Ashes transport guide
Bringing ashes home from Denmark
You have ashes in Denmark and need to bring them home. This page covers what Denmark requires before they can leave.
Quick reference
3-10 days to arrange
What does Denmark require before ashes can leave?
Departure airports: CPH (Copenhagen Airport, Kastrup); BLL (Billund Airport); AAL (Aalborg Airport)
Carriers serving the UK: SAS Scandinavian Airlines; British Airways; easyJet
Authority that must release the case: Retsmedicinsk Institut, University of Copenhagen Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
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 Denmark require to export ashes?
Cremation availability
Cremation may be restricted or unavailable in Denmark 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 Denmark, 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 We do not publish a figure, because what you pay depends on the case.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 Denmark 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 Denmark?
Denmark is a Strasbourg Convention signatory alongside the UK; the Udrejsetilladelse is accepted by UK authorities without additional consular legalisation; Copenhagen Airport (CPH) is one of the best-connected airports in Scandinavia; direct flights to London Heathrow and Gatwick operate daily with SAS and British Airways; Deaths in Greenland are handled under a separate jurisdiction: the Greenland Police Service (Grønlands Politi) operates under Home Rule and processes are significantly slower than mainland Denmark; transfers to Copenhagen via Kangerlussuaq or Nuuk are logistically complex; Deaths in the Faroe Islands are handled by the Faroese Police (Løgreglan) under Faroese Home Rule; routing back to Denmark before UK departure adds time; Denmark has a low-risk tourist profile for British visitors; cycling, water sports, and outdoor activities in summer are the primary contexts for accidental deaths
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Full repatriation guide
Complete guide: repatriation from Denmark
Official support
British Embassy in Denmark: contacts and what consular staff can do
Need guidance?
We can help with ashes transport
We deal with Retsmedicinsk Institut, University of Copenhagen Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences and the local crematorium directly.
Send an enquiryFurther guidance
Official lists for Denmark
Published by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office for British nationals. We are not connected to the firms listed.
- Translators and interpreters, for certified translation of the death certificate and permits
- Lawyers, where an estate or an investigation needs local legal advice
Sources: FCDO: death abroad · FCDO travel advice · Repatriation from Denmark
More on ashes and cremation abroad
Bringing ashes home from Denmark
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.