How to transport a relative's ashes to the USA or homeland: legal nuances

The loss of a loved one is always painful, and having to fly across an ocean and several countries to pick up or deliver ashes becomes a problem of a completely different level.

Photo: Ute Eisenlohr | Dreamstime.com

Our office team understands the significant emotional stress our clients experience. We know how important it is to honor the wishes of the deceased to be buried where he or she wanted. We also understand the relatives who want to be able to visit the graves of their loved ones on a regular basis, so they ask us to bring ashes from another country to the United States.

International transportation of ashes is a complex process that requires a lot of effort and carefully prepared documentation. Each country and each individual airline has its own rules. We do not recommend relying on Google or other people's experience: laws and rules differ not only from country to country, but also depend on the chosen route.

There is a special procedure for checking hand luggage in which ashes are transported. If the authorized employee cannot reliably determine that the container does not contain prohibited items, the cargo will not be allowed to be transported.

Proper documentation is the most important part of this process. Each country has its own laws and regulations for transporting cremated remains. The list of documents you must provide us with includes:

• death certificate;
• cremation certificate;
• certificate of cause of death;
• a certificate that there are no foreign objects in the urn containing the ashes (this is important because cremated remains are one of many sensitive items that could be used by someone wishing to conceal prohibited items);
• other documents depending on the specific situation.

All international documents must be apostilled and translated into the appropriate language. The ashes must be properly sealed, accompanied by impeccable documentation and, most importantly, accompanied by a person with the appropriate experience.

We understand the process of transporting cremated remains and pride ourselves on offering quality, reliable services to address these sensitive and painful issues. Write to us at [email protected]to receive assistance in transporting ashes abroad from/to the USA or from/to any country, including Russia and Ukraine.

In addition, we handle inheritance cases in the above jurisdictions and will provide you with professional services in this area, which will save you time and eliminate the need for transcontinental travel.

Read also on ForumDaily:

How to sell housing and re-register real estate in your home country while in the USA

Wills, inheritance and taxes: how to solve these problems if you live abroad

How to issue a power of attorney abroad: advice from an experienced notary

How to receive a Russian pension in America, and why you should not save this money in Sberbank accounts

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.