Ashes transport guide
Bringing ashes home from Ecuador
You have ashes in Ecuador and need to bring them home. This page covers what Ecuador requires before they can leave.
Quick reference
3-10 days to arrange
What does Ecuador require before ashes can leave?
Departure airports: UIO (Mariscal Sucre International Airport, Quito); GYE (Jose Joaquin de Olmedo International Airport, Guayaquil)
Carriers serving the UK: American Airlines (via Miami); Avianca (via Bogota); Iberia (via Madrid)
Authority that must release the case: Registro Civil; Ministry of Health (Ministerio de Salud Publica); Instituto Nacional de Medicina Legal (INML), Quito or Guayaquil; Fiscalia General del Estado (Prosecutor's Office)
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 Ecuador require to export ashes?
Cremation availability
Cremation may be restricted or unavailable in Ecuador 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 Ecuador, 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 We do not publish a figure, because what you pay depends on the case.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 Ecuador 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 Ecuador?
Ecuador has two main cargo airports: Quito UIO (capital and highlands) and Guayaquil GYE (coast); routing depends on location of death; Galapagos Islands deaths require evacuation by commercial or charter flight to Guayaquil before any official processes can begin, adding 2-4 days; The Fiscalia investigation for unnatural deaths can extend significantly if criminal suspicion exists; Routing to the UK typically requires Miami (American Airlines) or Bogota (Avianca) connections; allow 1-2 additional days for multi-leg cargo; Ecuador uses the US Dollar; all costs quoted in USD locally
high
Full repatriation guide
Complete guide: repatriation from Ecuador
Official support
British Embassy in Ecuador: contacts and what consular staff can do
Need guidance?
We can help with ashes transport
We deal with Registro Civil; Ministry of Health (Ministerio de Salud Publica); Instituto Nacional de Medicina Legal (INML), Quito or Guayaquil; Fiscalia General del Estado (Prosecutor's Office) and the local crematorium directly.
Send an enquiryFurther guidance
Official lists for Ecuador
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 Ecuador
More on ashes and cremation abroad
Bringing ashes home from Ecuador
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.