Arrange a Funeral in India from Abroad | Last Ride Funeral
Losing someone you love is hard. Losing someone you love while you’re in another country as a Non Resident Indian means you have to deal with another layer of panic on top of grieving.
What am I supposed to do with the paperwork? Who is going to perform the rituals? Should I return to India or should I arrange the repatriation?
We understand that managing all of this while being thousands of miles away is very difficult. This is a step-by-step guide to help you manage your loved one’s funeral in India, granting them a dignified and ceremonial send-off.
1. Decide between Local Funeral or International Repatriation
You face two clear logistical challenges based on where your loved one died or where the family wants their last rites to be conducted.
Scenario A: Your Loved One Died in India
If your loved one died in India while you were abroad, you face the challenge of time. Hindu rituals require cremation to happen within 24 hours. If you can’t be back in India in time, you will have to either preserve the body in a freezer until you arrive, or have the cremation done without you.
Scenario B: Your Loved One Died Outside India (Repatriation)
If your loved one died outside India and you would like to have their last rites done in India, you have to manage the international repatriation process. This is a lengthy process which includes the following:
Securing a local Clinical Certificate of Death, having professional embalming with an airtight coffin, and securing a coffin that meets the International Airline’s shipping requirements.
If needed, visit the nearest Indian Embassy or Consulate for cancellations of passports and to obtain No Objection Certificates (NOCs).
2. Secure End-to-End Legal Documentation
Documentation is critical to the completion of the funeral and subsequent transportation of the deceased. If you are dealing with this from a distance, you will need to manage the staff of a myriad of government agencies: the hospital, the local police if the death was not natural, and multiple bureaucratic municipal agencies.
| Process Phase | Required Key Documents |
| Immediate Release | Hospital Death Certificate / Form 4A |
| For Air Transport | Embalming Certificate & Coffin Sealing Certificate |
| Consular Clearance | NOC from Indian Embassy & Airway Bill |
| Final Rites | Municipal Cremation Permission |
Instead of dealing with a myriad of separated agencies that are spread across multiple time zones, you can use Last Ride Funeral, a single agency that offers a funeral service and manages all of the documentation necessary for the release and transportation of the deceased.
3. Appoint a Single Point of Contact on the Ground
Making distance phone calls to manage the transportation of a hearse van, the procurement of the Antim Sanskar Samagri, funeral ritual items, and securing a time at an overbooked crematorium is chaotic and a challenge.
Hiring a funeral service that designates a Single Point of Contact (SPOC) is the most productive and efficient solution to this situation.
Instead of a manager that calls multiple agencies, you receive a single manager that is a compassionate person who coordinates the entire sequence for you.
4. Organizing Traditional Rituals Remotely.
Even in your absence, you can participate in the numerous rituals that form an essential part of an Indian funeral and the rites that require the presence of family members. Nowadays, funeral service providers offer a wide spectrum of ritual services and will: arrange for the necessary priest and priest supplies as well as book priests who have expertise in the Vedic rites and the final rites. They also book priests who conduct Chautha, Tehravin or Uthala ceremonies.
- Virtual Attendance: High quality video live streaming links allow family members around the world to view the prayers and pay their respects live.
- Asthi Visarjan (Ashes Immersion): For those who are unable to travel, special arrangements can be made to collect the ashes post cremation and perform the immersion rites on your family’s behalf at Haridwar or Varanasi.
Peace of Mind with Last Ride Funeral
Last Ride Funeral wishes to ensure that no one has to travel long distances to say their final goodbye. You can depend on us for international travel of the deceased along with all the necessary documentation. We will also arrange a hearse van, freezer box, and secure the cremation grounds along with other necessary arrangements. We invite you to let us take care of all the arrangements on the ground, while you take care of what you need to do to celebrate the deceased’s life.
For immediate assistance please reach out to us at +91 9217179989 or visit us at www.lastridefuneral.in.
