On Sunday, as the weekend came to a close, we received an urgent inquiry from our client regarding the repatriation of remains from Montenegro to the Philippines. The first challenge arose immediately, as many airlines and cargo agents were unable to provide flight quotations during the weekend. However, thanks to our strong business relationships with their representatives, we successfully obtained flight information for departures from both Podgorica and Zagreb. Ultimately, we opted for the flight from Zagreb due to its more competitive pricing and convenient schedule.
Additionally, leveraging our understanding of the local conditions in Montenegro, we gathered comprehensive details about all relevant circumstances and associated costs within an hour. As a result, we were able to provide our client with a finalized quotation for the complete repatriation of the remains from Montenegro to the Philippines within just two hours.
That same night, we received a payment guarantee, allowing our staff to immediately depart for the location in Montenegro. Early the next morning, we met with the family of the deceased to collect personal documents and belongings, which also needed to be transported to the Philippines.
It is important to note that in many Balkan countries, we often face significant challenges due to local authorities requiring the presence of the deceased’s family during the initial procedures, as well as original documents and their certified translations. It very often happens that the family of the deceased is not in the same country where the person died, and then numerous problems arise that we have to solve.
In such complex repatriations, it is crucial to ensure that nothing is left to chance. Every document must be filled out correctly, every piece of information must be correctly written because otherwise, even a minor error can result in a delay of one or two days, causing unnecessary setbacks.
The same morning, we engaged our partner notary to urgently get an appointment for the certification of the power of attorney, personal documents of the deceased and supporting documents. We explained the entire procedure and possible problems to the family of the deceased and released them from all further obligations.
Within three hours, our team successfully prepared all the necessary local documents and promptly forwarded them to our translation partner in Montenegro. Understanding the urgency of the situation, they completed the translations within two hours and delivered the certified originals directly to us.
Based on the Hague Convention and considering that the deceased was a Philippine citizen being repatriated to the Philippines, it was necessary to complete full verification (full legalization) of the documentation. Thanks to the extensive experience of our team and our strong business relationships with Montenegrin authorities, we successfully completed the full legalization process at the municipal court, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by the end of the same working day.
At that point, we had all the necessary documentation to proceed and immediately booked the earliest available flight option. Since the Philippine Embassy does not have a representative office in Montenegro, we reached out to their embassy in Budapest, Hungary, which has jurisdiction over Montenegro. On the same day, we emailed them the required documents and, at our request, secured an appointment at the embassy for the following afternoon.
A problem with certain embassies, which do not have a representative office in the country of death, can arise when their staff often requires the original documents to be submitted for review and certification before issuing the necessary transport documents. This can delay the process by several days. However, in this case, our team was able to arrive in Budapest on schedule, and we successfully completed the required formalities at the Philippine Embassy the following day.
Embalming was mandatory in this case, and we completed it in cooperation with the Department of Forensic Medicine in Podgorica on the same day. Following the embalming, it was crucial to ensure that the body was carefully packaged in PVC bags, along with a tin and wooden coffin equipped with filters, all of which had to be sealed with precision to meet the necessary standards.
Transportation to the airport often presents challenges, especially during busy times such as holidays or weekends. In this case, we addressed the issue by arranging a police escort through the critical sections. The following morning, we delivered the coffin to the cargo center at Zagreb Airport and handed it over for safekeeping until the flight. Throughout the journey, we closely monitored the flight through our platform and kept our client informed of any changes until the plane landed. It is essential, during such processes, to advise the family of the deceased about potential delays or flight cancellations, emphasizing that they should not schedule the funeral in their home country until the repatriation is fully completed.
For a repatriation of this nature, it is crucial that all parties involved – the family of the deceased, local authorities, the airline, and the Philippine embassy – are kept informed at every step of the process.
This case alone demonstrates how complex repatriations can be, especially when the goal is to ensure a swift transfer, maintain client satisfaction, and comply with all legal regulations.
The key to a successful repatriation is a thorough understanding of local legal regulations, strong business relationships with all relevant institutions and partners, and the ability to address potential issues upfront. Additionally, transparency and clear communication regarding costs are essential when preparing the final quote for our client, ensuring they understand exactly what is included in the price and what is not.
In such complex repatriations, it is crucial to ensure that nothing is left to chance. Every document must be filled out correctly, every piece of information must be correctly written because otherwise, even a minor error can result in a delay of one or two days, causing unnecessary setbacks.
