Ashes transport guide
Bringing ashes home from Myanmar
You have ashes in Myanmar and need to bring them home. This page covers what Myanmar requires before they can leave.
Quick reference
3-10 days to arrange
What does Myanmar require before ashes can leave?
Departure airports: RGN (Yangon International Airport); MDL (Mandalay International Airport)
Carriers serving the UK: Thai Airways (via Bangkok); Singapore Airlines (via Singapore); Malaysia Airlines (via Kuala Lumpur)
Authority that must release the case: Yangon General Hospital, Forensic Medicine Department
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 Myanmar require to export ashes?
Cremation availability
Cremation may be restricted or unavailable in Myanmar 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 Myanmar, 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 We do not publish a figure, because what you pay depends on the case.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 Myanmar 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 Myanmar?
Since the military coup of February 2021, Myanmar's civil administration has been replaced by military control at all levels; repatriation processes are subject to military-aligned bureaucracy and outcomes are less predictable than before 2021; The FCDO advises against all but essential travel to Myanmar and against all travel to many border regions; British nationals who die in restricted areas may have limited consular access; The British Embassy is in Yangon, not the official capital Naypyidaw; all consular functions for British nationals are handled from Yangon; All official documents are in Burmese script; certified English translations are required for every document in the chain before UK formalities can be completed; No direct UK flights have operated from Myanmar for many years; routing is via Bangkok (Thai Airways or Bangkok Airways), Singapore (Singapore Airlines), or Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia Airlines); each transit point adds complexity and handling time
high
Full repatriation guide
Complete guide: repatriation from Myanmar
Official support
British Embassy in Myanmar: contacts and what consular staff can do
Need guidance?
We can help with ashes transport
We deal with Yangon General Hospital, Forensic Medicine Department and the local crematorium directly.
Send an enquiryFurther guidance
Official lists for Myanmar
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 Myanmar
More on ashes and cremation abroad
Bringing ashes home from Myanmar
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.