Cremation and ashes transport

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

WhatsApp us 24/7 Full repatriation guide for Ghana

Cremation in Ghana

What applies in Ghana

Cremation arrangements in Ghana 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

Births, Deaths and Marriages Registry (BDM); Ghana Health Service; Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Department of Pathology and Forensic Medicine; Ghana Police Service (for unnatural deaths); BDM Registry

Treaty position

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

Airline guidance

Carrying ashes on the flight home

Departure airports: ACC (Kotoka International Airport, Accra)

Carriers serving the UK: British Airways; Africa World Airlines; Ethiopian Airlines (via Addis Ababa)

Airline rules that apply on any route.

What affects the cost from Ghana

We do not publish a figure, because it turns on the specifics of the case.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

Distance from where the death happened to the nearest crematorium
Whether Births, Deaths and Marriages Registry (BDM); Ghana Health Service; Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Department of Pathology and Forensic Medicine; Ghana Police Service (for unnatural deaths); BDM Registry 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 Ghana guide sets out that process.

Full repatriation guide for Ghana

First steps guide

What to do if someone dies in Ghana

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

Talk to us about cremation in Ghana

We deal with Births, Deaths and Marriages Registry (BDM); Ghana Health Service; Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Department of Pathology and Forensic Medicine; Ghana Police Service (for unnatural deaths); BDM Registry and the local funeral directors directly. Tell us what has happened and we will take it from there.