How to Repatriate a Body from Peru to the US, UK, or Canada

Bringing a loved one's remains home from Peru involves coordinating between a licensed Peruvian funeral home, health authorities, your embassy, and an international airline cargo department. The process typically takes 7-14 days and costs $5,000-$12,000 depending on the destination.

Here's the step-by-step sequence.

Step 1: Engage a Licensed Funeral Home

You cannot handle any of this independently — Peruvian law requires a licensed funeral home (funeraria) to prepare remains for international transport. The funeral home handles embalming, the zinc-lined hermetic casket, and most permit paperwork.

Ask your embassy for a list of funeral homes experienced with international transfers. In Lima, several firms regularly handle repatriations and have English-speaking staff.

Expect to pay S/ 8,000-S/ 15,000 (roughly $2,100-$4,000) for the funeral home's complete local package: embalming, casket, documentation assistance, and transport to the airport.

Step 2: Obtain the TUPA N° 170 Sanitary Transfer Permit

The Autorización Sanitaria para Traslado de Cadáver is the critical government permit that authorizes international transport of remains. It's issued by the regional health authority — in Lima, this is DIRIS (Dirección de Redes Integradas de Salud).

Required documents:

• Certified copy of the Death Act (Acta de Defunción) from RENIEC
• Medical Certificate of Death with cause of death
• Embalming certificate from the funeral home
• Proof of the hermetically sealed casket
• Identification of the person requesting the transfer

The permit confirms remains are properly preserved and pose no public health risk for air transport. Processing takes 2-5 business days.

Step 3: Meet Airline Cargo Requirements

Airlines require:

• The TUPA 170 sanitary permit
• Death certificate (original or certified copy)
• Embalming certificate
• A hermetically sealed zinc-lined casket inside a wooden shipping crate
• Consular documentation (CRODA for US citizens)

LATAM Airlines and Avianca are the most common carriers from Lima. Cargo fees for human remains typically run $2,500-$5,000 depending on destination and weight. Book through the airline's cargo division, not passenger reservations.

Step 4: Coordinate Receiving Arrangements

Alert a funeral home in your destination city. They'll need:

• Flight details and air waybill number
• Copies of all Peruvian documentation
• Instructions for final disposition (burial, cremation, viewing)

US Customs does not require special permits for human remains entering the country, but the receiving funeral director must clear the shipment through the airline cargo facility.

Timeline and Total Cost Estimate

When Repatriation Isn't Possible Immediately

If death occurs in a remote area (Cordillera Blanca, Amazon basin, near Machu Picchu), transporting the body to Lima can take several days. Mountain recoveries may require foot access — helicopter rescue is frequently unavailable.

In these cases, local burial or cremation followed by ash repatriation (significantly simpler and cheaper) may be the practical option.

The Peru Expat Death Guide includes the complete repatriation workflow with current fee schedules, airline contacts, and alternative options when full body transport isn't feasible.

Someone Died in Peru: English Speaker's Emergency Guide →