Cremation and ashes transport

Cremation in Bolivia and bringing ashes home

For some families, arranging cremation locally and carrying ashes home is the right choice, and it can be quicker than full repatriation. This page sets out what Bolivia requires, and what to check before you decide.

Send an enquiry Full repatriation guide for Bolivia

Cremation in Bolivia

Can you cremate someone in Bolivia?

Cremation arrangements in Bolivia depend on local facilities and on whether an investigation is open. Contact us and we will confirm the current position before you make any decision.

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

Who must release the body

Servicio de Registro Civil (SERECI); Ministerio de Salud y Deportes (Ministry of Health and Sports); Instituto de Investigaciones Forenses (IDIF), La Paz or Santa Cruz; Fiscalia General del Estado; FELCC (Special Force Against Crime)

Treaty position

Not a signatory to the Strasbourg Agreement on the Transfer of Corpses

Airline guidance

Can you carry ashes on the flight home?

Departure airports: VVI (Viru Viru International Airport, Santa Cruz de la Sierra); LPB (El Alto International Airport, La Paz, altitude 4,061m)

Carriers serving the UK: LATAM Airlines (via Lima or Sao Paulo); Copa Airlines (via Panama City); Boliviana de Aviacion (BoA) domestic

Airline rules that apply on any route.

What affects the cost from Bolivia

We do not publish a figure, because it turns on the specifics of the case.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

Distance from where the death happened to the nearest crematorium
Whether Servicio de Registro Civil (SERECI); Ministerio de Salud y Deportes (Ministry of Health and Sports); Instituto de Investigaciones Forenses (IDIF), La Paz or Santa Cruz; Fiscalia General del Estado; FELCC (Special Force Against Crime) has to release the case first
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 Bolivia guide sets out that process.

Full repatriation guide for Bolivia

First steps guide

What to do if someone dies in Bolivia

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

Official lists for Bolivia

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 Bolivia

Talk to us about cremation in Bolivia

We deal with Servicio de Registro Civil (SERECI); Ministerio de Salud y Deportes (Ministry of Health and Sports); Instituto de Investigaciones Forenses (IDIF), La Paz or Santa Cruz; Fiscalia General del Estado; FELCC (Special Force Against Crime) and the local funeral directors directly. Tell us what has happened and we will take it from there.