Guide
Far from home, in an unfamiliar language, facing authorities you do not know.
A death on holiday, on a business trip or in the country of origin hits twice over: the family is far away and does not know whom to turn to.
This page sets out what to do in the first hours — and above all what is better left undone.
Local funeral firms often offer their services immediately, sometimes before the family has grasped the situation. The prices quoted to foreign families regularly exceed the going rate, and a signed contract is hard to undo.
Sign nothing, pay no deposit and hand over no original documents until you have a compared quote. One call from Switzerland is enough to change the order of magnitude.
We contact the local funeral firm and the Swiss representation, check and negotiate the costs on site, and run the whole process from Switzerland. You do not have to negotiate in a foreign language in the middle of the night.
The file resembles that of a repatriation, but it is assembled in the other direction:
The Swiss representation on site legalises or checks these papers. It is also the body that notifies the death to the municipality of residence in Switzerland.
Reckon on five to twelve days depending on the country and the state of the local procedures. In countries with long administrative timelines it can exceed two weeks.
The cost depends on the distance and local tariffs. Check your insurance first: many travel policies cover repatriation in full or in part, and some credit cards do too.
We collect the coffin at the airport, handle customs clearance and arrange what follows: a farewell, the ceremony, burial or cremation.
If you would like to see the person again, tell us: depending on the condition and the regulations, a viewing after arrival is often still possible.
Questions & answers
Rarely. Almost everything is settled at a distance between the local firm, the Swiss representation and us. Many families stay in Switzerland and it takes nothing away from the process.
The Swiss representation on site reports the death to the municipality of residence. We then handle the procedures in Switzerland.
Often yes, in full or in part. Notify the insurer before incurring costs: most policies require it, and a claim opened afterwards is frequently refused.
The same reasoning applies in reverse: what counts is the place of death, not the residence. We arrange the repatriation whatever the nationality.