It's not a fun topic. But a family overseas trying to figure this out after the fact has a much harder time than one that planned.
Headstones and markers
VA provides a free headstone, marker or medallion for an eligible veteran's grave anywhere in the world.
Transport of remains
VA may pay to transport the remains of a veteran who died outside the U.S., up to the cost of reaching the national cemetery nearest the veteran's last residence, for burial in a national or covered veterans cemetery. The burial allowance is claimed on VA Form 21P-530EZ.
Overseas cemeteries still accepting veterans
The American Battle Monuments Commission runs 26 cemeteries in 17 countries. Only Clark Veterans Cemetery (Philippines) and Corozal American Cemetery (Panama) still accept new burials of qualifying veterans.
Embassy help
The State Department can't pay for repatriation, but the embassy helps with paperwork, including the consular mortuary certificate and the Consular Report of Death Abroad.
Do this now
- Keep your DD-214 where your family can find it.
- Write down your wishes: local burial, cremation or repatriation.
- Register with STEP so the embassy can reach your family.
- Retirees: keep SBP beneficiary details current with DFAS.
Get answers from vets who've done it
The VA Benefits Abroad channel is free. Ask about your country, your claim or your hospital.
Plan ahead: three things you can do now
- Get a pre-need eligibility decision if you might want burial in a VA national cemetery. Apply online, or mail VA Form 40-10007 to NCA Evidence Intake Center, PO Box 5237, Janesville, WI 53547.
- Write your wishes on one page: local burial, cremation or repatriation, who decides, and where your DD214 is.
- Tell your family who to call. The embassy, DFAS if you're a retiree, and VA.
What the family does in the first week
- Work with local authorities and a funeral home on the death certificate.
- Contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. They help with the consular mortuary certificate and the Consular Report of Death Abroad.
- Notify VA at 1-800-827-1000. If the veteran was a military retiree, also notify DFAS.
- Keep every receipt in the payer's name, especially for transporting remains.
- When things settle, apply for a headstone or marker (VA Form 40-1330) and a Presidential Memorial Certificate (VA Form 40-0247).
Burial allowance and transportation
VA may pay a burial allowance, a plot or interment allowance, and transportation costs if the person paying won't be reimbursed by anyone else and the veteran meets one of VA's conditions. Examples include a death from a service-connected disability, or a death while receiving VA compensation or pension. VA pays back transportation costs you paid directly if the receipt is in your name.
| Service-connected death | No time limit for the burial or transportation allowance |
|---|---|
| Not service-connected | Generally within 2 years of burial. No time limit for plot, interment or transportation claims. |
| Documents | Death certificate with cause of death, itemized transportation receipt, and the DD214 |
Headstones and markers abroad
VA provides a free headstone or marker for the unmarked grave of an eligible veteran in any cemetery worldwide. In a private cemetery, the family arranges and pays for placement. For a grave that already has a private headstone, ask about a medallion. For help with private cemetery orders, call VA's Applicant Assistance Unit at 1-800-697-6947, Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern.
Members have shared how they wrote up their plans. If it helps to talk it through, our free member community is a good place to start.
How this helps in real life
Example scenario (composite, not a real person): A veteran in the Philippines keeps a one-page plan with his DD214: burial at Clark Veterans Cemetery if he qualifies, the embassy's number, and VA's number. When he dies, his wife follows the list, contacts the embassy for the Consular Report of Death Abroad, and later applies for a VA headstone with the death certificate and DD214 already in hand.
Questions about your situation?
Ask in the VA Benefits Abroad channel. Vets who've filed from your country answer fast.
Last reviewed November 2026. Information only. Confirm with the official sources.
