Ashes transport guide
Bringing ashes home from Hong Kong
You have ashes in Hong Kong and need to bring them to the UK. This page covers what Hong Kong requires before they can leave.
Quick reference
3-10 days to arrange
What Hong Kong requires before ashes can leave
Departure airports: HKG (Hong Kong International Airport)
Carriers serving the UK: Cathay Pacific; British Airways; Virgin Atlantic
Authority that must release the case: Births Deaths and Marriages Registry (BDMR); Department of Health under Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132); Government Forensic Pathologist (under Coroner's Court jurisdiction); Coroner's Court (Coroner'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.
Airline rules
Export requirements from Hong Kong
Cremation availability
Cremation may be restricted or unavailable in Hong Kong 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 Hong Kong, 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 We do not publish a figure, because what you pay depends on the case.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 Hong Kong 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.
Worth knowing about Hong Kong
Hong Kong operates a separate legal system from mainland China under One Country Two Systems; do not confuse mainland China procedures with Hong Kong procedures; The Coroner's Court system in Hong Kong is modelled on the UK system and is familiar to experienced repatriation specialists; Cathay Pacific and British Airways both operate direct daily flights to Heathrow, among the best-connected routes from Asia; Significant British expat community means British Consulate-General staff are experienced with repatriation cases
medium
Full repatriation guide
Complete guide: repatriation from Hong Kong
Official support
British Embassy in Hong Kong: contacts and what consular staff can do
Need guidance?
We can help with ashes transport
We deal with Births Deaths and Marriages Registry (BDMR); Department of Health under Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132); Government Forensic Pathologist (under Coroner's Court jurisdiction); Coroner's Court (Coroner's Office) and the local crematorium directly.
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