Ashes transport guide
Bringing ashes home from Senegal
You have ashes in Senegal and need to bring them to the UK. This page covers what Senegal requires before they can leave.
Quick reference
3-10 days to arrange
What Senegal requires before ashes can leave
Departure airports: DSS (Blaise Diagne International, Dakar)
Carriers serving the UK: Air Senegal; Air France; Royal Air Maroc; Brussels Airlines
Authority that must release the case: Etat Civil (Civil Registry) in the commune of death; Ministry of Interior laissez-passer; Ministry of Health certificate; Institut Medico-Legal (IML), Dakar; Parquet (Prosecutor's Office) for unnatural deaths
The rules that apply on any route, and what you may do with ashes once home, are covered in bringing ashes into the UK.
Airline rules
Export requirements from Senegal
Cremation availability
Cremation may be restricted or unavailable in Senegal 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 Senegal, 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 We do not publish a figure, because what you pay depends on the case.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 Senegal 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.
Worth knowing about Senegal
Senegal is a Muslim-majority country; cremation is generally not available or acceptable; No direct UK flights; routing via Paris (Air France) or Casablanca (Royal Air Maroc) is standard; Dakar is the regional hub for West Africa, deaths elsewhere in Senegal (Saint-Louis, Casamance, Ziguinchor) require transfer to Dakar; Former French colony: documentation is in French throughout. Certified English translation required
high
Full repatriation guide
Complete guide: repatriation from Senegal
Official support
British Embassy in Senegal: contacts and what consular staff can do
Need guidance?
We can help with ashes transport
We deal with Etat Civil (Civil Registry) in the commune of death; Ministry of Interior laissez-passer; Ministry of Health certificate; Institut Medico-Legal (IML), Dakar; Parquet (Prosecutor's Office) for unnatural deaths and the local crematorium directly.
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