Ashes transport guide
Bringing ashes home from Vanuatu
You have ashes in Vanuatu and need to bring them home. This page covers what Vanuatu requires before they can leave.
Quick reference
3-10 days to arrange
What does Vanuatu require before ashes can leave?
Departure airports: VLI (Bauerfield International Airport, Port Vila); SON (Santo-Pekoa International Airport, Luganville)
Carriers serving the UK: Air Vanuatu (domestic and regional); Qantas (via Brisbane or Sydney); Virgin Australia (via Brisbane)
Authority that must release the case: Vila Central Hospital, Port Vila (primary facility; limited forensic capacity)
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 Vanuatu require to export ashes?
Cremation availability
Cremation may be restricted or unavailable in Vanuatu 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 Vanuatu, 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 We do not publish a figure, because what you pay depends on the case.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 Vanuatu 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 Vanuatu?
No resident British Embassy or High Commission; the Australian High Commission Port Vila handles consular emergencies for British nationals under the UK-Australia Consular Sharing Agreement; contact the FCDO Emergency Travel Advice line in London simultaneously; Outer island deaths (Tanna, Malekula, Ambrym, outer Santo) require inter-island charter or boat transfer to Port Vila; Vila Central Hospital has very limited forensic pathology capacity; Active volcanoes, particularly Mount Yasur on Tanna Island, present a genuine risk; deaths from volcanic activity, toxic gases, or falls near crater rims are occasionally reported; Cyclone season runs November to April and regularly disrupts inter-island transport; deaths during cyclone season may face extended delays from outer islands; Complex deaths may require the Vanuatu government to request specialist forensic assistance from Australia, adding significant time to the overall timeline
high
Full repatriation guide
Complete guide: repatriation from Vanuatu
Official support
British Embassy in Vanuatu: contacts and what consular staff can do
Need guidance?
We can help with ashes transport
We deal with Vila Central Hospital, Port Vila (primary facility; limited forensic capacity) and the local crematorium directly.
Send an enquiryFurther guidance
Official lists for Vanuatu
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 Vanuatu
More on ashes and cremation abroad
Bringing ashes home from Vanuatu
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.