Ashes transport guide
Bringing ashes home from Israel
You have ashes in Israel and need to bring them home. This page covers what Israel requires before they can leave.
Quick reference
3-10 days to arrange
What does Israel require before ashes can leave?
Departure airports: TLV (Ben Gurion International Airport, Tel Aviv); ETM (Ramon International Airport, Eilat)
Carriers serving the UK: El Al; British Airways; easyJet
Authority that must release the case: National Forensic Medicine Centre, Abu Kabir Institute of Forensic Medicine, Tel Aviv
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 Israel require to export ashes?
Cremation availability
Cremation may be restricted or unavailable in Israel 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 Israel, 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 We do not publish a figure, because what you pay depends on the case.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 Israel 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 Israel?
Israel is not a Strasbourg Convention signatory; additional consular processing steps apply compared with European repatriations; Cremation is technically available in Israel at the Or HaGanuz private crematorium near Haifa (operating since 2008) but is not widely accessible; most non-Jewish families opt for full body repatriation to the UK and cremation on arrival; The British Embassy is located in Tel Aviv; the UK also has a Consulate-General in Jerusalem which deals with Palestinian Authority areas only, contact the Tel Aviv Embassy for all Israeli cases; British tourists in Israel concentrate in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, the Dead Sea, and Eilat (Red Sea); Eilat is served by Ramon International Airport (ETM) which has limited UK connections; cargo routing for Eilat deaths typically goes via Tel Aviv; British-Jewish diaspora visitors and Christian pilgrimage tourists account for a significant proportion of British national deaths in Israel; each community has different preferences regarding preparation and timing
medium
Full repatriation guide
Complete guide: repatriation from Israel
Official support
British Embassy in Israel: contacts and what consular staff can do
Need guidance?
We can help with ashes transport
We deal with National Forensic Medicine Centre, Abu Kabir Institute of Forensic Medicine, Tel Aviv and the local crematorium directly.
Send an enquiryFurther guidance
Official lists for Israel
Published by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office for British nationals. We are not connected to the firms listed.
- Lawyers, where an estate or an investigation needs local legal advice
Sources: FCDO: death abroad · FCDO travel advice · Repatriation from Israel
More on ashes and cremation abroad
Bringing ashes home from Israel
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.