Ashes transport guide
Bringing ashes home from Nepal
You have ashes in Nepal and need to bring them home. This page covers what Nepal requires before they can leave.
Quick reference
3-10 days to arrange
What does Nepal require before ashes can leave?
Departure airports: KTM (Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu)
Carriers serving the UK: Qatar Airways (via Doha); Air India (via Delhi); Nepal Airlines
Authority that must release the case: Ward Office or District Administration Office (DAO); Ministry of Home Affairs or District Administration Office; Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH), Department of Forensic Medicine; Nepal Police; DAO
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 Nepal require to export ashes?
Cremation availability
Cremation may be restricted or unavailable in Nepal 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 Nepal, 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 We do not publish a figure, because what you pay depends on the case.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 Nepal 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 Nepal?
Trekking deaths above 5,000m require helicopter evacuation; costs are significant and must be coordinated with Nepal Army Aviation or private operators; Deaths on Everest, Annapurna, Langtang, or Mustang trekking routes are among the most logistically complex repatriations; Cremation is widely available in Kathmandu (Hindu tradition); many families of Hindu Nepali nationals opt for cremation, but UK family repatriation is typically body repatriation; No direct UK flights from Kathmandu; routing via Doha (Qatar Airways) or Delhi (Air India) is standard for cargo; Nepali documentation is in Nepali script (Devanagari); certified English translation required
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Full repatriation guide
Complete guide: repatriation from Nepal
Official support
British Embassy in Nepal: contacts and what consular staff can do
Need guidance?
We can help with ashes transport
We deal with Ward Office or District Administration Office (DAO); Ministry of Home Affairs or District Administration Office; Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH), Department of Forensic Medicine; Nepal Police; DAO and the local crematorium directly.
Send an enquiryFurther guidance
Official lists for Nepal
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 Nepal
More on ashes and cremation abroad
Bringing ashes home from Nepal
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.