Ashes transport guide
Bringing ashes home from Fiji
You have ashes in Fiji and need to bring them home. This page covers what Fiji requires before they can leave.
Quick reference
3-10 days to arrange
What does Fiji require before ashes can leave?
Departure airports: NAN (Nadi International Airport); SUV (Nausori International Airport, Suva)
Carriers serving the UK: Fiji Airways (NAN-SYD, NAN-MEL, NAN-AKL for onward connections to London); Qantas (via Sydney); Air New Zealand (via Auckland)
Authority that must release the case: Colonial War Memorial Hospital (CWMH), Suva (primary forensic facility); Lautoka Hospital (western Fiji)
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 Fiji require to export ashes?
Cremation availability
Cremation may be restricted or unavailable in Fiji 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 Fiji, 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 We do not publish a figure, because what you pay depends on the case.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 Fiji 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 Fiji?
Fiji is a Commonwealth country; English is the official language of government documentation; this significantly simplifies the process compared to non-English Pacific nations; Outer island deaths, Yasawa Islands, Mamanuca Islands, Lau Group, require boat or domestic charter flight transfer to Viti Levu; Lau Group atolls have infrequent boat services; transfers can take 1 to 3 days; Scuba diving and snorkelling fatalities are among the most common causes of British tourist deaths; decompression illness deaths may require review of dive logs, extending investigation timelines; Cremation facilities are available in Suva; for British nationals, body repatriation is more common but cremation with ashes transport home is a viable option; The British High Commission Suva also covers Tuvalu, Nauru, Kiribati, and the Cook Islands; for deaths in those territories, the same High Commission is the contact point
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Full repatriation guide
Complete guide: repatriation from Fiji
Official support
British Embassy in Fiji: contacts and what consular staff can do
Need guidance?
We can help with ashes transport
We deal with Colonial War Memorial Hospital (CWMH), Suva (primary forensic facility); Lautoka Hospital (western Fiji) and the local crematorium directly.
Send an enquiryFurther guidance
Official lists for Fiji
Published by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office for British nationals. We are not connected to the firms listed.
- Funeral directors, for arranging local care and preparation
- Lawyers, where an estate or an investigation needs local legal advice
Sources: FCDO: death abroad · FCDO travel advice · Repatriation from Fiji
More on ashes and cremation abroad
Bringing ashes home from Fiji
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.