Ashes transport guide
Bringing ashes home from Trinidad and Tobago
You have ashes in Trinidad and Tobago and need to bring them home. This page covers what Trinidad and Tobago requires before they can leave.
Quick reference
3-10 days to arrange
What does Trinidad and Tobago require before ashes can leave?
Routing from Trinidad and Tobago: Port of Spain (POS) direct to London Heathrow (British Airways); Port of Spain (POS) via Barbados (LIAT/Caribbean Airlines) to London
Departure airports: Piarco International Airport (POS), Trinidad
Carriers serving the UK: British Airways; Caribbean Airlines; Virgin Atlantic
Documentation language: English
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?
Direct UK services: British Airways operates direct London Gatwick / Heathrow to Port of Spain. This is one of the few Caribbean destinations with direct UK cargo routing.
Other departure points: ANR Robinson International Airport (TAB), Tobago
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 Trinidad and Tobago require to export ashes?
Cremation availability
Cremation may be restricted or unavailable in Trinidad and Tobago 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 Trinidad and Tobago, 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 We do not publish a figure, because what you pay depends on the case.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 Trinidad and Tobago 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 Trinidad and Tobago?
Trinidad and Tobago is a Commonwealth nation with a resident British High Commission in Port of Spain; English documentation and a direct BA flight to London make this one of the more straightforward Caribbean repatriations; Tobago is the tourist island; most British visitors to 'Trinidad and Tobago' are actually on Tobago (Pigeon Point, Crown Point, Speyside dive sites); deaths on Tobago require inter-island transfer to Trinidad for full forensic examination; Scuba diving deaths occur at Speyside on Tobago, which has some of the best diving in the Caribbean; specialist forensic examination is required for diving-related fatalities; The carnival period (February-March) sees very high volumes of British visitors to Trinidad; deaths during carnival may face slightly extended administrative processing due to government office closures over the festival period; Trinidad has a large Hindu and Muslim community alongside the Christian population; religious considerations affecting body release timelines may arise in cases involving local family members
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Full repatriation guide
Complete guide: repatriation from Trinidad and Tobago
Official support
British Embassy in Trinidad and Tobago: contacts and what consular staff can do
Need guidance?
We can help with ashes transport
If you are unsure about the paperwork or airline requirements, we can take it from here.
Send an enquiryFurther guidance
Official lists for Trinidad and Tobago
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 Trinidad and Tobago
More on ashes and cremation abroad
Bringing ashes home from Trinidad and Tobago
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.