Cremation and ashes transport
Cremation in Mozambique 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 Mozambique requires, and what to check before you decide.
Cremation in Mozambique
Can you cremate someone in Mozambique?
Cremation arrangements in Mozambique 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
Hospital Central de Maputo, Instituto Nacional de Medicina Legal
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: MPM (Maputo International Airport); BEW (Beira Airport); VNX (Vilanculos Airport)
Carriers serving the UK: LAM Mozambique Airlines (via Johannesburg); Kenya Airways (via Nairobi); Ethiopian Airlines (via Addis Ababa); South African Airways (via Johannesburg)
What affects the cost from Mozambique
We do not publish a figure, because it turns on the specifics of the case. For Mozambique the things that move it are:
- Distance from where the death happened to the nearest crematorium
- Whether Hospital Central de Maputo, Instituto Nacional de Medicina Legal has to release the case first
- Whether you carry the ashes yourself or need them shipped
Contact us with the details and we will give you a figure for your case. Source: FCDO guidance and funeral industry data
Considering full repatriation instead?
Some families decide they want their loved one brought home intact. The full Mozambique guide sets out that process.
Full repatriation guide for MozambiqueOfficial lists for Mozambique
Published by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office for British nationals. We are not connected to the firms listed.
- Translators and interpreters, for certified translation of the death certificate and permits
- Lawyers, where an estate or an investigation needs local legal advice
Sources: FCDO: death abroad · FCDO travel advice · Repatriation from Mozambique
Talk to us about cremation in Mozambique
We deal with Hospital Central de Maputo, Instituto Nacional de Medicina Legal and the local funeral directors directly. Tell us what has happened and we will take it from there.
Thank you. We have received your enquiry and will respond within one hour.