Taking ashes abroad.

[Libre55]

I have a small amount of ashes (a handful, less than the size of a tennis ball) from a friend who recently died. There has been huge conflict between the family of the friend who died, and the friends friends.He was gay, and the family refused to give anyone details of the cremation. Long story.

His closest friends have discussed it and we have agreed that we will follow his wishes and scatter his ashes on his favourite beach, in Mauritius . I have read all the guidelines on taking human ashes and they all give regulations stating the type of container etc etc and the certificates needed. I have an electronic copy of his death certificate, but do not have a certificate of cremation. It may be difficult to obtain these as the family are NC with us.

As it is such a small amount, I am planning to triple wrap them in ziplock bags and carry them in my hand luggage. IF questioned, I would obviously show the death certificate. How likely is it that that would show up as a suspicious material on X-ray and be questioned? Shall I bother declaring them?

Bump?

Organic material shows up as a different colour on the X-ray. They will know they are ashes and will need to documentation to show.

I'd do exactly what you're planning, TBH. I can't see anyone detecting them.

I've no idea about the likelihood of the ashes showing up, but would you be prepared to risk it ending up being binned under the conveyor belt at Security (sorry)

I transported half of my mother's ashes from New Zealand to Scotland in my hand luggage. She was Scottish, but lived most of her adult life in NZ and wanted to be scattered in both places. I had a copy of her death certificate and the cremation certificate. It was checked everywhere at security (NZ, Australia, Dubai and UK). I'm not sure how necessary all the paperwork was, but it was picked up each time, and I had to explain it over and over.

What's your plan if you are refused travel with the ashes because you don't have the cremation certificate?

Because that really is a possibility.

Will you cancel your flight? Go away anyway and leave the ashes here hoping they don't get lost in the airport and are still here to collect when you get home?

So sorry for your loss. My partner took a small amount of his father's ashes from the UK to South Africa a few years ago with no issues.

He had them in a small tupperware in his checked bag it was never questioned. I don't think he declared it but had the death certificate just in case.

I hope it all goes smoothly for you 🤗

And just out of interest because I'm a nosey cow, how did you get hold of a handful of his ashes when you're all N/C with his family?

I did this recently OP, for my late DP, but I did have the cremation certificate. I also got a letter from the undertakers but they did tell me that I would need the cremation certificate.

I had a small amount (about a handful) in a plastic screw top bottle as the airline guidelines specified that a screw top container need to be used and then in a plastic ziplock bag.

I volunteered the information going through security but they never asked for any documentation and didn't ask me to get the bottle out so I don't know how it showed up in the x-ray.

I think you can get a copy of the cremation certificate if you contact the crematorium or the funeral director.

How did you get the ashes if the family won’t provide the confirmation of cremation?

We’ve travelled abroad with ashes, the undertaker had put them in a scatter tube that was suitable to take on a plane.

Can you contact the undertaker for advice?

I wouldn’t take them in a ziplock bag, unless you’re willing to risk them going in the bin at airport security.

Does anyone know if it is easy to obtain a cremation certificate if you did not organise the cremation? My friend had a wicked sense of humour, and would be loving all this drama!

We took a relative’s ashes from one EU country to another for scattering. We had a certificate from the undertaker giving all the details. The ashes were in a container that looked a bit like the cardboard tube around a whisky bottle (lol, given the deceased). The tube was in a bag through security, and the guy asked us to take it out because it had clearly shown up as something unexplained. He asked what was in the container, not sure if he suspected drugs or explosives or whatever else. When I said ‚human ashes, here’s the paperwork‘ he crossed himself and went ‚no sure, yer fine now‘, and waved us through. So my takeaway from that is a. It might well get flagged up as suspicious by security, and b. If you’re flying from Ireland you’ll be grand now. Otherwise, maybe not.
Best of luck with it!

We were given a small portion of the ashes to do with as we wished with the proviso that we did not contact them again.