Reviewed for accuracy by Carlos Vargas, Texas Licensed Funeral Director (TFSC License No. 119648) · Last reviewed March 29, 2026 ·
The total timeline: 5 to 10 days typical
International repatriation of a Muslim deceased from Texas to the home country takes 5 to 10 days typically, depending on the destination country's embassy processing speed and available air cargo. This is longer than Sunnah-ideal but is accepted by most scholars when the family's religious, cultural, and emotional reasons for burial at home override the speed-preference.
Many families elect a hybrid path: full Islamic ghusl, kafan, and janazah in DFW, then repatriation of the kafan-wrapped body for burial in the home country. Others defer ghusl and janazah until arrival in the home country. Both are religiously acceptable; the choice is the family's.
The step-by-step process
Day 1 — Death certification and paperwork
Physician or Medical Examiner signs the medical certificate of death. We file for the Texas death certificate through the Texas Department of State Health Services. A certified death certificate is required for every subsequent step; we request 8–10 copies typically (family may need more for home-country estate matters).
Day 1–2 — Consulate notification
We contact the consulate of the destination country (Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Indonesia, Malaysia, or whichever). The consulate requests the death certificate, the deceased's passport, next-of-kin identification, and sometimes a family member's physical appearance. Some consulates are in Houston (nearest for Pakistan, Bangladesh, India), some have honorary consuls in Dallas, some require in-person appointment in Houston or Washington DC.
For Pakistan specifically: Pakistan Consulate in Houston handles DFW cases. For Bangladesh: Bangladesh Consulate in Houston. For Egypt: Egyptian Consulate in Houston. For Saudi Arabia: Royal Saudi Embassy in Washington DC (the Houston consulate closed; letters go through Washington).
Day 2–3 — Apostille and translations
The death certificate often needs an apostille (international authentication) from the Texas Secretary of State. For non-Hague Convention countries, a more complex consular authentication is required. Translations are required for most destinations — typically to the destination country's official language. We handle this through licensed translators.
Day 3–4 — Texas DSHS Transit Permit
For a body leaving Texas, a Transit Permit from the Texas Department of State Health Services is required. We file this once the death certificate is in hand. Processing is typically 1–2 business days.
Day 4–5 — Embalming and encasement
International air transport typically requires embalming (the destination country usually requires it, and airlines require it for a body traveling more than 24 hours). This is a scholarly challenge because Islamic tradition prohibits embalming. Most contemporary scholars permit embalming when it is required for transport and there is no alternative — it is considered a necessity (darurah) case.
An alternative is cremation-equivalent dry-ice preservation, but this is rarely practical for international transport and is not accepted by most airlines. In practice, nearly all international Islamic repatriations involve minimal embalming sufficient for transport.
The body is then placed in a hermetically sealed zinc-lined casket per international air transport regulations. This is the casket used for transport; families sometimes provide a second, traditional wooden casket at the destination for burial.
Day 5–6 — Air cargo booking
DFW International Airport has direct cargo flights to major international destinations. Common routings:
- Pakistan: DFW – Doha or Abu Dhabi – Karachi/Islamabad/Lahore (via Qatar Airways, Etihad, Emirates)
- Bangladesh: DFW – Doha or Dubai – Dhaka (Qatar Airways, Emirates)
- Egypt: DFW – Frankfurt or Paris – Cairo (Lufthansa, Air France)
- Saudi Arabia: DFW – Dubai or Istanbul – Jeddah/Riyadh/Medina (Emirates, Turkish Airlines)
- Turkey: DFW – Istanbul (Turkish Airlines direct)
- Indonesia: DFW – Doha or Dubai – Jakarta (Qatar Airways, Emirates)
Air cargo fees typically run $3,500 to $7,000 depending on destination and season. We shop rates across 3–4 airlines for each case. Summer Hajj season often has higher rates and limited space; winter is typically cheaper.
Day 6–8 — Flight
The body ships as cargo. A family member often flies on the same flight or a nearby flight to receive the body at the destination. We do not require this but it is common.
Day 7–10 — Arrival and burial
At the destination airport, our partner funeral home or community representative receives the body, clears customs, and transports to the family's chosen cemetery. Ghusl and janazah (if not yet performed) happen at the destination. Burial occurs.
Pass-through costs, no markup
Repatriation adds $3,500 to $7,000 in pass-through costs beyond our $4,995 service fee. These include airline cargo, consular fees, translation, apostille, zinc-lined casket, and destination-partner funeral home fees. We pass every cost through at actual cost. No markup, ever.
We never charge a "repatriation coordination fee" on top of our base service. The coordination is part of our work for the family.
Common complications
- Consular processing delays — Ramadan, Eid, and Hajj seasons can slow consulates. We build buffers into the timeline during these periods.
- Cargo space limits — Hajj season has limited cargo space to Saudi Arabia. Plan for 2–3 day wait during peak Hajj periods.
- Medical Examiner holds — cases requiring autopsy can delay repatriation by 2–6 weeks until final ME clearance.
- Next-of-kin documentation from abroad — if the authorized next-of-kin is in the home country and cannot travel, we coordinate proxy authorization through the consulate.
Alternative: cremation for ash repatriation
Cremation is not permitted for Muslims. This section does not apply. Every Muslim repatriation is a body repatriation.