Ashes transport guide
Bringing ashes home from Iceland
You have ashes in Iceland and need to bring them home. This page covers what Iceland requires before they can leave.
Quick reference
3-10 days to arrange
What does Iceland require before ashes can leave?
Departure airports: KEF (Reykjavik Keflavik International Airport); RKV (Reykjavik Domestic Airport)
Carriers serving the UK: Icelandair; easyJet
Authority that must release the case: Registers Iceland (Þjóðskrá Íslands); Medical Director of Health (Embættislæknir); Landspítali National University Hospital, Department of Pathology; National Commissioner of the Icelandic Police (Lögreglustjórinn)
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 Iceland require to export ashes?
Cremation availability
Cremation may be restricted or unavailable in Iceland 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 Iceland, 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 We do not publish a figure, because what you pay depends on the case.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 Iceland 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 Iceland?
Iceland is one of the simpler repatriations; efficient administration, direct UK flights, and a well-resourced British Embassy make this a lower-complexity origin; Adventure tourism is the primary reason British visitors die in Iceland: glacier walks, volcano hiking, geothermal hot springs, horse riding, and Aurora Borealis tours in winter darkness all carry risk; Remote fatalities (on Vatnajokull glacier, in lava fields, near geothermal vents) require recovery by ICE-SAR (Icelandic Association for Search and Rescue) or the Icelandic Coast Guard before formal death procedures begin; Winter darkness and weather can delay outdoor body recovery from October to March; this is the main cause of timeline extension in Iceland; Iceland is not an EU member but is a member of the EEA and Schengen; documentation is straightforward and English is widely spoken
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Full repatriation guide
Complete guide: repatriation from Iceland
Official support
British Embassy in Iceland: contacts and what consular staff can do
Need guidance?
We can help with ashes transport
We deal with Registers Iceland (Þjóðskrá Íslands); Medical Director of Health (Embættislæknir); Landspítali National University Hospital, Department of Pathology; National Commissioner of the Icelandic Police (Lögreglustjórinn) and the local crematorium directly.
Send an enquiryFurther guidance
Official lists for Iceland
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 Iceland
More on ashes and cremation abroad
Bringing ashes home from Iceland
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.