Australian Death Overseas: What to Do and Information about Bringing Remains Home

What happens to an Australian when their death occurs overseas? 

The answer to that question will depend on a few factors, including the circumstances of their death, and what country they were in.  

In this blog, we aim to offer some guidance about appropriate courses of action and who may be able to help you if your loved one has died in a different country.  

What to do after an Australian Dies Overseas 

If your loved one has died overseas on a holiday or where they were living, we are terribly sorry for your loss. But please know that you are not alone.  

One of the first things to do is to contact a reputable funeral director in your home city, like Anton Brown Funerals. That way the funeral director can begin to make the necessary arrangements to help bring your loved one home.  

Our trusted team members here in Brisbane will engage with the relevant government agencies overseas, and prepare and process any necessary paperwork that may be required. 

Did your loved one have travel insurance? If so, it’s important to reach out to the insurer as they may be able to help you with the expenses associated with the death and repatriation of remains.

Possible Challenges You May Face Bringing the Body of an Australian Home 

Each country has different regulations about the death and how remains can be brought back to Australia. 

The following excerpt is from the Smart Traveller website and explains possible scenarios which may occur in the event of an overseas death: 

• Local law enforcement may choose to investigate your death. They may conduct an autopsy, regardless of instructions in your will or religious beliefs. 
• If there’s an investigation, law enforcement may interview your travel companions. They may not be allowed to leave the country until the investigation is complete. 
• Local authorities may decide how to deal with your remains without consulting your next of kin. They may have laws dictating only cremations or burials. The process could be very fast. 
• Your next of kin or travel companion may have to pay a bill to release your remains. This could be to the authorities, or to a local funeral director. 
• Your next of kin may have trouble returning your remains to Australia. They’ll have to work with export regulations overseas, and quarantine regulations in Australia. 

Are you sending a loved one’s body overseas from Australia? You can read about the repatriation process from Australia to another country in our blog here. 

Importing Human Remains to Australia  

Australian funeral directors can liaise with the funeral director in the country where your loved one died about bringing remains or ashes home.  

It is important to note that both countries will have import and export regulations surrounding human remains and ashes.  

Human remains arriving in Australia are cleared by us and the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources. To arrange for clearance of human remains you, or a representative, will be required to provide a copy of the official death certificate or an official register extract stating cause of death.

Australian Border Force website

Where an official death certificate or an extract is not available, a statement from a medical practitioner certifying that the deceased human’s body does not, or did not before death, have an indication of a communicable disease is also acceptable.”

Australian Border Force website

You can read more about the Australian regulations about importing remains on the Australian Border Force website here.  

Importing Ashes to Australia 

According to the Australian Border Force website there aren’t requirements for importing ashes into Australia BUT there are requirements relating to the container which is holding them.  

It should be free from contaminants such as soil, and containers made from wood must be declared to the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources on arrival. 

If you plan to carry ashes with you, it is advisable to contact the airline or shipping line prior to travelling. Those organisations may have requirements to be met when human ashes are carried by a passenger or included in luggage.

Australian Border Force  

If you have any questions at all after reading this, please message us here or give us a call on (07) 3217 3088, and we will be happy to answer them or offer personalised assistance.