The call came from another time zone, and now you're making decisions about someone you love in a country where you don't know the rules. It's harder than a death at home. But the steps run in a known order, and here it is.
After a death outside Canada, make three calls before you pay anyone: the travel insurer (if there is one), the nearest Canadian embassy or consulate, and a funeral home where the death happened. Then make one decision: cremation there, with the ashes brought home, or bringing your loved one's body home. The Government of Canada doesn't pay for either. The insurer, the estate or the family does.
| At a glance | What to know |
|---|---|
| Who to call first | The travel insurer, then the Canadian consulate, then a local funeral home |
| Who pays | Travel insurance if it covers repatriation; otherwise the estate or the family |
| Your two options | Cremation there and the ashes come home, or the body comes home |
| Arriving in Ontario | The foreign permit is enough for burial or cremation; Ontario doesn't register the death |
| Arriving in Quebec | A coroner's authorization only in some cases; the death can be added to the Quebec register |
The first 48 hours after a death outside Canada: who to call, in order
You may be reading this in the middle of the night. If you don't know where to start, that's expected. Do these in order:
- Call the travel insurer's emergency line, if your loved one had travel insurance or a credit card with travel coverage. Some policies only repay costs they approved first, so call before you sign anything with a funeral home.
- Contact the Canadian embassy or consulate nearest to where the death happened. From anywhere, you can reach the Government of Canada's Emergency Watch and Response Centre 24/7 at +1-613-996-8885 (collect where available), or 1-800-387-3124 toll-free from Canada and the US.
- Choose a local funeral home that has handled international transfers. The consulate can give you a list.
- Ask for several original copies of the death certificate, with the cause of death. You'll need one at nearly every step, on both sides of the border.
- Hold off on setting a funeral date in Canada. The Government of Canada advises waiting until your loved one has arrived and cleared Canadian customs.
What the Canadian consulate can and can't do
Consular staff can guide you, but they can't take over. According to Global Affairs Canada's guidance on death outside Canada, they can:
- Notify the next of kin, if that's needed
- Help you reach local police, hospitals, morgues and coroners
- Help you get documents: death certificates, autopsy and police reports, insurance paperwork
- Give you a list of local funeral homes
- Authenticate a local death certificate, if a bank or insurer requires it
They can't pay for the cremation, burial or repatriation. They also can't translate documents, give legal advice, or act as next of kin for you.
Cremation there, or bringing them home?
There's no wrong choice here. Some families want their loved one home before anything happens. Others choose cremation where the death occurred and hold a memorial in Canada later. Faith, family wishes and cost all play a part.
| Question | Cremation there, ashes come home | The body comes home |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | Faster in most cases | Slower: permits, embalming and flights |
| Documents at the Canadian border | No death certificate required, but carry one | Death certificate required, in English or French |
| How they travel | In carry-on or as cargo, depending on the airline | As air cargo; family can't count on the same flight |
| Cost | Lower in most cases | Higher: preparation, a sealed container, air cargo |
| A funeral or viewing in Canada | A memorial with the urn | Possible, once they've cleared customs |
Coordinating from a distance? One call gets everything moving — (438) 817-1770
Cremating abroad and bringing the ashes home
Ashes are the simpler case at the border. The Canada Border Services Agency's rules for importing human remains (Memorandum D19-9-3) say cremated remains don't need a death certificate. CBSA still recommends you carry the death and cremation certificates, in a container that can be scanned.
Airline rules vary. Some carriers take ashes in the cabin, some only as cargo. Our guide to flying home with the ashes covers containers, security screening and what Air Canada and WestJet ask for.
Bringing your loved one's body home
The funeral home abroad prepares your loved one for the flight. That usually means embalming and a sealed container. They also book the air cargo. Family members usually can't travel on the same flight. The body must arrive with a death certificate, translated into English or French if it's in another language. A funeral provider in Ontario or Quebec receives your loved one at the airport.
When cremation abroad isn't an option
Some countries don't allow cremation, or don't allow it after certain causes of death. If cremation there isn't possible, or your faith asks for burial or a set timeline, bringing the body home is the path. Ask the consulate early about the local rules.
If it happens in Florida, Mexico or the UK
Florida, Mexico and the UK are among the places Canadians travel to most. Here's what changes in each.
Florida
Florida law doesn't allow a cremation until 48 hours after the death (Florida Statutes, s. 872.03). When a body is to be cremated, the county medical examiner determines the cause of death first (s. 406.11), so plan on a few days. A Florida funeral home handles the local permits. If you're driving the ashes home, declare them to CBSA at the land border and keep the death and cremation certificates with you.
Mexico
Canada's consular staff in Mexico flag a few things families don't expect:
- Only the legal next of kin can request a cremation or burial, and a live-in partner may not count.
- If the death wasn't from natural causes, Mexican authorities won't authorize a cremation, and an autopsy may be required.
- Mexican funeral homes expect payment in advance.
- You don't have to hire a funeral home that approaches you.
The death certificate is in Spanish. Get several copies, an apostille (done only in Mexico, by the state authorities), and a certified translation.
United Kingdom
In England and Wales, the death is registered first. Before a body can leave the country, the coroner must be given notice (Form 104), and four clear days must pass. The coroner then signs the "Out of England" form (Form 103). Don't book flights until the funeral director has that form. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own process. UK documents are in English, so no translation is needed in Canada.
When they arrive in Ontario or Quebec
Coming home is its own set of steps, and the two provinces handle it differently.
| Step | Ontario | Quebec |
|---|---|---|
| Permit for burial or cremation | The permit from the country of death is enough | A Quebec funeral services company handles the transport and paperwork |
| Coroner | A coroner's certificate is needed before any cremation | Only if the death was violent, obscure or negligent, or the cause is unknown |
| Registering the death | Not registered in Ontario | Can be added to the Quebec register |
Ontario
In Ontario, the permit from the country of death is enough for burial or cremation (Vital Statistics Act, s. 26(2)). Ontario doesn't register a death that happened outside the province (s. 49), so there's no Ontario death certificate. The foreign certificate is the legal record for the bank, the estate and government benefits. Keep several originals.
Before any cremation in Ontario, the crematorium must have a coroner's certificate (O. Reg. 30/11, s. 31(2)). That applies to a death abroad too. The Ontario funeral home receiving your loved one applies for it.
Quebec
Quebec asks for a coroner's authorization in only a few cases: a violent, obscure or negligent death, or an unknown identity or cause of death. A Quebec funeral services company gets that authorization for you. See Québec.ca's page on a death outside Québec.
If your loved one lived in Quebec, the Directeur de l'état civil can add the foreign death certificate to the Quebec register. It's free. Once it's done, you can order a Quebec death certificate, which makes the estate paperwork easier. A spouse, a parent, or anyone with an interest can apply with the original certificate. A certificate in Spanish or another language needs a French translation by a certified translator (a member of OTTIAQ). Ask the Directeur whether an English certificate needs one too.
Who pays, and does insurance cover it?
It's a hard question to ask so soon, and a fair one. The costs of a death abroad belong to the estate or the family, unless an insurance policy covers them. The Government of Canada doesn't pay for cremation, burial or repatriation.
OHIP and RAMQ don't pay to bring someone home either. Ontario tells residents to buy travel insurance before any trip abroad. What can help:
- Travel insurance with a repatriation benefit. Depending on the policy, the insurer pays the funeral home directly or repays you later.
- Credit card travel coverage, if the trip was booked on a card that includes it.
- Government death benefits later on, such as the CPP or QPP death benefit. Our guide to death benefits in Canada explains who can apply.
Funeral homes abroad often ask for payment or a guarantee before they start. Ask for a written quote, and check with the insurer before you pay.
If you spend winters outside Canada
Check that your travel policy covers repatriation, and whether it pays for cremation abroad or only for bringing a body home. Keep the policy number where your family can find it. If you pre-plan your cremation with Cleo, you can add repatriation coverage. If you pass away more than 100 km from home, anywhere in the world, it covers bringing you home for your cremation.
Questions families ask
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to bring a body home to Canada?
It takes from a few days to a few weeks. Permits, an autopsy, the paperwork in the country of death, and the flights all affect the timeline. Cremation there, with the ashes brought home, is faster in most cases. Waiting a few days is common. It doesn't mean something went wrong.
How much does it cost to bring a body home?
It depends on the country, the distance and the preparation required, so there's no single price. The Government of Canada warns the costs can be high. Ask the local funeral home for a written quote, and check what the insurance covers first. Cremation there costs less in most cases.
What happens if no one can pay for repatriation?
If the next of kin or the estate can't pay, the Government of Canada says final arrangements are left to the country where the death occurred. Call the consulate early if money is a concern. They can explain the local options and, as a last resort, help with an emergency transfer of funds from family.
Can we hold a memorial before they come home?
Yes. A memorial doesn't need a body or ashes present, and many families gather first. A funeral with your loved one present should wait until they've cleared customs.
If your loved one is coming home to Ontario or Quebec
After a death outside Canada, you can call us at any point. A real person answers, 24/7, in English or French.
We'll tell you plainly what we can do and what we can't, and where to go if we're not the right fit. A cremation here has a fixed, all-inclusive price with no hidden fees: it covers transport, the cremation and the return of the ashes. Death certificates and a decorative urn are extra.
If the death happened in another province rather than abroad, our guide to arranging a cremation when the death happened far away covers that case.
(438) 817-1770