Ashes transport guide
Bringing ashes home from Ukraine
You have ashes in Ukraine and need to bring them home. This page covers what Ukraine requires before they can leave.
Quick reference
3-10 days to arrange
What does Ukraine require before ashes can leave?
Departure airports: Boryspil International Airport (KBP), Kyiv: closed since 24 February 2022; current exit route via land borders to Poland, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, or Moldova
Documentation language: Ukrainian
The rules that apply on any route, and what you may do with ashes once home, are covered in bringing ashes into the UK.
What are the airline rules for carrying ashes?
What does Ukraine require to export ashes?
Cremation availability
Cremation may be restricted or unavailable in Ukraine due to religious or legal reasons. If you are dealing with ashes from a previous cremation held elsewhere, the export rules may differ. Contact us for guidance specific to your situation.
What affects the cost?
Carrying ashes home yourself is the least expensive way to bring someone back from Ukraine, and for many families it costs little more than the return flight they are already taking. We do not publish a figure, because what you pay depends on the case.
| What changes the cost | Why |
|---|---|
| Whether the cremation has already taken place | Arranging it locally adds funeral director and crematorium involvement |
| Where the death happened | Distance to the nearest crematorium changes local transfer |
| Carrying versus shipping | Hand luggage costs nothing extra; a specialist courier is a separate arrangement |
| Documentation Ukraine requires | Export permits and translation, where they apply |
Send us the details of your situation and we will give you a figure, with no obligation.
What else is worth knowing about Ukraine?
Ukraine is an active conflict zone following Russia's full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022; FCDO advises against all travel to Ukraine and has done so since that date; British nationals who die in Ukraine are typically long-term residents already present before the invasion, journalists, humanitarian aid workers, or volunteers supporting the Ukrainian war effort; Boryspil International Airport (KBP) near Kyiv has been closed to civilian air traffic since 24 February 2022; all repatriation cargo must exit Ukraine by road or rail, crossing into Poland, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, or Moldova before connecting to air cargo services; The Poland land border crossing at Medyka (Ukrainian side: Shehyni) to Korczowa/Przemysl is the most established route; Rzeszow-Jasionka Airport in southeastern Poland is the nearest cargo hub; Warsaw Chopin Airport and Krakow Airport offer onward connections to the UK; British Embassy Kyiv suspended normal consular operations from the Kyiv premises following the invasion; the FCDO Emergency Travel Line (020 7008 5000) is the primary contact for all Ukraine emergency consular cases; Deaths of Ukrainian nationals with British citizenship, British nationals married to Ukrainian citizens, and British volunteers supporting the Ukrainian war effort each present different legal and documentation frameworks requiring specialist FCDO guidance
extreme
Recurring causes of British deaths here: Active conflict: parts of Ukraine are inaccessible due to ongoing fighting; repatriation may be impossible until the security situation changes; Boryspil Airport closed: no direct air cargo option; overland transit via Poland adds significant time and cost to every case; Administrative infrastructure disruption in conflict-affected areas; Currency and financial transaction complications due to sanctions and banking restrictions; Ukrainian documentation in Cyrillic requires certified translation throughout
Full repatriation guide
Complete guide: repatriation from Ukraine
Official support
British Embassy in Ukraine: contacts and what consular staff can do
Need guidance?
We can help with ashes transport
If you are unsure about the paperwork or airline requirements, we can take it from here.
Send an enquiryFurther guidance
Official lists for Ukraine
Published by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office for British nationals. We are not connected to the firms listed.
- Lawyers, where an estate or an investigation needs local legal advice
Sources: FCDO: death abroad · FCDO travel advice · Repatriation from Ukraine
More on ashes and cremation abroad
Bringing ashes home from Ukraine
Tell us where the ashes are now and where home is. We will explain what is needed and send you a quote. We send ashes home to the UK, Ireland or any other country.