Cremation and ashes transport

Cremation in Bhutan and bringing ashes home

No commercial cremation facilities for foreign nationals. Full body repatriation is required. This page sets out what Bhutan requires, and what to check before you decide.

Send an enquiry Full repatriation guide for Bhutan

Cremation in Bhutan

Can you cremate someone in Bhutan?

No commercial cremation facilities for foreign nationals. Full body repatriation is required.

Religious context: Vajrayana Buddhism is the official religion. Significant Hindu minority. No Islamic burial requirements.

Weighing cremation abroad against bringing your loved one home intact? How families decide between the two.

Who must release the body

Civil Registration and Census Authority (CRCA), Royal Bhutan Police

Documentation language

Dzongkha, English

Airline guidance

Can you carry ashes on the flight home?

Routing out of Bhutan: Paro International served by Drukair (Royal Bhutan Airlines) and Bhutan Airlines via Delhi, Kolkata, Bangkok, Kathmandu. Very limited capacity.

Departure airports: PBH (Paro International)

Airline rules that apply on any route.

What affects the cost from Bhutan

We do not publish a figure, because it turns on the specifics of the case. For Bhutan the things that move it are:

Distance from where the death happened to the nearest crematorium
Whether Civil Registration and Census Authority (CRCA), Royal Bhutan Police has to release the case first
Translation, since documentation is in Dzongkha, English
Routing home. Paro International served by Drukair (Royal Bhutan Airlines) and Bhutan Airlines via Delhi, Kolkata, Bangkok, Kathmandu. Very limited capacity.
Whether you carry the ashes yourself or need them shipped

Considering full repatriation instead?

Some families decide they want their loved one brought home intact. The full Bhutan guide sets out that process.

Full repatriation guide for Bhutan

First steps guide

What to do if someone dies in Bhutan

The step-by-step first response guide covers the first 24 hours in Bhutan.

Sources: FCDO: death abroad · FCDO travel advice · Repatriation from Bhutan

Talk to us about cremation in Bhutan

We deal with Civil Registration and Census Authority (CRCA), Royal Bhutan Police and the local funeral directors directly. Tell us what has happened and we will take it from there.