Cremation and ashes transport

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

Send an enquiry Full repatriation guide for Myanmar

Cremation in Myanmar

Can you cremate someone in Myanmar?

Cremation arrangements in Myanmar 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

Yangon General Hospital, Forensic Medicine Department

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: RGN (Yangon International Airport); MDL (Mandalay International Airport)

Carriers serving the UK: Thai Airways (via Bangkok); Singapore Airlines (via Singapore); Malaysia Airlines (via Kuala Lumpur)

Airline rules that apply on any route.

What affects the cost from Myanmar

We do not publish a figure, because it turns on the specifics of the case.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

Distance from where the death happened to the nearest crematorium
Whether Yangon General Hospital, Forensic Medicine Department 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 Myanmar guide sets out that process.

Full repatriation guide for Myanmar

First steps guide

What to do if someone dies in Myanmar

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

Official lists for Myanmar

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 Myanmar

Talk to us about cremation in Myanmar

We deal with Yangon General Hospital, Forensic Medicine Department and the local funeral directors directly. Tell us what has happened and we will take it from there.