Shipping Remains to Mexico from New Jersey: What to Know

When a loved one dies in New Jersey but will be laid to rest in Mexico, the arrangements go further than the funeral and burial. Shipping remains to Mexico also requires coordination between the funeral home in New Jersey, the receiving funeral home in Mexico, government or consular authorities when applicable, and the airline handling the transportation.

For families handling this for the first time, it can be difficult to know where to begin. International funeral shipping involves several steps, and missing or inconsistent documentation can delay the transfer process. 

Madonna Multinational Funeral Home helps families coordinate each step of the process, from preparing the paperwork in New Jersey to arranging transportation and communicating with the receiving funeral home in Mexico.

How to Start Shipping Remains to Mexico from New Jersey

The first step is contacting the funeral home handling the arrangements in New Jersey.

We begin by gathering basic information about the person who has passed away. This includes their full legal name, place of death, and the city and state in Mexico where the burial will take place.

We also ask for the name and contact information of the funeral home that will receive your loved one in Mexico. Having the destination and receiving funeral home identified early helps us begin coordinating the transfer.

Families do not need to understand every international shipping requirement before calling us. If you know your loved one will be buried in Mexico, starting the conversation early gives our team more time to coordinate the necessary arrangements here in New Jersey and in Mexico.

What Documents Are Needed to Ship Remains to Mexico?

The exact requirements should be confirmed for each case, but documents commonly involved in shipping remains to Mexico from New Jersey may include: 

• A certified death certificate
• An apostille for applicable documents, including the death certificate when required
• A burial or transit permit
• An embalming certificate
• Spanish translations of required documents
• Identification or proof of nationality for the person who died
• Information about the receiving funeral home in Mexico
• Health department, state, consular, or other supporting documentation when required

The information across these documents needs to remain consistent. Names, dates, and the final disposition should match wherever that information appears.

A difference as small as a missing middle name or different spelling can create questions during document review. Having a passport, birth certificate, or other identification available early can help verify this information before the file moves forward.

Because requirements can vary depending on the circumstances and destination, Madonna Multinational Funeral Home confirms what is needed for each international transfer rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all document list.

How Does the Mexico Document Process Work?

For a loved one who dies in New Jersey, the process begins with obtaining the appropriate certified New Jersey death certificate. Depending on the documentation required for the transfer, an apostille or other authentication may also be needed before a New Jersey document can be used in Mexico.  

An apostille authenticates a public document for use in another country that participates in the Hague Apostille Convention. The New Jersey Department of the Treasury issues apostilles for qualifying New Jersey documents. This is a separate step from simply ordering a copy of the death certificate.

The documents used for the transfer must also meet Mexico’s Spanish-language requirements. Depending on the document and current instructions, a translation may need to follow a specific format or meet additional certification requirements. Families should check with the funeral home before arranging translations on their own.

Mexican consular requirements may also apply depending on the circumstances of the transfer and destination.  Certain records may need to be submitted or reviewed before the transfer can move forward, and the requirements can vary. 

Madonna Multinational Funeral Home confirms the current requirements and coordinates the document process as part of our shipping services to Mexico so families do not have to determine the order of these steps on their own. 

Preparing the Casket for Transportation

The remains and casket must meet the requirements for international transportation and the airline handling the shipment.  

Embalming is generally required when transporting non-cremated remains to Mexico, and an embalming certificate becomes part of the documentation for the transfer.

The casket must also meet the airline’s requirements for transportation. 

An air tray is commonly used around the casket for air transportation. It provides an additional protective container while the casket moves through the airline’s cargo system.

Madonna’s international shipping arrangements can include preparation, embalming, dressing and casketing, the air tray, airline transportation, and coordination of the international transfer.

Families who want a viewing or funeral service in New Jersey can also discuss those arrangements before the international transfer.

Why Do I Need A Funeral Home in Mexico?

A receiving funeral home in Mexico needs to be identified as part of the arrangements.

Families should provide the receiving funeral home’s:

• Name
• Address
• Telephone number
• Email address
• Main contact person

The funeral home in New Jersey can then communicate directly with the funeral home in Mexico about the arrival and transfer.

This can take some pressure off relatives, especially when family members in Mexico are already making local funeral or burial arrangements.

Having this information available early also helps Madonna coordinate directly with the receiving funeral home and prepare for what will happen once the flight arrives in Mexico.

How Are Human Remains Shipped to Mexico?

Casketed human remains are typically transported through an airline’s cargo system rather than as regular passenger baggage.

Finding a flight involves more than checking the normal passenger schedule. The airline must accept human remains on the route, and the shipment must meet the carrier’s documentation and packaging requirements.

Madonna Multinational Funeral Home is a TSA Known Shipper and registers with the carriers used for international transportation. This allows our staff to coordinate directly with participating airlines when arranging a shipment.

Once the preparation is complete, the receiving funeral home is confirmed, and an appropriate flight is available, the transportation details can be finalized. 

Families should avoid setting a final burial time in Mexico until the funeral home confirms the transportation details.

Need help shipping remains to Mexico? Madonna Multinational Funeral Home can coordinate the paperwork, preparation, airline transportation, and communication with the receiving funeral home. Contact our bilingual team early in the process so we can explain what information is needed to begin. 

What Should the Family Have Ready?

Families only need to gather a few important pieces of information to help get the arrangements started.

First, have identification for the person who has passed. An active or expired passport or a birth certificate can help verify their identity and nationality.

You should also know the city and state in Mexico where the burial will take place and have the contact information for the receiving funeral home.

Finally, let the funeral director know if your family wants a viewing, funeral, or other service in New Jersey before the transfer.

The funeral home can then coordinate the remaining requirements and transportation details with the appropriate organizations.

How Long Does It Take to Send a Loved One to Mexico?

There is no single timeline for every international transfer.

Timing can depend on how quickly the necessary records become available, government or consular processing, preparation of the remains, coordination with the receiving funeral home, and airline availability.

The final destination in Mexico can also affect the available flight route.

Weekends and holidays may add time if a government office, consular office, or another organization involved in the process is closed.

Because these steps depend on one another, an exact departure date may not be available when arrangements first begin.

Once the paperwork has been completed and the airline accepts the shipment, the funeral home can provide the family with the confirmed transportation information.

What if My Family Chooses Cremation Instead? 

Cremation of remains follows a different process than transporting a loved one’s body in a casket.

Documents may include a certified death certificate, applicable apostille or authentication, cremation certificate, Spanish translations, and any additional records required for transportation to Mexico.

Transportation requirements can also differ depending on whether the urn will be carried by a family member or shipped separately.

Some families choose cremation in New Jersey and then take their loved one’s urn to Mexico for burial or another final resting place.

Cremation and transportation of cremated remains are quoted separately from a casketed international shipment. A funeral director can explain the requirements and help the family understand the options available for their plans. 

Get Help Shipping Remains to Mexico from New Jersey 

International funeral arrangements require preparation, documentation, transportation, and communication between funeral homes in two countries. Families should not have to coordinate every part of that process on their own.

Madonna Multinational Funeral Home serves families in Passaic and Passaic County, along with surrounding communities in Bergen, Essex, and Morris counties.

If your family needs help shipping remains to Mexico from New Jersey, Madonna Multinational Funeral Home can help coordinate the international transfer from beginning to end. Our team can help prepare your loved one for transportation, organize the required documentation, work with the airline, and communicate with the receiving funeral home in Mexico.

Contact Madonna Multinational Funeral Home to speak with a funeral director about shipping remains to Mexico and learn what information is needed to begin the process.