Overseas Deaths
When a death occurs overseas, it can
add a number of complications to what is already a difficult time.
It is important to contact your FDANZ funeral director as soon as
possible for advice and assistance on the options available to you,
as well as to discuss anything specific to the situation.
In general, when someone dies overseas you have two basic
options -bring the person home to New Zealand, or carry out funeral
arrangements in the country where the death has occurred.
In either event, a funeral director or the local equivalent in
the other country will need to be engaged to assist. Depending on
where the death has occurred your FDANZ funeral director may be
able to recommend who to use in the other country based on past
experience. If not, there may be family or friends with the
deceased in the foreign country that will do this. The other good
source of information about what happens in other countries is the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
When dealing with an overseas death, the key is patience. Other
countries have different processes to follow than we do here in New
Zealand - even countries similar to ours. Things can seem like they
are taking a long time to happen.
When the intention is to bring the deceased home to New Zealand,
it would be wise not to set a day and time for the funeral until
the arrival details into the country are known with certainty. It
is also wise to allow enough time for airline delays, and for the
possibility of viewing and other formalities in New Zealand before
the funeral.
The death is registered in the country where the death
occurred.
Helpful link:
www.safetravel.govt.nz/thingsgowrong/death.shtml