Ashes transport guide
Bringing ashes home from Norway
You have ashes in Norway and need to bring them home. This page covers what Norway requires before they can leave.
Quick reference
3-10 days to arrange
What does Norway require before ashes can leave?
Departure airports: OSL (Oslo Gardermoen International Airport); BGO (Bergen Airport, Flesland); TRD (Trondheim Airport, Vaernes)
Carriers serving the UK: SAS Scandinavian Airlines; Norwegian Air Shuttle; British Airways
Authority that must release the case: Oslo University Hospital, Rettsmedisinsk institutt (Institute of Forensic Medicine)
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 Norway require to export ashes?
Cremation availability
Cremation may be restricted or unavailable in Norway 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 Norway, 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 We do not publish a figure, because what you pay depends on the case.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 Norway 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 Norway?
Norway is one of the simpler European repatriations: direct UK flights from Oslo, Bergen and Trondheim, efficient administration, English widely spoken at all official levels; Kripos (Kriminalitetsbekjempelse og politiets spesialtjenester) handles all unnatural death investigations; their processes are thorough but efficient by international standards; Adventure tourism is a significant risk factor: skiing, fjord hiking, cycling, sea kayaking, and mountain climbing all carry fatality risk; off-piste skiing and unsupervised fjord activities are the most common causes; Svalbard (the Arctic archipelago) has its own legal framework; deaths there are processed under Svalbard law via the Governor's office (Sysselmannen) before Norwegian mainland formalities can begin; this adds 5-10 days; Norway is not an EU member but is in the EEA and Schengen; documentation is in Norwegian but translations are straightforward given the established Norway-UK repatriation pathway
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Full repatriation guide
Complete guide: repatriation from Norway
Official support
British Embassy in Norway: contacts and what consular staff can do
Need guidance?
We can help with ashes transport
We deal with Oslo University Hospital, Rettsmedisinsk institutt (Institute of Forensic Medicine) and the local crematorium directly.
Send an enquiryFurther guidance
Official lists for Norway
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 Norway
More on ashes and cremation abroad
Bringing ashes home from Norway
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.