Ashes transport guide
Bringing ashes home from Kazakhstan
You have ashes in Kazakhstan and need to bring them home. This page covers what Kazakhstan requires before they can leave.
Quick reference
3-10 days to arrange
What does Kazakhstan require before ashes can leave?
Departure airports: NQZ (Astana International Airport); ALA (Almaty International Airport)
Carriers serving the UK: Turkish Airlines (via Istanbul Ataturk); flydubai (via Dubai International); Emirates (via Dubai International); Air Astana (domestic and connecting)
Authority that must release the case: Republican Centre of Forensic Medical Examination, Astana; regional facilities in Almaty and other major cities
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 Kazakhstan require to export ashes?
Cremation availability
Cremation may be restricted or unavailable in Kazakhstan 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 Kazakhstan, 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 We do not publish a figure, because what you pay depends on the case.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 Kazakhstan 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 Kazakhstan?
Kazakhstan is a vast country, the ninth largest in the world by area, and deaths in remote steppe, desert, or mountain regions can take several days to report and transfer to the nearest forensic facility; deaths in the Tian Shan or Altai ranges near the Chinese or Russian borders involve particularly long evacuation times; The capital was renamed from Nur-Sultan back to Astana in September 2022; the British Embassy is formally the British Embassy Astana; do not use Nur-Sultan in official correspondence; Kazakh and Russian are both official languages; official documents may be issued in either or both; certified legal translation into English is required for all death documentation; Air Astana operates internationally but does not fly to the UK; all cargo routing connects via Istanbul (Turkish Airlines) or Dubai (flydubai or Emirates); The Almaty region and the Tian Shan mountain range around Shymbulak ski resort are common British tourist areas; the British Embassy Astana also covers deaths originating in Almaty, the country's largest city and commercial hub
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Full repatriation guide
Complete guide: repatriation from Kazakhstan
Official support
British Embassy in Kazakhstan: contacts and what consular staff can do
Need guidance?
We can help with ashes transport
We deal with Republican Centre of Forensic Medical Examination, Astana; regional facilities in Almaty and other major cities and the local crematorium directly.
Send an enquiryFurther guidance
Official lists for Kazakhstan
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
Sources: FCDO: death abroad · FCDO travel advice · Repatriation from Kazakhstan
More on ashes and cremation abroad
Bringing ashes home from Kazakhstan
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.