Repatriation Guide: What Will You Do if a Loved One Died Abroad
The death of a loved one, may it be a family member or a close friend, is difficult to deal with, but the process abroad may add to your pain and stress. There are certain procedures that you must follow before the remains of the deceased can be repatriated.
This article will offer information on the repatriation procedure for expatriates (overseas worker in particular) and the other related death formalities.
The employer of the deceased or the hospital that declared his or her death must notify authorities in the country as well as the family about the person's death. This can be relayed either to the Consulate in that country or to related Embassy.
An assistant from the Embassy and a welfare officer will organise a team that will conduct or process an incident report.
The Consulate or Embassy will coordinate with Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and other concerned departments in the originating country of the deceased about the result of the investigation.
The relevant departments will help and search for and inform the family of the deceased.
After the search, the family will receive consolation and guidance on what to do next for the remains' repatriation. The family can opt to have the funeral services Singapore. Getting the services of this kind of institution is very helpful because they are already familiar with the rules and related procedures. The family will decide whether they want the body of the deceased be return back to his or her homeland or have the loved one's body be cremated and send the cremated remains home.
Next to counselling, the family of the deceased will be advised to go the nearest concerned office to get the exact information pertaining to the death of the loved one and other relevant details.
The officer from the originating country will offer an explanation about the procedure of repatriation, the required documents for the process, and the estimated time it may take.
After everything has been settled and cleared and the specific date of arrival of the deceased person's remains has been known, the family will be asked to talk and discuss with a funeral home for cremation or burial arrangements, including Singapore casket services, if in this country.
The relevant department will ensure that the belongings of the deceased loved one are returned accordingly and will also offer airport assistance for the grieving family.
If the deceased person is an active member of the country's various departments, the family can verify and claim the associated benefits they can get. Such benefits may include the following: cash benefit for death due to a natural cause or accident, funeral service assistance, an educational grant for a child, livelihood program for the family, and others. In terms of financial assistance, the said aid is very helpful in arranging for Singapore casket service.
The rules and regulation of every country vary. With this, seek the expert’s advice on how you can settle the arrangement related to the repatriation procedure for expatriates.
