When a death takes place far from home, the practical questions arrive alongside the grief. We handle every document, every embassy, every airport handoff — so your family can focus on the journey that matters.
International repatriation involves more than ten separate documents, multiple government offices, a foreign embassy, and an airline that won't quote a price until the paperwork is in order. Most funeral homes refer this work out. We handle every step in-house — and we coordinate for families wherever they are located.
No surprises, no referrals. Our all-inclusive fee covers the entire process from first call to airport handoff. Airfare is quoted separately by the airline — we don't mark it up.
Plus airfare, quoted by the airline once all paperwork is complete.
☎ Call to Begin — 410-633-0000Our fee is collected at the time of arrangement so the process begins immediately. Airfare is collected once the airline confirms a price.
The process is the same regardless of destination — and we've handled returns across dozens of countries. Embassy links below help you start gathering what's needed; we guide you through every step.
Don't see your country? We coordinate returns worldwide. Call us and we'll walk you through what your specific destination requires.
We're not a referral service or a call center. We're a family-owned funeral home with a building, a chapel, and people who answer the phone in person, around the clock.
1201 Dundalk Avenue · Baltimore, MD · kfhpa.com
Every international case is handled by our own licensed funeral directors and embalmers — not contracted out. These are the people you'll speak with.
Third-generation owner. Mortuary science degree from Baltimore County Community College – Catonsville. Has led the funeral home through its growth in international repatriation services.
"What we do here is more than a career. I see it as a calling."
Associate's degree in mortuary science from Catonsville Community College. Has worked in funeral service since high school and brings deep experience to every international arrangement.
Eleanor and Raymond Kaczorowski opened these doors in 1952. Today, the third generation carries that same commitment forward — not as a corporate policy, but as a personal one.
When documents need to be driven to the state capital or delivered to an airport cargo terminal, we go ourselves. International repatriation is exacting, time-sensitive work — and for over seventy years, families have trusted us to do it right.
"International shipping is relatively the same process for every country — and the quirks that come up along the way are usually taken care of by us, the funeral home, as part of the paperwork process for the family."
— Our team, on how we approach international arrangements
Most funeral homes stop at preparation and refer international coordination elsewhere — leaving families to manage embassies, apostilles, and airline cargo on their own. We handle the entire process in-house: every certificate, every government office, every signature, and the drive to the airport. Whatever country your loved one is returning to, the process is ours to manage.
Here's the clearest picture we can give you of how the work is divided.
Plan on two to three weeks from your call to departure. We keep you informed at every stage.
We meet with you in person or by phone, gather everything needed, and confirm the destination. Payment for our portion starts the process immediately.
We bring your loved one into our care, perform the preparation required for international transit, and begin the document workflow in parallel.
Death certificate, transit permit, non-contagious disease letter, embalming certificate, and shipper's declaration.
The deceased's passport and the embassy permission letter. We guide you through the application and submit on your behalf when permitted.
Some countries require confirmation from the destination municipality. We'll tell you upfront if yours does and help coordinate it.
We drive the completed documents for apostille — the official state verification that embassies and airlines require.
The airline quotes once paperwork is complete. We submit the file, secure the booking, and handle known-shipper certification with any carrier.
We deliver your loved one to the airport personally — Dulles (IAD), Philadelphia (PHL), Newark (EWR), or JFK.
International repatriation cannot happen overnight. Here's a realistic week-by-week picture so your family can plan.
Arrangement, preparation, and the first round of paperwork to local and state offices.
Documents apostilled at the state capital. Embassy submission. Family secures any required acceptance letter.
Airline booking confirmed once all paperwork is complete. Airfare quoted, payment collected, departure scheduled.
Plan on two to three weeks. Preparation, paperwork, apostille, embassy permission, and airline booking each take their own time — and the airline cannot price the ticket until our paperwork is complete.
Airlines won't entertain a booking — let alone quote a price — until the paperwork is in order. As soon as we have everything assembled, we submit the file, the airline issues a quote, and we relay it to you for final payment.
Yes. We coordinate for families across Maryland, DC, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and beyond. Distance is rarely a barrier — the paperwork process works the same regardless of where you're located, and we handle it remotely when needed.
We handle the death certificate, transit permit, non-contagious disease letter, embalming certificate, shipper's declaration, apostille, and airline submission. The family provides the deceased's passport and the embassy permission letter — most embassies require the family to apply directly, and we guide you through that every step of the way.
Most countries follow the same core process with small variations. We've coordinated returns to dozens of countries across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and Latin America. We know what each destination typically requires and will tell you upfront.
Yes. Many families gather for a visitation or service before their loved one travels home. We'll work the timing into the paperwork schedule so the two don't conflict.
The earlier we start, the smoother the journey home.