Mrs Patel rang us from Gatwick Airport last March. Her father had passed away in India whilst visiting family, and she needed help bringing him back to Tunbridge Wells for his funeral.
She didn’t know where to start. The paperwork felt overwhelming. The airline requirements seemed confusing.
That’s exactly why our repatriation team exists, and our caring team will help you navigate funeral arrangements with dignity and respect.
We’ve helped many Tunbridge Wells families bring loved ones home from across the world. From Spain and France to India, Pakistan, and beyond.
The phone rings at all hours because grief doesn’t work on a schedule. Our repatriation team answers day and night, including weekends, bank holidays, and Christmas.
You’ll speak to actual people who know the process inside out, not a call centre reading from a script.
Our Tunbridge Wells branch sits on Crescent Road, just off Grosvenor Road near Calverley Grounds. Parking’s right outside. We know you’ve got enough to worry about without walking far whilst carrying this kind of stress.
Repatriation means bringing someone who’s passed away back to their home country. Or sending them from the UK to be buried or cremated abroad.
When a Tunbridge Wells resident dies overseas, their body or ashes need proper documentation and transport to return home. When someone passes away in Tunbridge Wells but wants to be buried in their homeland, we arrange everything to get them there.
Both directions require mountains of paperwork. Embassy visits. Translated certificates. Specific coffins. Flight arrangements. Customs clearance.
We handle all of it.
Most Tunbridge Wells families contact us after receiving the terrible news that someone’s died abroad. You’re often thousands of miles away, dealing with foreign authorities who speak a different language.
Here’s what actually happens:
You need to register the death with local authorities in the country where your loved one passed away. The British Embassy, High Commission, or Consulate can help with this [1].
Many families don’t realise you can also register the death with UK authorities at the same time.
If your loved one was on holiday, check their travel insurance immediately. Most policies cover repatriation costs, which typically range from £2,000 to £4,000.
The insurance company will usually appoint a funeral director in the country where death occurred, then work with us to get your loved one back to Tunbridge Wells.
If there’s no insurance, you’ll need to appoint an international funeral director yourself. That’s where we come in.
Before your loved one can return to Tunbridge Wells, you need:
If the death certificate isn’t in English, we arrange professional translation services.
Once your loved one lands at Gatwick Airport (just 30 miles from Tunbridge Wells), our team collects them. We use a private ambulance or hearse, depending on what feels right to you [31].
Gatwick’s about 40 minutes from our Tunbridge Wells branch via the A264. We’ve made this journey countless times.
When your loved one arrives in Tunbridge Wells, the local coroner reviews all the documents. They decide if an inquest is needed [4].
If an inquest isn’t required, we obtain a Certificate of No Liability from the Registrar. This allows the funeral to proceed.
Most coroners respond within four days. Sometimes faster if circumstances are urgent.
Timeline: Natural death repatriations usually take 5-7 days. If there’s a post-mortem or suspicious circumstances, expect 10-15 days or longer.
Some families need to take their loved one from Tunbridge Wells to another country. This often happens when someone’s spent their life in the UK but always wanted to be buried in their homeland.
It’s slightly different from inward repatriation.
Before you can take anyone out of England, you must notify the coroner. We complete Form 104 (Notice of Intention to Remove a Body) on your behalf [6].
The coroner reviews the case and issues a removal notice. This usually takes four days.
Different countries have different requirements. Some need hermetically sealed coffins. Others require specific documentation or cadaver certificates [7].
We liaise with embassies in London on your behalf. If you need to attend the embassy yourself, we can accompany you.
Your loved one needs embalming for international transport. It’s a legal requirement in most countries.
We place them in a coffin suitable for air travel. For outward repatriation, this usually means a zinc-lined coffin with or without a viewing panel. We also recommend a flight tray (a protective outer case) to protect the coffin during transit.
We book flights through airlines experienced in transporting human remains. Gatwick Airport handles most international repatriations from Tunbridge Wells because it’s closest and offers excellent connections [31].
You can sometimes fly on the same flight as your loved one if that brings you comfort.
The funeral director in the destination country, called the “consignee,” must be ready to receive your loved one. We stay in constant contact with them throughout the process.
Sometimes families choose to cremate their loved one abroad, then bring the ashes back to Tunbridge Wells. Or cremate in Tunbridge Wells and take ashes overseas.
This is simpler than repatriating a body, but still requires proper documentation.
You need the death certificate and certificate of cremation from the country where cremation occurred. Most airlines let you carry ashes as hand luggage in a non-metal container.
Some families prefer us to ship the ashes professionally. We handle all customs paperwork.
Each country has different rules. We check with the relevant consulate and arrange all documentation. Our cremated remains shipment service costs are available on request.
Discover how our direct cremation services can honour your loved one simply and respectfully.
This covers:
Additional Costs:
Total costs typically range from £2,000 to £4,000 depending on destination, flight availability, and specific requirements.
We give you a complete quote upfront. No hidden charges. No surprises.
Learn more about our prices here.
We’ve handled repatriations to and from over 50 countries. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Poland, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Jamaica, Nigeria, Kenya, you name it.
Our repatriation coordinator speaks directly with embassies and consulates. He knows which countries need cadaver certificates. Which require specific embalming techniques. Which paperwork must be original versus certified copies.
That experience matters when you’re dealing with foreign bureaucracy whilst grieving. You can trust our trusted Tunbridge Wells funeral director to handle all aspects of your loved one’s farewell.
Local Knowledge, Global Connections
Tunbridge Wells has a diverse community. About 8% of residents were born outside the UK [12]. Many maintain strong ties to their countries of origin.
We understand these connections matter. We’ve helped families honour last wishes to be buried in ancestral villages in Punjab, Sylhet, Lagos, and Warsaw.
We also help British nationals who’ve retired abroad but whose families want them back in Tunbridge Wells. The drive from Gatwick takes us past Penshurst, Langton Green, and Speldhurst, areas where many of these families grew up.
Some repatriations happen under especially painful circumstances. Deaths from accidents. Sudden illnesses. Young people on gap years.
We’ve brought home university students from Spain, backpackers from Thailand, business travellers from Dubai, and holidaymakers from everywhere in between.
These cases need extra sensitivity. The families are often in shock. The bureaucracy feels impossible when you can barely think straight.
Our repatriation coordinator has 20+ years experience. He’ll explain everything in plain English. He’ll chase up the embassy when things stall. He’ll answer your calls at midnight when panic hits.
Ring us on 01892 300330 any time, day or night. Even at 3am on Sunday. Someone will answer.
Tell us what’s happened. Where your loved one is. What you want to happen next.
We’ll explain the process, give you a clear quote, and start making arrangements immediately if you want us to.
If your loved one’s already passed away abroad:
If your loved one’s passed away in Tunbridge Wells and needs repatriating abroad:
We’re a family-run funeral directors with over 25 years serving West Kent. Our Tunbridge Wells branch opened in 1998.
Repatriation isn’t something most funeral directors do well. It requires specialist knowledge, international contacts, and endless patience with bureaucracy.
We’ve built relationships with embassies across London. We know which airlines handle human remains with proper care. We’ve navigated the paperwork requirements for countries from Albania to Zimbabwe.
That experience means your loved one gets home safely, and you don’t have to become an expert in international death registration whilst grieving. Our team provides thoughtful guidance on traditional funeral services suited to your wishes.
You can visit us at:
Welham Jones Funerals & Memorials 39 Crescent Road Tunbridge Wells TN1 2LZ [Map]
Or ring 01892 300330 anytime.
Once your loved one’s home in Tunbridge Wells, we arrange their funeral service exactly as they would have wanted.
Traditional burial at Tunbridge Wells Cemetery on Frant Road. Cremation at Tunbridge Wells Crematorium. Church services at any of our local churches. Celebration of life ceremonies that reflect who they really were.
We also offer:
Everything you need to say goodbye properly.
Natural death repatriations usually take 5-7 days from overseas to Tunbridge Wells. If there’s a post-mortem, expect 10-15 days. Some countries have longer bureaucratic processes.
Outward repatriation from Tunbridge Wells typically takes 4-7 days after the UK coroner grants permission.
Yes. If they’re travelling from Tunbridge Wells abroad, we offer viewing in our chapel of rest on Crescent Road before departure.
For inward repatriation, you can view them once they arrive in our care – though some families prefer to wait until after the coroner’s review.
The UK coroner will review all documentation before releasing the body for burial or cremation. If death occurred under suspicious circumstances abroad, this process takes longer.
We keep you updated throughout and handle any additional requests from the coroner.
Gatwick Airport handles most of our repatriations. It’s 30 miles from Tunbridge Wells – about 40 minutes by road via the A264 [31].
Gatwick offers excellent international connections and has extensive experience handling human remains transport.
Sometimes we use Heathrow or other London airports depending on flight availability and destination.
We work with multiple airlines depending on the route and current service reliability. We book flights through freight services that specialise in transporting human remains.
Often yes, though you’ll be on the passenger flight whilst your loved one travels as cargo. We can coordinate flight times so you land together if that helps.
For outward repatriation from Tunbridge Wells, most countries require a solid wood or metal coffin with zinc lining. The coffin must be hermetically sealed (airtight) for flights.
Our American-style metal caskets are hermetically sealed and suitable for international repatriation. They can be reopened at destination and used for burial if local cemetery regulations allow.
We have a wide range of coffins designed specifically for international transport.
You’ll need to pay repatriation costs yourself. We can arrange a payment plan if needed – just ask. Never let financial worry stop you from bringing someone home.
Some organisations offer financial assistance:
Yes. Many families hold a service at a Tunbridge Wells church or crematorium before we repatriate their loved one overseas.
We work with churches across Tunbridge Wells including King Charles the Martyr, Holy Trinity Eridge, and St James’s Church. You can say goodbye locally, then honour their wish to be buried in their homeland.
We provide private facilities where family and friends can perform final washing and dressing according to religious or cultural customs. Just let us know what you need.
Our comprehensive repatriation service charge is £1,805*, covering all paperwork, embassy liaison, and preparation. Additional costs include airport transport (£395*), zinc coffin lining (£325*), flight tray (£195*), and flights at cost. Total repatriation costs typically range from £2,000 to £4,000 depending on destination.
*NOTE: Prices as off October 2025
Yes, repatriating cremated remains is simpler and more affordable than repatriating a body. You need the death certificate and cremation certificate from the country where cremation occurred. Many families cremate abroad then bring ashes home to scatter at a meaningful Tunbridge Wells location.
You need: a death certificate (registered in the country of death), certified English translation of the death certificate, permission to remove the body from local authorities, embalming certificate, and the deceased’s passport. We arrange document translation if needed.
Repatriation typically begins as soon as local death registration completes. For natural deaths, the full process takes 5-7 days. If a post-mortem is required, expect 10-15 days or longer. We start arrangements immediately upon your instruction.
We handle repatriation to and from any country worldwide. We have extensive experience with common destinations including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Poland, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Jamaica, Nigeria, Kenya, and throughout Europe. Each country has different requirements which we manage on your behalf.
Our team collects them from Gatwick Airport cargo facilities using a private ambulance or hearse. We handle all customs clearance and airline handling charges. Your loved one then travels to our Tunbridge Wells branch on Crescent Road where they remain in our care. The UK coroner reviews the documentation before funeral arrangements can proceed.
Yes. Once the UK coroner completes their review and issues the necessary certificate, we arrange a traditional funeral service. This might include viewing at our chapel of rest, a church service at a Tunbridge Wells church, burial at Tunbridge Wells Cemetery, or cremation at Tunbridge Wells Crematorium.
Most comprehensive travel insurance policies cover repatriation costs, typically ranging from £2,000 to £4,000. Check the policy documents or contact the insurance company immediately after death occurs abroad. The insurer will appoint a local funeral director and coordinate with us to bring your loved one home to Tunbridge Wells.
[1] GOV.UK – What to do when someone dies abroad: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/what-to-do-after-a-british-national-dies-abroad
[4] Chesterfield Council – Repatriation of Deceased Body: https://www.chesterfield.gov.uk/living-here/people-and-families/bereavement-services/funeral-planning/repatriation-of-a-deceased-body/
[6] Newham Council – Repatriation of Bodies: https://www.newham.gov.uk/births-deaths-marriages/repatriation-bodies
[7] Waltham Forest – How to Repatriate Bodies: https://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/births-deaths-and-marriages/deaths/how-repatriate-bodies
[12] Varbes – Tunbridge Wells Demographics: https://www.varbes.com/demographics/tunbridge-wells-demographics
[31] Rome2Rio – Royal Tunbridge Wells to Gatwick Airport: https://www.rome2rio.com/s/Royal-Tunbridge-Wells/London-Gatwick-Airport-LGW
Address:
39 Crescent Rd
Royal Tunbridge Wells
TN1 2LZ
Phone: 01892 300330
Email: tunbridgewells@welhamjones.co.uk
Business Hours:
Monday to Friday: 9am to 5pm
Saturday and Sunday: appointment only
For community deaths outside those hours, we also provide a 24/7 response, 365 days of the year.
