International Repatriation & Domestic Funeral Transfers
When someone close has died far from home, or when they've passed away here and need to be returned to family overseas the practical questions can feel overwhelming. Documentation, embalming, customs, airline cargo, the consulate, the receiving funeral home in another country.
Waters Funerals has been handling international repatriations and domestic transfers from Auckland for over fifteen years. We coordinate every step, in any direction, in any time zone, while your family focuses on each other.
We answer 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If your loved one has died overseas in the last few hours, call us before you do anything else.
Bringing a loved one home to New Zealand
If your family member has died overseas and you need them brought home, the first thing to know is this: you don't have to coordinate it yourself. Once you call us, we can guide you every step of the way
We work directly with the funeral home or hospital, where your loved one passed away, the New Zealand consulate or embassy in that country, the airline transport team, and any other parties involved.
We arrange necessary documentation with the funeral home/hospital:
Air freight booking and customs clearance into Auckland International
Prompt collection from Auckland International Airport, day or night
Onward transfer to our Pukekohe or Papatoetoe chapel, or anywhere else in New Zealand
Continuous updates to your family throughout the journey
We've brought loved ones home to South Auckland from Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, the Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau, Vanuatu, India, China, the Philippines, Korea, Vietnam, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, the United States and many other countries. Wherever the journey starts, we know how to bring it to a quiet end at home.
Sending a loved one to family overseas
Sending a loved one from New Zealand to family overseas, has its own set of requirements, and we manage them all. Our private on-site mortuary in Pukekohe is set up for the embalming standards required by international air freight. We handle:
Common destinations from our families include Apia, Nuku'alofa, Rarotonga, Suva, Manila, Mumbai, Delhi, Hong Kong, Beijing, Seoul, London and Sydney, but we've arranged transfers to over thirty countries and there's nowhere we won't go.
Embalming and preparation that meets the receiving country's health regulations
A casket and outer transit shipping container that meets airline cargo specifications
All export documentation, the death certificate, certificate of embalming, consular certificate, freight paperwork
Liaison with the consulate or embassy of the destination country
Booking with the appropriate airline cargo service
Coordination with the receiving funeral home in the destination country, so they can collect on arrival
Cultural protocols for the journey, including any prayers, ceremonies or rituals before departure
Optional family farewell at our chapel before the casket leaves for the airport
Cultural Protocols on Both Sides of the Journey
A repatriation is rarely just a logistical exercise. There can be prayers, ceremonies and family gatherings on both sides, when your loved one is being prepared to leave, when they arrive, and again at the final service. We work closely with families to make sure cultural and religious protocols are followed at every stage.
We have experience in supporting:
Pacific Island families
Samoan, Tongan, Cook Island, Niuean, Fijian, Tokelauan, Tuvaluan, i-Kiribati and Vanuatu communities, including coordination with churches and aiga in the islands
Indian families
Hindu, Sikh, Muslim, Christian and other traditions, including coordination with priests, temples and gurdwaras here and in India
Chinese, Filipino, Korean and Vietnamese families
Including liaison with cultural and religious communities across both countries
British, Irish and European families
For transfers to and from the UK and continental Europe
Australian families
The most common cross-Tasman transfers in both directions
If we haven't named your community here, it's not because we can't help. Tell us what's needed and we'll follow your protocols.
How quickly can a transfer happen?
International repatriation typically takes between 48-72 hours from the time you call us, depending on the country, the airline schedule and how quickly documentation can be obtained from local authorities. Some destinations can take longer, particularly when consular paperwork or cause-of-death investigations are involved.
We'll give you a realistic estimate during our first conversation and keep you updated as each step is confirmed.
Domestic transfers within New Zealand
Domestic transfers within New Zealand are usually completed within 48-72 hours, often faster.
Frequently asked questions: International & Domestic Transfers
Clear answers for families arranging a journey home or onward.
Start the conversation
We answer 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If your loved one has died overseas in the last few hours, call us before you do anything else.