Cremation and ashes transport

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

Send an enquiry Full repatriation guide for the Seychelles

Cremation in the Seychelles

Can you cremate someone in the Seychelles?

Cremation arrangements in the Seychelles 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

Seychelles Hospital forensic pathology unit, Victoria, Mahe (complex cases may transfer to Reunion or South Africa)

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: SEZ (Seychelles International Airport, Mahe)

Carriers serving the UK: British Airways (direct London Heathrow, seasonal); Air Seychelles; Emirates (via Dubai)

Airline rules that apply on any route.

What affects the cost from the Seychelles

We do not publish a figure, because it turns on the specifics of the case.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

Distance from where the death happened to the nearest crematorium
Whether Seychelles Hospital forensic pathology unit, Victoria, Mahe (complex cases may transfer to Reunion or South Africa) 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 Seychelles guide sets out that process.

Full repatriation guide for the Seychelles

First steps guide

What to do if someone dies in the Seychelles

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

Official lists for the Seychelles

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 the Seychelles

Talk to us about cremation in the Seychelles

We deal with Seychelles Hospital forensic pathology unit, Victoria, Mahe (complex cases may transfer to Reunion or South Africa) and the local funeral directors directly. Tell us what has happened and we will take it from there.