Ashes transport guide
Bringing ashes home from Lebanon
You have ashes in Lebanon and need to bring them home. This page covers what Lebanon requires before they can leave.
Quick reference
3-10 days to arrange
What does Lebanon require before ashes can leave?
Departure airports: BEY (Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport)
Carriers serving the UK: Middle East Airlines (MEA); Air France (via Paris CDG); Turkish Airlines (via Istanbul)
Authority that must release the case: Lebanese University, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Forensic Medicine Department, Beirut
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 Lebanon require to export ashes?
Cremation availability
Cremation may be restricted or unavailable in Lebanon 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 Lebanon, 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 We do not publish a figure, because what you pay depends on the case.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 Lebanon 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 Lebanon?
Lebanon has a complex confessional legal system; death registration and body release processes can differ depending on the deceased's registered religious community (Sunni, Shia, Maronite, Druze, etc.); Cremation is prohibited for Muslims and is not practised by most Lebanese Christian communities; the assumption for any repatriation from Lebanon is full body transport; The FCDO advises against travel to parts of Lebanon, particularly southern Lebanon and the Syrian border areas; deaths in these areas may involve military or Hezbollah-controlled zones with restricted access; Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport (BEY) is the sole international airport; periods of closure or reduced capacity due to political crisis, security incidents, or infrastructure failure are a documented risk; no alternative international airport exists; Lebanon has a large diaspora community in the UK; many British nationals of Lebanese origin travel regularly; the volume of repatriation cases from Lebanon is higher than the country's tourism profile alone would suggest
high
Full repatriation guide
Complete guide: repatriation from Lebanon
Official support
British Embassy in Lebanon: contacts and what consular staff can do
Need guidance?
We can help with ashes transport
We deal with Lebanese University, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Forensic Medicine Department, Beirut and the local crematorium directly.
Send an enquiryFurther guidance
Official lists for Lebanon
Published by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office for British nationals. We are not connected to the firms listed.
- Funeral directors, for arranging local care and preparation
Sources: FCDO: death abroad · FCDO travel advice · Repatriation from Lebanon
More on ashes and cremation abroad
Bringing ashes home from Lebanon
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.