Cremation and ashes transport

Cremation in Colombia 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 Colombia requires, and what to check before you decide.

Send an enquiry Full repatriation guide for Colombia

Cremation in Colombia

Can you cremate someone in Colombia?

Cremation arrangements in Colombia 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

Notaria (notary office) for Registro Civil de Defuncion; INVIMA (National Institute for Food and Drug Surveillance); Instituto de Medicina Legal (IML) and Ciencias Forenses; Fiscalia General de la Nacion (for criminal cases)

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: BOG (El Dorado International, Bogota); MDE (Jose Maria Cordova, Medellin); CTG (Rafael Nunez, Cartagena)

Carriers serving the UK: Avianca; Copa Airlines; American Airlines; British Airways (via connections)

Airline rules that apply on any route.

What affects the cost from Colombia

We do not publish a figure, because it turns on the specifics of the case.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

Distance from where the death happened to the nearest crematorium
Whether Notaria (notary office) for Registro Civil de Defuncion; INVIMA (National Institute for Food and Drug Surveillance); Instituto de Medicina Legal (IML) and Ciencias Forenses; Fiscalia General de la Nacion (for criminal cases) 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 Colombia guide sets out that process.

Full repatriation guide for Colombia

First steps guide

What to do if someone dies in Colombia

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

Official lists for Colombia

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 Colombia

Talk to us about cremation in Colombia

We deal with Notaria (notary office) for Registro Civil de Defuncion; INVIMA (National Institute for Food and Drug Surveillance); Instituto de Medicina Legal (IML) and Ciencias Forenses; Fiscalia General de la Nacion (for criminal cases) and the local funeral directors directly. Tell us what has happened and we will take it from there.