A proper burial is the ultimate sign of respect. Families go to great lengths to have their loved ones put to rest properly. Not only does it show proper respect, but it gives the living family members a sense of peace and closure.
There’s no limit to what we would do to get our family and friends to their proper final resting place. Unfortunately, however, the process to get them there can be an expensive one.
This is especially true if you’re an immigrant in the U.S. The average repatriation cost is an unexpected expense. But, it’s a necessary one if immigrant families want their loved ones to be buried back home.
Fortunately, we’re here to help you consider all angles of planning a proper burial for your family member. The last thing you want is to forget about bringing them back home as part of the funeral process. We’re here to help you understand the steps and costs necessary for proper repatriation.
We’ve got a lot of information to cover so let’s get started.
What Is Body Repatriation?
Some of you may not even be familiar with the repatriation process. That’s ok. In our minds, it should be easy to bring someone back home for a proper burial. Unfortunately, however, that’s not the case.
One of the main reasons for this is you’re dealing with two or more governments. At the very least, you’re dealing with the U.S. government and the government of your home country. Each country has its own laws and procedures.
This is especially true when it comes to shipping a human body. And that’s what repatriation is. The process of shipping the remains of the person who died.
This can mean shipping their body in a coffin or shipping their ashes in an urn.
The Repatriation Process
Handling the death of your loved one can be enough of a burden. The last thing you’ll want to think about is how to get them back home. The good thing is that there are repatriation service providers that will help you navigate the process.
It can add to the average repatriation cost but it might be money well spent.
Regardless of whether you’re working with a repatriation service provider or not, it helps to know the repatriation process. You’ll know what to expect as the process moves along. This knowledge may even help you ease the minds of other grieving members of your family.
Repatriation Timeframe
How long will it take for them to come home? That’s a question that’s on everyone’s mind at a time like this.
If your family member has died of natural causes, or under other normal circumstances, the typical timeframe for their return is five to seven days. Things may take longer if the situation is any different.
If any suspicious circumstances are surrounding the death, it may take ten to fifteen days to bring your loved one home. In some cases, repatriation can take as much as three months.
If there’s any sort of uncertainty surrounding the death, local authorities may hold onto the body until an autopsy and investigation can be conducted. This can mean anything from a suspected crime to a traffic accident.
The amount of time it takes to bring the body home will also depend on the country involved. Certain countries have much more “red tape” than others. It’s important to check with the local authorities, or your repatriation service provider, to see exactly how long the process will take.
Step 1: Contact the Local Authorities
The first step in getting a body back home is to contact the local authorities. In this particular case, we’re talking about contacting the U.S. government. The U.S. Federal government is rather large, so it can be a challenge determining who exactly you need to talk to.
You may want to make your first phone call to the U.S. Embassy office for your home country. Your embassy will specialize in relations between your country and the U.S. on a wide variety of subjects. The death of their citizens would most likely be something they would handle.
It’s easy to see how the repatriation process can get complex. If you’re working with a repatriation service provider, they may be able to manage this process for you much more easily.
If you can’t afford repatriation services, that’s fine. You can do it on your own but be prepared for it to take some time.
Step 2: Speak To Your Home Country
If you end up calling the U.S. Embassy, they may be able to take care of this step for you. The important thing is that you inform both governments, for the U.S. and your home country, about what’s happening.
A lot of care, preparation, and coordination goes into repatriating human remains. All organizations need to be on the same page to help the process go as smoothly as possible.
You may find out about the death from local authorities in your home country. If you hear about the death another way, like while you’re traveling abroad, it may become your responsibility to notify your home country’s government.
Step 3: Register the Death
It’s mandatory that you register the death in the country where it occurred. The U.S. government will want some basic information about you and the deceased.
They’re going to want the first name and last name of the deceased. The U.S. will also want to know their passport or visa number, the country that issued the passport, and the date the passport was issued. If you aren’t listed as the deceased person’s next of kin, they’ll want to know who is.
Check with your home country to see if you need to register the death there as well. It may not be a requirement, but if you wish to do it your local government can walk you through the repatriation procedures.
If you live in a country where English is not the native language, you may also need a certified translation of the death registry information.
Step 4: The Funeral Arrangements
Once the body is properly repatriated you can begin working on arranging the funeral. You’ll have to bring the U.S. death certificate and an English translation of the death registry (if it was necessary) to the local registry office in your home country.
If you’re working with a repatriation service provider they may be able to drop the body off at a local funeral director for you. If you’re handling the process on your own, you may need to coordinate with a local funeral home. This way they can be waiting for the body upon arrival and take it back to their location.
Average Repatriation Cost
So, how much does the repatriation process cost? Well, if you choose to use a repatriation service provider, it may cost a little more than if you handled it on your own. But, even then, there are still costs associated with the transport of the remains.
The advantage of working with a repatriation services provider is that you’re only paying once. Everything that needs to be done, shipping, transportation, the legal process, etc. are all included in the price for their services.
If you decide to coordinate the repatriation of a loved one on your own, you’ll be responsible for paying for each step of the process individually. There may also be costs associated with all of the government correspondence.
One of the biggest factors affecting the cost would be the location of your home country. Repatriation rates from the U.S. vary based upon which country the remains are going to.
For example, repatriation of a body from the U.S. to Kenya can cost anywhere from $6,000 to $10,000. However, this price may be different if the body is going to another location besides Africa.
It’s important to do your research to find out how much repatriation to your specific home country will cost.
There are several factors affecting the cost of repatriation. Let’s take a look at them below.
Transportation
One of the most important expenses is paying for your loved one’s travel back home. The cost varies depending on whether your loved one is cremated or in a coffin. If you’re transporting cremated remains, the average cost is about $300.
If you are transporting a loved one’s body in a casket, the cost can be $10,000 to $20,000.
Shipping
Shipping the remains is an additional expense during the repatriation process. The standard international ship-out fee can be anywhere from $2,000 to $4,000.
Experts say that having a cremation in the country where the death occurs may be the cheapest option. This option will cost you $500 to $1500.
After that, the only costs you’ll have will be standard shipping costs. This is because the only legal method for shipping cremated remains is the United States Postal Service in the U.S.
Making A Proper Burial Possible
Preparing for the death of a loved one is something most people don’t want to talk about. But, having a plan in place allows you to avoid the financial stress of the funeral costs and fulfill your loved ones’ wishes after they pass.
The vCERN fund is a proactive solution to your life insurance needs. It’s important to plan ahead and pursue coverage through the vCERN fund before a situation like this occurs.
The vCERN Fund is a proactive fundraising platform with multiple life pools. Each life pool is comprised of at least 1000 compassionate members who agree to raise $20,000 for any member who passes away in their pool by making a monetary donation
If you have questions about what vCERN can do for you and your family, contact us today. Our goal is to ease your burden during your time of need. We’re more than happy to help.
