Ashes transport guide
Bringing ashes home from Colombia
You have ashes in Colombia and need to bring them home. This page covers what Colombia requires before they can leave.
Quick reference
3-10 days to arrange
What does Colombia require before ashes can leave?
Departure airports: BOG (El Dorado International, Bogota); MDE (Jose Maria Cordova, Medellin); CTG (Rafael Nunez, Cartagena)
Carriers serving the UK: Avianca; Copa Airlines; American Airlines; British Airways (via connections)
Authority that must release the case: Notaria (notary office) for Registro Civil de Defuncion; INVIMA (National Institute for Food and Drug Surveillance); Instituto de Medicina Legal (IML) and Ciencias Forenses; Fiscalia General de la Nacion (for criminal cases)
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 Colombia require to export ashes?
Cremation availability
Cremation may be restricted or unavailable in Colombia 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 Colombia, 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 We do not publish a figure, because what you pay depends on the case.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 Colombia 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 Colombia?
No direct flights to the UK from Colombia; routing is via Miami, Panama City, or Madrid, add 1-2 days for cargo routing; Growing adventure tourism destination: coffee region, Tayrona park, Lost City trek all attract British visitors; Deaths in remote areas (jungle, mountain regions) require recovery and transfer before any documentation begins; INVIMA export permit is specific to Colombia and often unfamiliar to UK funeral directors without Latin America experience
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Full repatriation guide
Complete guide: repatriation from Colombia
Official support
British Embassy in Colombia: contacts and what consular staff can do
Need guidance?
We can help with ashes transport
We deal with Notaria (notary office) for Registro Civil de Defuncion; INVIMA (National Institute for Food and Drug Surveillance); Instituto de Medicina Legal (IML) and Ciencias Forenses; Fiscalia General de la Nacion (for criminal cases) and the local crematorium directly.
Send an enquiryFurther guidance
Official lists for Colombia
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 Colombia
More on ashes and cremation abroad
Bringing ashes home from Colombia
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.