How to Arrange International Funeral Financing

Arranging to pay for a funeral can be overwhelming. Add to this the challenge of shipping a body overseas and you have a task best left to death care professionals. With all of the government rules and regulations, a licensed funeral director can assist you in making the right choices regarding such a daunting task. Learn how to arrange international funeral services by reading the steps below.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

1. Call local funeral homes and inquire about their general shipping price options. In addition, ask whether they are experienced in the international regulations and rules required for your shipment. There are many elements involved in this process, including securing proper permits, death certificates, notarizing government documents, embalming and locating a shipping crate, air tray and casket. Let the pros handle those details.
2. Check into the American Association of Mortuary Shippers. This group provides a comprehensive list of funeral homes that specialize in the shipping of human remains (see Resources below).
3. Look in the American Blue Book of Funeral Directors. This handy resource (found at your local library) lists contact information for funeral homes across the world. In addition, consulate and embassy information as well as shipping procedures are explained in detail.
4. Contact the funeral home that will receive the body. Your local funeral director must coordinate the payment through a mortuary responsible for receiving the remains. The foreign director should know the regulations of his government and act as a resource for shipment option information.
5. Find the consulate of the country you will be shipping to. These government agents will inspect the shipping crate and contents before it is sealed, making sure it meets certain specifications.
6. Pay for the funeral services. In most cases, all costs must be paid up front before the body can be shipped overseas.