Cremation and ashes transport

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

WhatsApp us 24/7 Full repatriation guide for Ecuador

Cremation in Ecuador

What applies in Ecuador

Cremation arrangements in Ecuador 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

Registro Civil; Ministry of Health (Ministerio de Salud Publica); Instituto Nacional de Medicina Legal (INML), Quito or Guayaquil; Fiscalia General del Estado (Prosecutor's Office)

Treaty position

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

Airline guidance

Carrying ashes on the flight home

Departure airports: UIO (Mariscal Sucre International Airport, Quito); GYE (Jose Joaquin de Olmedo International Airport, Guayaquil)

Carriers serving the UK: American Airlines (via Miami); Avianca (via Bogota); Iberia (via Madrid)

Airline rules that apply on any route.

What affects the cost from Ecuador

We do not publish a figure, because it turns on the specifics of the case.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

Distance from where the death happened to the nearest crematorium
Whether Registro Civil; Ministry of Health (Ministerio de Salud Publica); Instituto Nacional de Medicina Legal (INML), Quito or Guayaquil; Fiscalia General del Estado (Prosecutor's Office) 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 Ecuador guide sets out that process.

Full repatriation guide for Ecuador

First steps guide

What to do if someone dies in Ecuador

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

Talk to us about cremation in Ecuador

We deal with Registro Civil; Ministry of Health (Ministerio de Salud Publica); Instituto Nacional de Medicina Legal (INML), Quito or Guayaquil; Fiscalia General del Estado (Prosecutor's Office) and the local funeral directors directly. Tell us what has happened and we will take it from there.