Cremation and ashes transport

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

Send an enquiry Full repatriation guide for Nepal

Cremation in Nepal

Can you cremate someone in Nepal?

Cremation arrangements in Nepal 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

Ward Office or District Administration Office (DAO); Ministry of Home Affairs or District Administration Office; Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH), Department of Forensic Medicine; Nepal Police; DAO

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: KTM (Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu)

Carriers serving the UK: Qatar Airways (via Doha); Air India (via Delhi); Nepal Airlines

Airline rules that apply on any route.

What affects the cost from Nepal

We do not publish a figure, because it turns on the specifics of the case.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

Distance from where the death happened to the nearest crematorium
Whether Ward Office or District Administration Office (DAO); Ministry of Home Affairs or District Administration Office; Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH), Department of Forensic Medicine; Nepal Police; DAO 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 Nepal guide sets out that process.

Full repatriation guide for Nepal

First steps guide

What to do if someone dies in Nepal

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

Official lists for Nepal

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 Nepal

Talk to us about cremation in Nepal

We deal with Ward Office or District Administration Office (DAO); Ministry of Home Affairs or District Administration Office; Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH), Department of Forensic Medicine; Nepal Police; DAO and the local funeral directors directly. Tell us what has happened and we will take it from there.