Cremation and ashes transport

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

Send an enquiry Full repatriation guide for Rwanda

Cremation in Rwanda

Can you cremate someone in Rwanda?

Cremation arrangements in Rwanda 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

Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS), Rwanda; Rwanda Biomedical Centre / Ministry of Health; University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK), Forensic Department; Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB)

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: KGL (Kigali International Airport)

Carriers serving the UK: RwandAir; Kenya Airways (via Nairobi); Qatar Airways (via Doha)

Airline rules that apply on any route.

What affects the cost from Rwanda

We do not publish a figure, because it turns on the specifics of the case.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

Distance from where the death happened to the nearest crematorium
Whether Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS), Rwanda; Rwanda Biomedical Centre / Ministry of Health; University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK), Forensic Department; Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) 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 Rwanda guide sets out that process.

Full repatriation guide for Rwanda

First steps guide

What to do if someone dies in Rwanda

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

Official lists for Rwanda

Published by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office for British nationals. We are not connected to the firms listed.

Funeral directors, for arranging local care and preparation

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

Talk to us about cremation in Rwanda

We deal with Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS), Rwanda; Rwanda Biomedical Centre / Ministry of Health; University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK), Forensic Department; Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) and the local funeral directors directly. Tell us what has happened and we will take it from there.