Death is a complicated and sensitive subject on its own, and we often fear the day we have to deal with a loved one’s passing. It becomes even more overwhelming when your loved one passes overseas, especially if you are not familiar with the repatriation procedures.
There is a wide range of funeral service in Singapore that offer repatriation services to aid you with safely transporting your loved one’s body back to their homeland safely, whether or not you are a local or foreigner.
Administrative matters
When a loved one first passes, get the local authorities to immediately identify the body and register their death. Contact your embassy in the country and the insurance company if the deceased has previously purchased any sort of travel insurance that covers their death and the repatriation of their remains. The travel insurance company will aid you with any extra costs that may surface during the mourning process.
If you are a Singaporean, do contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for personalised help as each country has varying laws and regulations to identify a body and certify their death. To facilitate a smoother process, you may also wish to get in touch with a funeral service in your home country to walk you through complicated administrative procedures and other legal matters.
Repatriation of remains
Do consider how you wish to mourn. If a Singaporean passes overseas, there are two options; either their body or cremated ashes may be transported back home.
When transporting a body back to Singapore, It is important to consider the size of the casket and ensure it is in line with local burial or cremation guidelines. Additionally, this option will be more costly due to shipping regulations and restrictions. Depending on the distance and weight, the cost of transportation may vary.
Also, the next of kin may have to travel on the same flight as the casket, as stated by some religious beliefs. Do note down the possible flight timings and costs, and make the necessary arrangements to travel on the same flight if you are apart from the deceased.
Should you wish to transport the ashes of your loved one back home, policies still vary. As a general guideline, ashes can be carried onto the plane with the passenger, or they can also be transported as cargo. Do consider the sizes of the urn to ensure they are in line with the local requirements.
Additionally, the ashes would have to pass through security screening at the airport. Aside from considering its size, it would be wise to pick out an urn made from ceramic or any non-metallic material to pass through the x-ray scanners safely.
If you are a foreigner whose loved one passed away in Singapore, the above guidelines generally apply to other countries as well. For more specialised advice, you may contact any funeral service in Singapore that is well-versed in providing repatriation services. A good characteristic to look out for would be their connections with a wide network of international funeral homes and close ties with foreign embassies and consulates. This ensures a smoother and more efficient process.
Conclusion
As outlined, the repatriation of a loved one overseas is a complicated legal process that is further compounded by geographic and potential language barriers. To ease your worries and reduce your burden as you mourn, do engage a funeral parlour with extensive experience in repatriation services. They will be able to resolve your administrative and logistical worries as you focus on coping with grief during this trying time.
Here at Ang Brothers, we understand that patience, sensitivity, and professionalism are paramount. Experienced and knowledgeable, we offer the highest quality funeral services in Singapore. We will aid you in walking you through the funeral process from start to finish as we serve you and your loved ones with dignity and respect.
