Cremation in Azerbaijan: Is It Possible and What to Do

The short version, in 30 seconds.

The UK government notes that there are no cremation facilities in Azerbaijan, so it is impossible to obtain ashes there.
In February 2025, the State Committee on Work with Religious Associations stated that the authorities are not discussing the opening of crematoriums.
The most common path is to transport the body to Ukraine and arrange cremation here.
Both Azerbaijan and Ukraine are parties to the Apostille Convention. The Ministry of Justice places the apostille on death registration documents.
Transport with no prepayment: payment is made after delivery under the contract.

Call +380 77 882 77 77 Ask about transport

Is cremation possible in Azerbaijan

The honest answer is no. In its guidance for British nationals (published in February 2026), the UK government states that while local burial is possible, there are no cremation facilities in Azerbaijan. It also notes that cremation is not practiced in the country and it is not possible to obtain ashes locally.

The rules for establishing and managing cemeteries, approved by Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 522 of December 4, 2018, include provisions for cremation in accordance with a person's faith. However, in February 2025, the State Committee on Work with Religious Associations reported that the opening of crematoriums is not being discussed among state bodies. In other words, the legal rule exists, but there is no place where cremations are performed.

For most people in Azerbaijan, burial in the ground is tied to faith and tradition, and we treat this with respect. For a Ukrainian who wanted to be cremated, this simply means the cremation is carried out in another country.

What families do instead of cremation

Transporting the body to Ukraine

This is the most common option. A funeral service in Azerbaijan handles the paperwork, and the body is prepared for transport and brought to Ukraine. We have described how this works and how much it costs on the body transport from Azerbaijan page.

The UK government notes that Baku has refrigerated storage facilities for bodies, whereas conditions in the regions may not meet the standards of the capital. Therefore, if a person passed away outside the capital, please call us as early as possible.

Cremation in Ukraine after transport

The body is brought to Ukraine, and a Ukrainian crematorium performs the cremation. Afterwards, the urn is buried at a cemetery or placed in a columbarium. We agree on the crematorium and the date together with the family.

For the family, this is often simpler: a farewell ceremony at home, documents in Ukrainian, and cremation close to the burial place.

Cremation in another country

In theory, the body can be transported to another country that has a crematorium. However, this means an extra border, another set of documents, and another set of rules. Usually, this is neither cheaper nor faster than transporting the body to Ukraine. We only consider this option for specific situations.

If you already have the urn

Sometimes a person was cremated in another country, and the urn is currently in Azerbaijan, for example with the family. To bring it to Ukraine, you need the death certificate and the cremation certificate with an apostille or legalization from the country that issued the document, along with a translation. An urn in hand luggage is usually carried by prior arrangement with the airline. Transporting an urn with ashes to Ukraine costs from 800 €, with no prepayment.

Read our article on customs clearance of an urn for border procedures, and our article on urn burial for burial details.

Documents

How a death is registered in Azerbaijan:

a medical certificate of death (form AZS-106) is issued by the forensic medical examination service of the district where the death occurred, once the cause of death is established;
a death certificate in Azerbaijani is issued by the district registration office or an ASAN xidmət center.

For transporting a body, the UK government lists: the local death certificate, permission to remove the body issued by the authority investigating the death, the deceased's passport, a letter of no objection from the embassy, and a flight booking. Whether such a letter from the Embassy of Ukraine in Baku is required and how to obtain it is something we clarify for your specific case.

The apostille on civil status documents, including the death certificate, is placed by the Ministry of Justice of Azerbaijan. We handle the translation into Ukrainian. We provide a full list of documents to every family.

The decision on transport is made by the next of kin. If the relatives are in Ukraine, there is no need to travel: a power of attorney is sufficient.

Cremation in Azerbaijan vs. body transport: comparison

	Body transport and cremation in Ukraine	Cremation in another country
Documents	Azerbaijani documents for removing the body	the same plus documents from the country of cremation
Borders	one	two
Price	see the country page, cremation in Ukraine is paid separately	calculated per case, urn from 800 €
Farewell ceremony	possible in Ukraine	usually without a farewell ceremony at home

How much it costs

The price of transporting a body from Azerbaijan depends on the city, route, and documents. We calculate it for your specific situation, and an estimate is available on the country page. Cremation in Ukraine is paid separately according to the crematorium's rates. If you already have the urn, transporting an urn with ashes to Ukraine costs from 800 €.

If the person had insurance, notify the insurance company as early as possible. Payment for transport is made after delivery under the contract.

Frequently asked questions

Can a person be cremated in Azerbaijan?

No. The UK government notes that there are no cremation facilities in the country. The authorities are not currently discussing the opening of crematoriums.

What should we do if the person wanted to be cremated?

Transport the body to Ukraine and arrange the cremation here. Afterwards, the urn is buried at a cemetery or placed in a columbarium.

What documents are needed to transport a body?

A death certificate, permission to remove the body from the authority investigating the death, a passport, and if needed, an embassy letter. An apostille is placed on the Azerbaijani documents.

Who places the apostille on the death certificate?

The Ministry of Justice of Azerbaijan.

Do we need to travel to Azerbaijan?

No. A power of attorney is enough. We take care of the documents and transport.

Do we have to pay in advance?

No. Transport is done with no prepayment: payment is made after delivery under the contract.

What to do now

Call us and tell us where and when the person passed away.
If there was insurance, notify the insurance company.
Decide within the family: cremation in Ukraine or burial.
Issue a power of attorney. We will take care of the rest.

Call +380 77 882 77 77 Ask about transport

Phone line open 24/7, also available on Viber, WhatsApp, and Telegram.

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Cremation in Azerbaijan: Is It Possible and What Families Can Do