Cremation and ashes transport

Cremation in Tuvalu and bringing ashes home

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

Send an enquiry Full repatriation guide for Tuvalu

Cremation in Tuvalu

Can you cremate someone in Tuvalu?

No cremation facilities in Tuvalu. Full body repatriation via Fiji is required.

Religious context: Predominantly Protestant Christian. Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 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

Tuvalu Births, Deaths and Marriages Registry, Tuvalu Police Service

Documentation language

Tuvaluan, English

Airline guidance

Can you carry ashes on the flight home?

Routing out of Tuvalu: Fiji Airways serves Funafuti (FUN) via Suva/Nadi. No direct Pacific to UK service. All routing goes via Fiji, then connecting to UK via Sydney, Singapore, or Hong Kong.

Departure airports: FUN (Funafuti International Airport)

Airline rules that apply on any route.

What affects the cost from Tuvalu

We do not publish a figure, because it turns on the specifics of the case.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

Distance from where the death happened to the nearest crematorium
Whether Tuvalu Births, Deaths and Marriages Registry, Tuvalu Police Service has to release the case first
Translation, since documentation is in Tuvaluan, English
Routing home. Fiji Airways serves Funafuti (FUN) via Suva/Nadi. No direct Pacific to UK service. All routing goes via Fiji, then connecting to UK via Sydney, Singapore, or Hong Kong.
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 Tuvalu guide sets out that process.

Full repatriation guide for Tuvalu

First steps guide

What to do if someone dies in Tuvalu

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

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

Talk to us about cremation in Tuvalu

We deal with Tuvalu Births, Deaths and Marriages Registry, Tuvalu Police Service and the local funeral directors directly. Tell us what has happened and we will take it from there.