Start with the shipment, then assemble the file
A useful checklist begins with four facts: where the death occurred, where the remains are now, the destination country and city, and whether the family is transporting a body or cremated remains. A checklist copied from another country can miss an important requirement or send a family to the wrong office.
Tell the funeral director if a medical examiner is involved, if the person has already been buried, or if another funeral home is holding the remains. Each situation can change the sequence. This page is an organizing guide; the final file must be checked against the responsible authorities and carrier for the actual journey.
What each document does
| Document or confirmation | Purpose | What to establish |
|---|---|---|
| Certified death certificate | An official record of the death. | The issuing jurisdiction, correct personal details and copies required by each recipient. |
| Burial-transit permit | Authorization associated with moving or disposing of a body. | The responsible registrar and whether the proposed movement requires it. |
| Preparation or cremation certificate | Records the relevant preparation or cremation. | The destination’s accepted format, signatory and translation requirements. |
| Consular or destination authorization | Addresses the receiving country’s applicable entry process. | The actual office, current instructions and whether advance authorization is needed. |
| Translation and authentication | Makes an existing document usable for the receiving authority. | The document type, language, notarization and authentication steps actually required. |
| Receiving funeral home details | Identifies who will take responsibility on arrival. | Name, address, telephone and agreed collection arrangements. |
| Carrier paperwork | Connects the accepted shipment to its booking and handling. | Carrier acceptance, routing, shipment identifier and placement of the document pouch. |
These are categories to verify, not a claim that every case requires the same number of documents. Keep an inventory of originals, certified copies and translations rather than treating every scanned page as equivalent.
Texas permits and the death certificate
Texas DSHS identifies circumstances in which a burial-transit permit is required, including taking a body out of the state. A permit and a final certified death certificate serve different purposes. Ask the funeral director which documents can be prepared now and which depend on a release or certification.
If the death occurred outside Texas, identify the issuing authority before requesting records. A family should not pay for the wrong record simply because the arranging funeral home is in Dallas.
Translation, apostille and authentication
Authentication concerns the origin of a public record; it is not a substitute for a transport permit or a carrier booking. The Texas Secretary of State explains its universal apostille process. The receiving authority determines what it needs for the particular document.
Confirm the sequence before paying for a translation or certification. Ask whether an original or certified copy is needed, who can translate it, whether the translator’s signature must be notarized, and whether further authentication applies. Keep the document and any attached certification together.
Keep the file usable at each handoff
Choose one family contact and one funeral-home contact for the document file. Use the same spelling of the person’s name across records. Record who has the originals, who has received copies and which office still needs an answer.
Before transport, confirm who carries the official file and who receives it at arrival. Do not assume that paperwork held by a relative on a passenger flight is available to a cargo handler. The carrier’s own instructions matter.
- Check the name, dates and destination before submitting a file.
- Ask whether a submitted document was accepted, rather than assuming delivery means approval.
- Keep a contact for the receiving funeral home and its collection instructions.
- Use the funeral home’s agreed document channel; the callback form below is not a place to upload identity documents.
Questions families ask
Is there one international document package?
No universal checklist replaces the destination and carrier requirements. Use the categories above to organize the file, then verify the exact instructions for the shipment.
Can I begin without knowing every requirement?
You can request a callback with your contact number and intended destination. The first discussion can establish who holds the remains and which authority needs to be contacted.
Where are the Mexico-specific details?
Use our Mexico guide alongside this shared checklist. Country-specific instructions take priority over a generic example.
Sources and document dates
- Texas DSHS: burial-transit permits
- Texas Secretary of State: authentication questions
- American Airlines Cargo: human-remains guidance
- Texas DSHS: Death Registration Handbook, January 2026
Government and carrier rules can change. Confirm the applicable instructions for the specific shipment. Public sources checked September 20, 2026. The dates displayed by the sources are identified where relevant.