Haiti is, by most measures, the hardest repatriation corridor a UK family can face. That’s not an exaggeration for effect. It’s the honest starting point for anyone dealing with a death here right now.
The security situation, plainly stated
Since President Jovenel Moise’s assassination in July 2021, criminal gangs, particularly the G9 alliance and the Viv Ansanm coalition, have taken control of large parts of Port-au-Prince and the surrounding Artibonite department. A Kenya-led Multinational Security Support Mission, authorised under UN Security Council Resolution 2699, began deploying in 2024. As of mid-2026, security in much of the capital and Artibonite remains severe. In practice, this can mean the body and the civil registration office you need are both in an area no one can safely reach for days or weeks at a time.
What has to happen legally
The Office National d’Identification handles death registration. Before anything can be exported, the Parquet Civil has to confirm no criminal investigation is pending. Where civil registration has stopped functioning in an area, even getting a basic death certificate becomes a task that needs someone with real local knowledge and contacts, not a standard paperwork exercise.
Support comes from Jamaica
There’s no resident British diplomatic post in Haiti. The British High Commission in Kingston, Jamaica, covers the country, on +1 876 936 0700, and the FCDO Emergency Travel Line, 020 7008 5000, is available at any hour. FCDO currently advises against all but essential travel to Haiti.
Getting the body out
Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince is the main gateway, though security incidents periodically disrupt operations there with little warning. American Airlines connects to Miami, with straightforward onward links to the UK; a New York JFK route is also used when Miami scheduling doesn’t work. Cremation isn’t available in Haiti, so every case means a full-body repatriation.
Respecting Vodou practice
Haiti’s religious life blends Catholicism, Protestantism, and Vodou tradition, and Vodou funerary custom can include specific rituals around handling and timing. A repatriation firm with genuine Haiti experience will know how to work with these respectfully rather than around them.
Read how to choose a repatriation company for what to look for in a firm handling a case this demanding, or see repatriation from Haiti to the UK for the full process.
Contact Repatriate Service on +44 7703 577246 at any hour, or use the enquiry form below.