Ashes transport guide
Bringing ashes home from Syria
You have ashes in Syria and need to bring them home. This page covers what Syria requires before they can leave.
Quick reference
What does Syria require before ashes can leave?
Cremation is not practised in Syria and facilities are not available. All remains must be repatriated in full.
Routing from Syria: Syria's aviation connectivity is severely limited. Damascus Airport resumed limited commercial operations post-December 2024 following the fall of Assad. Turkish Airlines and Middle Eastern carriers have begun resuming services cautiously. Most repatriation routing is via Beirut (Lebanon) overland then via Middle East hubs, or via Amman (Jordan).
Departure airports: Damascus International Airport (DAM); Aleppo International Airport (ALP): limited operations; Latakia Airport (LTK): limited operations
Documentation language: Arabic
Authority that must release the case: Civil Status Directorate. Administration varies by region: post-December 2024 transition government in Damascus; Kurdish SDF in north-east; residual contested areas.
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?
If you are connecting through a third country on this routing, that country's rules apply to the transit as well, and should be checked separately.
What does Syria require to export ashes?
Cremation availability
Cremation may be restricted or unavailable in Syria 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 Syria, 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 We do not publish a figure, because what you pay depends on the case.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 Syria 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.
Full repatriation guide
Complete guide: repatriation from Syria
Official support
British Embassy in Syria: contacts and what consular staff can do
Need guidance?
We can help with ashes transport
We deal with Civil Status Directorate. Administration varies by region: post-December 2024 transition government in Damascus; Kurdish SDF in north-east; residual contested areas. and the local crematorium directly.
Send an enquiryFurther guidance
Sources: FCDO: death abroad · FCDO travel advice · Repatriation from Syria
More on ashes and cremation abroad
Bringing ashes home from Syria
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.