Ever wondered What happens if you die overseas? Strange conversations happen around our dinner table, and one segued into what would happen if you died while overseas. Everyone’s response was varied, from leave me there, to bring me home. This then led into the conversation of whether people wanted to be buried or cremated and how they wanted their send off to be. Scattered over an ocean, under a tree in the bush, quickly and with no fuss, it all varied. It is worth discussing with your family and friends what you do want .. and around the dinner table is as good a place as any.
Decide What you Want to Happen to You if you Die Overseas
Contents
I myself think that if I died overseas just bury me there. Note the bury; I don’t want to be cremated because it seems a bit too final. Yes, the derision at the dinner table was palpable but bad luck, I am entitled to my belief. Others wanted to be bought home to be buried while some wanted to be cremated wherever, and their ashes brought home.
Dying overseas is a major pain in the butt
So despite that fact that we all think that we are invincible, that, unfortunately, does not seem to be the case. Dying overseas is a major pain in the butt, but it needs to be addressed. Many people do die overseas, and the statistics are very scary actually. There are more expatriates all around the world and, therefore, more inevitably die in other countries. There are lot more older people travelling too, and more people are taking part in more risky activities and then there are just plain and unfortunate accidents.
So What happens if you die overseas?
If someone you are with passes away:
See the nearest embassy or medical centre of your country or any place that has a slightly official presence in the country. They will help as much as they are able to, like contacting people for you and interacting with local authorities as much as they are able to. It is going to be a bad time so get whatever help is available.
The course of death will be determined in the country of death and this may or may not mean an autopsy. You will not have a choice.
The Local Authorities
If anything is amiss, the local authorities will become involved.
A death certificate will be issued and this has to be translated at some stage into your language. This can be problematic with the person’s affairs of state. This is also a very big pain as what each country might accept as a legal death certificate doesn’t always match the home countries regulations.
Register a death with the local authorities in the country where it occurred. Then it will need to be registered in the country of origin in most cases.
Your Choices
You will now have choices:
- Be buried or cremated in the country of the death. This will be done in accordance with local custom. Some countries believe in cremation within 24 hours so you may not have a lot of time to think about it nor a lot of choices, should you want a burial….like me.
- Get permission to remove the body, which may be issued by a coroner (or equivalent) in the country where the person died and get a certificate of embalming as there are very strict airline, cruise, train rules about this. This one is a real pain as there are different expectations and expected procedures that cannot always occur in the country of death.
If you choose to have the deceased cremated in the country and want to bring the ashes back to the home country, then there are rules and regulations about how the urn is packed, sealed and placed in the aircraft. Despite what you see neither in the movies the urn will not be on the seat next to you nor in your carry on.
If the deceased’s funeral costs are not covered by insurance, you’ll be expected to pay all the costs including hospital bills and repatriation (bringing home) of the body and possessions. This is an enormous cost.
So this is What happens if you die overseas?
Crappy topic, but, unfortunately, it does happen. All countries have their specific rules and regulations, but in a time like this get ‘someone’ actually ‘anyone’ to help you out.
what if you are travelling alone? im sure the procedures will vary widely from one country to the next, but if you are overseas alone, is there somewhat of a standard with respect to what local authorities do in the event that a non resident dies?
I did address the issues of different countries and their cultural traditions. I would imagine if you were to pass away while travelling on your own, the local authorities would contact your embassy, who would contact your next of kin, and then arrangements would be made.
This is very interesting and saddening at the same time. I hope it never happens to me but I’m glad I now know what to do. Thanks I guess. I may have to abort my sky diving trip now though.
No don’t do that. It is an unfortunate topic but one that needs to be considered. Enjoy your sky dive.
What a good article. I travel long term with insurance but I hadn’t considered some of thses issues. I will write something out – a plan – for friends and family in case anything happens while I am away
I think that it plans to let people know what your wishes are – just in case 🙂
Very interesting and yes, something you don’t really think about until it happens. It’s an important thing though, thanks for the info.
True Elaine, and thanks for comment
Cruise ships registered n the US were required to bring back the body to US Soil. It could take a while on a longer cruise and the cruise line that I worked for catered to older wealthy people. We were prepared and had the highest ratio of coffins / passengers in the industry. Cold storage was near the kitchen.
This is what I have also been told also Sonja, but I didn’t know the location of the cold storage. Hmmm
Very important topic, Paula. And when it comes to cremation it’s important to note that it’s not legal to scatter ashes–basically conduct an open-air burial–just wherever you please. Some countries don’t allow it at all. If someone feels strongly about where their ashes go, they should do some research. A Denver Post article last year described one woman’s experience arranging her husband’s ash scattering in his beloved Venice: http://www.denverpost.com/travel/ci_24525693/scattering-ashes-venice-italy-labor-love
Awful topic but one that has to be broached. True that while some may wish to be scattered ‘somewhere’ in particular, that can’t always happen. Many thanks for your response. Thanks also for the article – most interesting.
Thanks for writing such a useful post Paula. You mentioned death but accidents can sometimes pose even more problems.
I have been living in France since 1975 and both my children were born here. When my son had a motorbike accident a few years ago the social worker at the hospital told me a very sad story about a young Australian man who had a very bad scooter accident in Paris. His father, of modest means, came over to Paris and had to live at great expense in a hotel for two months. In the end, his home town raised the money to pay for his trip and to fly his son back to Australia where he died shortly after. Imagine the heartache.
You can be sure that when my daughter spent a year at university in Brisbane, I made sure that I had insurance that would enable me to go to Australia to be with her if she was hospitalised and bring her back to France if necessary.
I think anyone travelling overseas should write at least a holograph (handwritten) will before they leave so that the people at home will know what to do. This is definitely a subject we’ve already discussed.
A student I taught had an horrific skiing accident in France of all places. His parents had to hire a plane and a complete medical team to get him back here. They were also of modest means. Uncomfortable as the topic is it does need to be discussed. Thanks for your very supportive comment.