Sending a Body Home to Zimbabwe from the UK: Repatriation Process, Costs, and Funeral Homes

Losing a family member who was living in the UK is one of the most difficult experiences any Zimbabwean diaspora family can face. Beyond grief, there is the immediate practical challenge of bringing their remains home. Repatriating a body to Zimbabwe from the UK is a structured process involving specific documents, specialist funeral directors, and costs that typically run between £4,000 and £5,000 all-inclusive. Understanding the process in advance — or helping a grieving family understand it quickly — can make an enormous difference. ## Who Handles Repatriation? Body repatriation is a specialist service, and not every UK funeral director offers it. Families should use companies with dedicated international repatriation experience. Established providers who service Zimbabwe from the UK include: - **Slaters International** — 0208 560 4984, offers a fixed-price service from £1,995 plus flight costs (all-in approximately £4,095) - **Rowland Brothers International** — complete repatriation service from £2,300 - **Global Funeral Repatriation** — 0330 175 7517, all-inclusive service quoted at approximately £4,200, flying into Harare - **Homeland International** — 03300 417 265, estimated total from £4,110 - **T Cribb & Sons** — service from approximately £2,500 - **Mears Repatriation** — works with funeral directors in Zimbabwe and aims to confirm flight details within two hours of paperwork completion - **Funero UK** — 020 455 927 05, quotes typical costs between £2,300 and £3,500 depending on routing and requirements All of these providers operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, which matters when families are dealing with sudden deaths at any hour. ## What the Service Typically Includes A comprehensive repatriation package generally covers: - Collection of the deceased from anywhere in England, mainland Scotland, or Wales (additional costs may apply outside the M25) - Embalming and preparation (required for international air transport) - A repatriation-grade coffin - A "free from infection" certificate - Embassy visits and fee handling - All required paperwork and export permits - Transfer of the coffin to the UK departure airport - The cargo flight to Harare (Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport) Flight costs are quoted separately by most providers and fluctuate. As a guide, Slaters International lists flight costs to Zimbabwe at approximately £2,100, bringing their total to around £4,095. Always confirm current flight pricing directly when requesting a quote. ## Documents Required Repatriation to Zimbabwe requires a specific set of documents. Families will need to provide: - The deceased's Zimbabwean passport (or foreign passport with Zimbabwean permanent residence endorsed) - Two original death certificates - An authorisation form from the repatriation company The repatriation company will obtain or coordinate: - Post-mortem report (if applicable) - Embalming and cremation certificate - Export permit from UK authorities - Infectious/non-infectious disease certificate (issued by a doctor) - Certificate of contents (declaration of coffin contents by the undertaker) All documents must reach the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Harare before the body can be received. When sending by air, documents should be faxed or transmitted directly to the funeral directors in Zimbabwe along with contact details for both the UK undertaker and next of kin in both countries. Zimbabwean funeral directors in Zimbabwe require at least one full working day to obtain the import clearance permit, provided all documents are complete. Incomplete documentation will delay the process. **If the deceased did not have a passport**, the family or undertaker should contact the Zimbabwean Embassy in London, bringing either a Zimbabwean national identity card and/or birth certificate, or a signed affidavit from next of kin explaining the passport situation. ## The Zimbabwean Embassy in London The Embassy of Zimbabwe is located at: **Zimbabwe House, 429 Strand, London, WC2R 0JR** Telephone: +44 (0)20 7836 7755 / +44 (0)20 7379 1167 For most repatriations where the deceased's passport is available, the repatriation company will liaise with the Embassy directly on the family's behalf. The Embassy need only be approached independently in cases where no passport can be found. ## How Long Does It Take? The process typically takes between 7 and 10 working days from when the deceased enters the care of the repatriation company. If a coroner is involved — which happens in cases of sudden, unexplained, or violent death — the timeline extends, as the body cannot be released until the coroner's process is complete. Once the coroner releases the body, the repatriation company can usually book and confirm a flight within hours. ## Cremated Remains Some families opt to have the deceased cremated in the UK and then transport the ashes to Zimbabwe. Several providers, including Global Funeral Repatriation, offer a personal collection and delivery service for cremated remains, without using third-party postal or logistics companies. This is a significantly lower-cost option, though families should ensure they are comfortable with this choice given cultural and religious considerations that may apply. ## Pre-Planning and Funeral Cash Plans Some diaspora families choose to make arrangements in advance through funeral cash plans specifically designed for repatriation. Providers such as Diaspora Funeral Cash Plan and Mears Repatriation offer pre-paid plans that lock in costs and reduce the financial burden on bereaved families at an already difficult time. Given that an unplanned repatriation can cost upwards of £4,000 at short notice, advance planning is worth considering. ## Practical Tips - Contact a repatriation specialist as soon as possible after a death — they will guide the family through every step - Locate the deceased's passport immediately; it is the most critical document - Inform family in Zimbabwe promptly so they can engage a local funeral director and begin preparing for the import permit process - Do not attempt to book cargo flights independently — repatriation companies have established relationships with airlines and handle specialist cargo requirements - Request an itemised quote from at least two providers to compare what is included