Body Repatriation between South Africa and Zimbabwe
When a loved one dies away from home, bringing them back to their family and community can be an important part of saying goodbye. If you need to arrange repatriation between South Africa and Zimbabwe, Homeland International can help coordinate the arrangements with care and professionalism.
Whether your loved one has passed away in South Africa and needs to return to Zimbabwe, or has died in Zimbabwe and needs to be brought back to South Africa, there are practical and official requirements to consider. These include local funeral arrangements, health certificates, consular clearance and international transportation.
We understand that families may be dealing with arrangements across different towns and countries while coping with a bereavement. Our experienced team can help manage the process, liaise with the organisations involved and keep you informed throughout.
We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
How does repatriation between South Africa and Zimbabwe work?
Repatriation between South Africa and Zimbabwe involves coordination between funeral directors, health authorities, consular representatives and airlines. The arrangements will depend on where the death occurred and the final destination.
We begin by discussing your circumstances and confirming where your loved one is being cared for and where they need to be returned. A local funeral director will arrange collection and preparation, including embalming and an appropriate coffin or air-transport container where required.
For a journey from South Africa to Zimbabwe, the arrangements include obtaining an export permit from the South African Department of Health and clearance from the Zimbabwean Consulate. The deceased’s identity and intended burial place in Zimbabwe must also be established as part of the documentation.
For a journey from Zimbabwe to South Africa, the local funeral director will help arrange the death and preparation certificates, together with the necessary permission from the Zimbabwean authorities to export the deceased. An import permit must also be obtained from the South African Department of Health before the remains enter the country.
Once the documentation and preparation have been confirmed, we coordinate with the airline to arrange suitable transportation. We also liaise with the receiving funeral director or family representative so that collection can be organised at the destination airport and onward transportation arranged.
We will explain the requirements for your particular journey and help coordinate the arrangements in either direction.
What documents are needed to repatriate someone between South Africa and Zimbabwe?
The documents needed depend on the direction of travel, the location of the death and the circumstances. Some additional paperwork may be requested by the relevant authorities.
For repatriation from South Africa to Zimbabwe, the documentation may include:
The official death certificate.
A copy of the deceased’s Zimbabwean passport, birth certificate or national identity document.
Identification and contact details for the relative requesting repatriation.
A burial order issued by the relevant South African authority.
An embalming certificate.
A certificate confirming that the deceased did not have an infectious disease.
South African Notice of Death forms (DHA-1663A and DHA-1663B), where applicable.
An export permit issued by the South African Department of Health.
Clearance from the Zimbabwean Consulate.
Details of the intended final burial place in Zimbabwe.
If the deceased does not have Zimbabwean identity documents, the Consulate may request additional evidence of nationality and an affidavit from the next of kin explaining the relationship and circumstances.
For repatriation from Zimbabwe to South Africa, the documentation may include:
The Zimbabwean death certificate.
The deceased’s passport, national identity document or other accepted identification.
A post-mortem report, where applicable.
An embalming certificate.
A certificate confirming whether the deceased had an infectious or non-infectious disease.
A burial or conveyance permit.
Permission or a no-objection letter from the relevant Zimbabwean health authorities for export of the remains.
An export or repatriation permit, where required.
An import permit issued by the South African Department of Health.
A letter from the family member requesting importation, together with their identification and contact details.
Details of the South African point of entry and receiving funeral director.
South African import permits require supporting information about the deceased, the cause of death, the intended point of entry and the funeral undertaker responsible for receiving the remains. The documents must be submitted and approved before the shipment arrives.
If the death involved an accident or circumstances requiring a post-mortem examination, additional paperwork may be necessary.
If the family chooses cremation rather than transporting the deceased in a coffin, the documentation and transportation arrangements are different. Death and cremation certificates will generally be required, and the relevant airline and destination-country requirements must be checked.
Our team can help establish which documents apply to your particular journey and coordinate with the funeral directors and authorities involved.
How much does repatriation between the South Africa and Zimbabwe cost?
The cost of repatriation between South Africa and Zimbabwe depends on the locations involved and the services needed. Each journey is different, so we provide an individual quotation based on the arrangements required.
Factors that can affect the overall cost include:
Collection from the hospital, mortuary or place of care.
The distance to the departure airport.
Local funeral director and preparation fees.
Embalming and the coffin or approved air-transport container.
Airline freight charges and flight availability.
Consular clearance, health permits and other documentation.
Airport handling and collection arrangements.
Onward transportation from the arrival airport to the family’s chosen destination.
The final destination can make a difference to the overall cost. For example, a journey continuing from Harare to a family home elsewhere in Zimbabwe may require additional road transportation.
We will discuss the available arrangements with you and provide a quotation based on the individual circumstances.
Which airports can we repatriate to in South Africa and Zimbabwe?
The airport used will depend on the location of the death, the family’s chosen destination and the airline services available for transporting human remains.
Airports in South Africa
The following South African airports are identified as customs airports for international repatriation arrangements:
Cape Town International Airport.
O. R. Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg.
King Shaka International Airport, Durban.
Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport, Gqeberha.
East London Airport.
The most suitable departure or arrival airport will depend on the location and the airline cargo services available.
Airport in Zimbabwe
Harare – Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport is the customs airport identified for international human remains shipments into Zimbabwe.
Once the necessary clearance has been completed on arrival, onward transportation can be arranged to the family’s chosen destination elsewhere in the country.
Airport suitability and routing must be confirmed for each individual shipment before flights are booked.
Request Quotation
Please provide us with some information such as where the repatriation is to and from so we can provide a quotation to you. You can contact us using one of the methods below:
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