Ashes transport guide
Bringing ashes home from Guernsey
You have ashes in Guernsey and need to bring them home. This page covers what Guernsey requires before they can leave.
Quick reference
What does Guernsey require before ashes can leave?
Guernsey Crematorium at Foulon Cemetery, St Peter Port. Cremation available on island.
Routing from Guernsey: Guernsey is a Crown dependency covering the island of Guernsey, plus the dependencies of Alderney, Sark, Herm and several smaller islets. Deaths on Alderney, Sark or Herm require transfer to Guernsey before air repatriation. Guernsey has its own legal system based on Norman customary law. HM Coroner of Guernsey handles non-natural deaths. Repatriation to mainland UK uses direct scheduled flights from GCI.
Departure airports: Guernsey Airport (GCI): direct scheduled services to London Gatwick (LGW), London City (LCY), Bristol (BRS), Manchester (MAN), Birmingham (BHX), Edinburgh (EDI) and Southampton (SOU). Flight time to London approximately 1h.
Documentation language: English; Guernésiais (Norman French)
Authority that must release the case: HM Coroner of Guernsey; Guernsey Police; Greffe (civil registration 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?
If you are connecting through a third country on this routing, that country's rules apply to the transit as well, and should be checked separately.
What does Guernsey require to export ashes?
Cremation availability
Cremation may be restricted or unavailable in Guernsey 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 Guernsey, 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 We do not publish a figure, because what you pay depends on the case.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 Guernsey 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.
Full repatriation guide
Complete guide: repatriation from Guernsey
Official support
British Embassy in Guernsey: contacts and what consular staff can do
Need guidance?
We can help with ashes transport
We deal with HM Coroner of Guernsey; Guernsey Police; Greffe (civil registration office) and the local crematorium directly.
Send an enquiryFurther guidance
Sources: FCDO: death abroad · FCDO travel advice · Repatriation from Guernsey
More on ashes and cremation abroad
Bringing ashes home from Guernsey
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.