How to Repatriate a Body from Israel: Costs, Documents, and Process

When a family member dies in Israel and the family wants the burial to take place in another country, repatriation of the remains is possible — but it requires navigating Israeli health regulations, consular procedures, and international shipping logistics under significant time pressure.

Basic local burial in Israel is free for both residents and visitors (covered by Bituach Leumi). Repatriation costs come entirely out of pocket.

What Repatriation Costs

Transporting a full body from Israel to the United States averages $10,000 to $20,000. The cost varies based on:

• Distance and routing: Tel Aviv to New York is cheaper than Tel Aviv to a regional US city requiring domestic connecting flights
• Embalming and preparation: required for international transport but not standard practice in Israel (where most burials happen within 24 hours without embalming)
• Casket: international shipping requires a hermetically sealed zinc-lined transport casket, separate from the burial casket used at the destination
• Airline cargo fees: varies by carrier and weight; El Al, Turkish Airlines, and Lufthansa all handle human remains on regular routes from Ben Gurion
• Funeral director coordination: at both the Israeli departure end and the receiving country

Repatriation to the UK typically runs $8,000 to $15,000. To Canada or Australia, expect $12,000 to $22,000 due to longer routing.

If the family has travel insurance or a repatriation policy that covers death abroad, the insurer handles logistics and costs directly. Check the policy immediately — many travel insurance plans include repatriation coverage, though caps and exclusions vary.

Required Documents (Four-Document Chain)

Israeli and international customs require four specific documents before remains can leave the country:

1. Authenticated Local Death Certificate

The official death certificate (Teudat Ptira) from the Population and Immigration Authority, bearing an Apostille stamp from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The apostille authenticates the document for international recognition.

2. Consular Mortuary Certificate

Prepared by the relevant embassy or consulate in Israel. This document confirms that the remains comply with the customs and health requirements of the destination country. The US Embassy issues a Consular Report of Death Abroad (CRODA), which can take four to six months to process — but an interim letter authorising transport is typically issued much faster.

3. Affidavit from a Local Funeral Director

A sworn statement from the Israeli funeral director or mortuary certifying that the casket contains only the deceased's remains and standard embalming materials. This prevents customs complications at both ends.

4. Burial Transit Permit

Issued by the Ministry of Health at the port of embarkation (Ben Gurion Airport for air transport). This permit authorises the remains to leave Israel and is required by the airline before loading.

All four documents must travel with the remains. Missing any one of them means the airline won't accept the shipment or customs at the destination will hold it.

The Repatriation Process Step by Step

Secure the Burial Permit and Death Certificate

These are the same documents needed for a local burial. The Notification of Death leads to the Burial Permit from the Ministry of Health, which leads to the death certificate from the Population Authority.

Contact the Embassy

Notify the relevant embassy immediately. They will:

• Begin the consular death report process
• Issue an interim transport authorisation if the full CRODA will take weeks
• Advise on destination-country import requirements for human remains

Engage an International Funeral Director

You need a funeral director with experience in international transport. Not every local Chevra Kadisha handles repatriation — you may need a specialised mortuary service. The embassy can usually recommend one.

The funeral director handles:

• Embalming and preparation (required for international transport, even if the family normally wouldn't choose embalming)
• Sourcing the hermetically sealed transport casket
• Coordinating with the airline's cargo department
• Assembling the document package

Arrange Air Transport

Human remains travel as cargo on commercial flights, not in the passenger cabin. The funeral director books this directly with the airline. Direct flights are strongly preferred — each transit point adds customs clearance requirements.

From Ben Gurion Airport, common routing:

• To the US: El Al to JFK/Newark, then domestic cargo transfer
• To the UK: direct to Heathrow on El Al or British Airways
• To Canada: via European hub (Frankfurt, Istanbul) to Toronto or Montreal
• To Australia: via hub city to Sydney or Melbourne

Receive at Destination

A funeral director at the destination coordinates customs clearance, receives the remains, and arranges the local funeral. The four-document chain must be presented to customs upon arrival.

Cremation and Repatriation of Ashes

Shipping cremated remains (ashes) is significantly simpler and cheaper than full-body repatriation — typically $500 to $2,000 including the urn, documentation, and shipping.

However, cremation in Israel is complicated. Orthodox Jewish law strictly prohibits it, and most municipal cemeteries won't accept cremated remains for burial. Secular cremation is available through alternative civil burial companies, but facilities are limited. If the family chooses cremation, the ashes can be shipped internationally via courier with a death certificate and cremation certificate — no transit casket or airline cargo booking required.

Bituach Leumi Reimbursement

If an Israeli resident is buried abroad, Bituach Leumi will reimburse the person who bore the costs up to NIS 6,723 — a fraction of actual repatriation expenses. The claim must be filed at the local Bituach Leumi branch with receipts.

For non-resident tourists who die in Israel, basic local burial costs are covered by Bituach Leumi, but repatriation costs are not reimbursed.

The Someone Died in Israel: English Speaker's Emergency Guide includes the complete repatriation checklist with embassy contacts, funeral director selection criteria, and the four-document authentication chain laid out in filing order.

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