Reviewed by Carlos Vargas, Texas Licensed Funeral Director (TFSC #119648) ·
One list for papers held by many hands
The documents for an international repatriation are produced by different people: the funeral director, a county or city registrar, a state office in Austin, a consulate, an airline’s cargo agent and a funeral home abroad. No single office sees the whole set, so the family is often the only party who knows what is still missing.
This checklist names the papers most often involved when someone leaves Texas, who issues each one, and whether it applies to your case. It does not say what your destination requires. The consulate and the carrier decide that, and their answers go in the notes.
Mark each paper
Each line names who issues or holds the paper. Add a short note with the office and date.
The controls require JavaScript. You can print this page and mark the list by hand.
Papers that start in Texas
The Texas DSHS Death Registration Handbook, revised January 2026, says a Burial-Transit Permit must be obtained whenever a body is removed from the state, and that the registrar issues it once a death certificate completed in so far as possible has been presented. For Mexico it lists what is generally required: the Burial-Transit Permit, a certified copy of the Texas death certificate and an Apostille from the Texas Secretary of State, with a possible Spanish translation of the certificate and the Apostille. For every other country it directs the funeral director to that country’s consulate.
The handbook adds that if a letter of non-communicable disease is needed to transport a body out of the country, the local registrar’s office can help obtain it from the local health authority. Note the word “if.” Several lines on this list apply only when the consulate or the carrier asks for them, which is why each line can be marked as not applying.
Papers for the carrier and the receiving side
IATA’s overview of transporting human remains by air says proper documentation relevant to each party in the supply chain is needed, including an accurately completed Air Waybill with the necessary supporting documentation, and that there is no universal international standard for these requirements. In practice the shipping agent or funeral home prepares the carrier’s paperwork, and the carrier tells them what must travel with the shipment.
The receiving side has its own papers. A funeral home, cemetery or civil registry abroad may need to confirm in writing that it will receive the person before a consulate or carrier will proceed. Ask each one, and keep the answers with the rest. Our documents guide explains the names you will hear.
How to use the three marks
Every line starts as “To ask.” Mark a line confirmed when the paper is in hand or the issuer has told you it is ready, and mark it as not applying when the consulate or carrier says it is not needed.
| Mark | Meaning |
|---|---|
| To ask | You do not yet know whether it is needed or where it stands |
| Confirmed by me | The paper exists, or its issuer confirmed it, and you noted the date |
| Does not apply | The consulate or carrier told you this case does not need it |
To count certified copies by recipient, use the copies and authentication organizer.
Keep the checklist current
Build the list again whenever a paper arrives; any edit clears the previous result. The checklist script does not transmit your entries or write them to browser storage, and other services on this site follow their own privacy terms. Notes should say who holds a paper and the date. Never type document numbers, the name of the person who died or passport details.
Questions about repatriation documents
- Is this the list of documents my destination requires?
- No. It lists papers that are often involved. Only the destination’s consulate and the carrier can tell you which ones apply to your case.
- Who obtains the Burial-Transit Permit?
- The funeral director obtains it from the local registrar or through the state’s electronic system. The family does not apply for it.
- Is a letter of non-communicable disease always needed?
- No. The DSHS handbook describes it as something to request if it is needed for transport out of the country. Ask the consulate and the carrier.
