How do I arrange a burial or cremation abroad?

If the deceased person was insured

If the deceased person was insured for a funeral outside the Netherlands, the insurer’s emergency call centre may be able to help you arrange the funeral. Call the centre to discuss the situation.

If the deceased person was not insured

If the deceased person was not insured, you can contact a funeral director in the foreign country. The surviving relatives will have to pay the funeral costs.

If it is not known whether the deceased person was insured

You can ask the Dutch Association of Insurers to find out whether the deceased person was insured in the Netherlands (information in Dutch). This is a free service, but it can take 2 to 3 months to receive a reply. In the meantime you will have to arrange the funeral and advance the costs. If it emerges that the deceased person was insured for repatriation, the costs may be fully or partially reimbursed.

If you are getting assistance from an emergency call centre or an international funeral director, they will usually make the arrangements in the foreign country. If you are making all the arrangements yourself in the foreign country bear the following in mind:

• A doctor must confirm the death.
• If the death was due to illness or a medical condition, the doctor will draw up a statement of death.
• You can use the statement of death to register the death with the local authorities, such as the municipal office. The authorities will draw up a death certificate.
• If the person died as the result of an accident or crime or this is suspected, the police will usually first have to investigate before the funeral can take place. The police will draw up a police report.
• If the body is examined, there will also be an autopsy report with more information on the cause of death.
• It is important that the deceased person’s passport or a copy of their passport remains with them. You should take any jewellery and other valuables away with you.

The deceased person may have shared a list of their funeral wishes with you or other people. For example, where the funeral should take place or whether they want to be buried or cremated.

Having this document is not obligatory. It is not a legally valid document, so you are not legally required to fulfil all of the deceased person’s wishes.

To arrange a funeral abroad you will need a local funeral director. If the deceased person was insured, the insurer’s emergency call centre can help you contact a funeral director.

If the deceased person already had a grave or grave rights, the funeral location is clear. If not, ask local funeral directors about the options and costs.

Bear in mind that other rules and customs may apply outside the Netherlands. For example, not all countries allow cremation. In some countries it is customary to embalm the body in order to preserve it for longer.

If the deceased person was not insured, the surviving relatives will have to pay the funeral costs. If you can’t or don’t want to pay, the local authorities will arrange a simple funeral. They can’t always fulfil the wishes of the deceased person or the surviving relatives.

If the deceased person was insured

If the deceased person was insured for a funeral outside the Netherlands, the insurer can help you arrange the funeral. Call the insurer to discuss the situation.

If the deceased person was not insured

If the deceased person was not insured you can contact a funeral director. The surviving relatives will have to pay for the repatriation and the funeral.

Bear in mind that repatriation may cost thousands of euros, depending on the country and how the body is transported. The costs of the funeral and, for example, travel and accommodation costs for surviving relatives will also have to be paid.

If it is not known whether the deceased person was insured

You can ask the Dutch Association of Insurers to find out whether the deceased person was insured in the Netherlands (information in Dutch). This is a free service, but it can take 2 to 3 months to receive a reply. In the meantime you will have to arrange the funeral and advance the costs. If it emerges that the deceased person was insured for repatriation, the costs may be fully or partially reimbursed.

If you want to have the deceased person buried or cremated outside the Netherlands, you can have the body transported to another country. The procedure depends on the country and whether you wish to follow certain religious customs. An international funeral director can help you. They can also arrange the documents you need for the transport and funeral abroad.

If you are getting assistance from a funeral director, they will usually arrange the documents for you. If you are making all the arrangements yourself bear the following in mind:

• A doctor must confirm the death.

• If the death was due to illness or a medical condition, the doctor will draw up a statement of death.
• You can use the statement of death to register the death with the municipality in the Netherlands. The municipality will draw up a death certificate.
• If the person died as the result of an accident or crime or this is suspected, the police will usually first have to investigate before the funeral can take place. The police will draw up a police report.
• If the body is examined, there will also be an autopsy report with more information on the cause of death.

The deceased person may have shared a list of their funeral wishes with you or other people. For example, where the funeral should take place and whether they want to be buried or cremated.

Having this document is not obligatory. It is not a legally valid document, so you are not legally required to fulfil all of the deceased person’s wishes.

To arrange a funeral abroad you will need a local funeral director. If the deceased person was insured, the insurer’s emergency call centre can help you contact a funeral director.

If the deceased person already had a grave or grave rights, the funeral location is clear. If not, ask local funeral directors about the options and costs.

Bear in mind that other rules and customs may apply outside the Netherlands. For example, not all countries allow cremation. In some countries it is customary to embalm the body in order to preserve it for longer.