Cremation and ashes transport

Cremation in Nauru and bringing ashes home

No cremation facilities in Nauru. Full body repatriation via Australia is required. This page sets out what Nauru requires, and what to check before you decide.

Send an enquiry Full repatriation guide for Nauru

Cremation in Nauru

Can you cremate someone in Nauru?

No cremation facilities in Nauru. Full body repatriation via Australia is required.

Religious context: Predominantly Protestant Christian. Nauru Congregational Church is the majority denomination.

Weighing cremation abroad against bringing your loved one home intact? How families decide between the two.

Who must release the body

Nauru Vital Statistics Registry, Nauru Police Force

Documentation language

Nauruan, English

Airline guidance

Can you carry ashes on the flight home?

Routing out of Nauru: Nauru Airlines operates Nauru to Brisbane (Australia) and Nauru to Honiara/Tarawa. Via Brisbane for international connections to UK.

Departure airports: INU (Nauru International Airport)

Airline rules that apply on any route.

What affects the cost from Nauru

We do not publish a figure, because it turns on the specifics of the case.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

Distance from where the death happened to the nearest crematorium
Whether Nauru Vital Statistics Registry, Nauru Police Force has to release the case first
Translation, since documentation is in Nauruan, English
Routing home. Nauru Airlines operates Nauru to Brisbane (Australia) and Nauru to Honiara/Tarawa. Via Brisbane for international connections to UK.
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 Nauru guide sets out that process.

Full repatriation guide for Nauru

First steps guide

What to do if someone dies in Nauru

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

Sources: FCDO: death abroad · FCDO travel advice · Repatriation from Nauru

Talk to us about cremation in Nauru

We deal with Nauru Vital Statistics Registry, Nauru Police Force and the local funeral directors directly. Tell us what has happened and we will take it from there.