved one, you must consider the most appropriate course of action. Funeral directors can do more than arrange funeral services on their own premises. You may need to do some quick research, but you're looking for a funeral home with experience in the repatriation of human remains.

Transporting a Casket

There are several ways in which someone's remains can be repatriated. They may be embalmed (which is often a legal requirement for international transportation) before being sealed in a casket and flown back to you. You can then hold a funeral service before your loved one is buried or cremated. This is typically the most expensive option.

Local Burial

Another option is to avoid repatriation by permitting local burial, where your loved one is laid to rest in the country where they passed away. Unsurprisingly, this is not a common choice as it typically prevents you from holding a traditional funeral, and makes it difficult for you to visit your family member's final resting place. However, if this option is desired, your local funeral home can liaise with a funeral home in the country in question to make the necessary arrangements. 

Local Cremation and Transportation

The third option involves your loved one being cremated in the country where their death occurred. The ashes are then delivered to you in the US. If possible, you or another family representative may wish to travel for the cremation and can then transport the ashes yourself. Be sure to check with your chosen airline to enquire about their regulations for transporting cremated ashes. Although there would be no casket at the funeral, you can arrange a traditional funeral or memorial service for your loved one at a later stage, with their ashes on display during the service.

Regardless of where it happened, the passing of a loved one is a confusing and extremely distressing time. When they pass away overseas, it's important to understand what happens next, as well as your possible options. Contact a local funeral service, such as Shepherd Funeral Home, to learn more.

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