If your loved one passes away outside the country and would have wanted a funeral service in their home, they need repatriation. Repatriation services help bereaved families send their deceased loved one back to their home country and may also help with the funeral service once they’re back home.
Since the repatriation of remains is an uncommon funeral service, many people might not understand what it is or its process. If your loved one needs repatriation, here is a simple step-by-step process to help you understand further.
Obtain the death certificate.
Obtain your loved one’s death certificate before you contact repatriation services in Singapore. It will ensure a smoother process later on since you’ll have an essential document needed for repatriation. If the repatriation is outbound, you’ll have to communicate with local authorities and obtain the death certificate. If the repatriation is inbound, you will receive the death certificate from the country where the death occurred.
Register the death.
If the repatriation of remains is outbound, the local embassy will help you register the death to obtain the needed documentation. They will also help you with Singapore exit requirements since that might differ from country to country. If it is inbound, the Singapore Embassy will issue the repatriation documents after you register the death.
Contact repatriation services.
Call repatriation services so they can make arrangements to receive the remains. If the repatriation is outbound, a family member in Singapore will have to look for repatriation services, but you can do it yourself if it is inbound. They will also handle other services, such as the funeral service.
Gather your required documents.
Prepare the documents you need for the repatriation. The repatriation services will let you know what documents they require, but most will need your loved one’s death certificate, embalming certificate, and encoffin certificate. If they require more than that, they will let you know.
Check your loved one’s insurance.
Insurance can cover the repatriation of the deceased. If your loved one had insurance, you could make arrangements with the company to pay for the repatriation costs. However, their immediate family would pay for the services if they didn’t have insurance.
Prepare funeral services as standard.
Once your loved one’s remains successfully return to their home country, the family can further coordinate with the repatriation services in Singapore to prepare a proper funeral.
If you need repatriation services in Singapore, Flying Home specialises in international repatriation and handles your loved one’s return home with care and respect. Visit their website for more information and contact details.
