Cremation in the UAE: What Families Can Do

The short version, in 30 seconds.

Cremation in the UAE is only allowed for non-Muslims. Children under 3 years old who die in the UAE are not cremated there.
First, you need a police no objection letter. With this letter, the municipality issues a cremation permit.
In Dubai, a cremation permit can also be issued for someone without a residence visa, such as a tourist.
The UAE is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention. Documents are attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Transporting an urn with ashes to Ukraine costs from 800 €. No prepayment required.

Who gives consent for cremation in the UAE

The decision is made by the next of kin: a spouse, adult children, or parents. They can authorize another person, such as a funeral director, to handle the arrangements. This requires a power of attorney or a written letter of authorization.

Religion matters. Only non-Muslims can be cremated. If the person's documents state Islam as their religion, cremation is not possible, and the family must choose between local burial and body repatriation.

If the family is in Ukraine

You do not have to travel to the UAE. You draw up a power of attorney, and we pass it on to our local partners. Before submitting it, we verify whether the power of attorney needs to be translated into Arabic and attested.

Cremation of a Ukrainian citizen without residency

The UK government notes that a person without a valid UAE residence visa can only be cremated or repatriated, not buried locally. Dubai's 2024 regulations explicitly allow the municipality to issue a cremation permit for non-Muslims who were not residents of the emirate. This means cremation is a practical option for a tourist from Ukraine.

Permits and documents for cremation in the UAE

The procedure is as follows:

The police register the death. If the person died outside a hospital, the case is referred to the police, and they order a post-mortem examination (autopsy). The body is released only with permission from the Public Prosecution.
The health authority issues the death certificate.
The police issue a no objection letter. For cremation, copies of this letter go to the crematorium, the mortuary, and the municipality.
With the police letter, the family or funeral service applies to the municipality for a cremation permit and submits it to the crematorium.

In Dubai, this is governed by Administrative Resolution No. 263 of 2024. The permit is issued by the director of the relevant department at Dubai Municipality. Cremation cannot proceed without the approval of the Dubai Police or the Public Prosecution.

British citizens also need a letter from their embassy. We check whether the police require a similar letter from the Embassy of Ukraine and how to obtain it for your specific case.

If the family wants to cremate the person in a different emirate from the one where they died, a separate permit is required.

Where cremations take place:

Sonapur, Jebel Ali, Dubai;
Sharjah Crematorium;
Al Foah in Al Ain, Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

How long does it take to arrange cremation

There are no official timeframes. Obtaining police documents and, if an autopsy was performed, permission from the Public Prosecution usually takes the longest. Once the municipality permit is issued, the crematorium sets the date. We can give you a realistic timeline after speaking with our partners on the ground.

How much does cremation cost in the UAE

We have not found an official price list for cremation. The total cost includes the crematorium fee, municipal charges, transportation of the body, and funeral home services. We request the exact amount for the specific emirate.

If the deceased had insurance, contact the insurance company as early as possible. The insurer may appoint a funeral service and cover part of the expenses.

Our price. Transporting an urn with ashes to Ukraine costs from 800 €. No prepayment: you pay after the urn is handed over according to the contract. If we also arrange the cremation, we calculate its cost based on your situation.

Urn for transport

For air travel, a sturdy urn made of metal, wood, or plastic that can be scanned by X-ray works best. The UK government states that ashes from the UAE can be carried in hand luggage or checked baggage inside a special unsealed box.

Carrying an urn in hand luggage usually requires prior approval from the airline. If the ashes are carried by someone other than the next of kin, separate authorization is also needed to bring the urn on board. We check the rules of the specific carrier in advance.

Taking ashes abroad: from the UAE to Ukraine

What is needed:

death certificate;
cremation certificate from the crematorium;
police no objection letter: the UK government explicitly states that this is required to take ashes out of the country;
attestation of documents.

The UAE is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention. Documents issued in the UAE are attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA attestation). We check whether further legalization at the Embassy of Ukraine in the UAE is required for your documents. We handle the translation into Ukrainian.

There are currently no direct flights to Ukraine. The urn is flown to a country neighboring Ukraine and then transported by land.

At the Ukrainian border, the urn goes through a separate clearance process; see the details in our article on customs clearance for an urn. We provide a full list of documents to every family.

Can you transport the urn yourself

Yes. Bring the originals of the death certificate, cremation certificate, and police letter, along with translations and your passport. Notify the airline before buying your ticket.

Where problems can arise: the carrier has not approved the urn, the police letter is missing, a non-relative is carrying the urn without separate authorization, or different rules apply at a transit airport. If no one can fly out or time is short, leave this to us. Read more about our urn transport service.

Cremation vs. body repatriation

	Cremation in the UAE	Body repatriation
Who is eligible	non-Muslims only, aged 3 and over	anyone
Documents	police letter, municipality permit, cremation certificate	police letter, body export documents, embalming
Transport	urn in hand luggage or with us	special coffin, air cargo
Price	urn from 800 € plus local cremation	see the country page
Burial in Ukraine	urn in a grave, columbarium, or existing family grave	traditional burial

Read about body repatriation from the UAE on a separate page.

Burying an urn in Ukraine

An urn can be buried in a new grave, placed into an existing family grave, or put in a columbarium. Each cemetery handles this according to its own rules, so start by speaking with the cemetery administration. Find a step-by-step guide in our article on urn burial.

From the first call to urn burial: timeline

Stage	Estimated time
Consultation, power of attorney	1–5 days
Police documents, autopsy, and Public Prosecution, if needed	from several days
Municipality permit and cremation	according to the crematorium schedule
UAE MoFA attestation, translation	1–2 weeks
Transporting the urn to Ukraine	several days
Urn burial	as arranged with the cemetery

Timelines depend on the police, the Public Prosecution, and the municipality. We keep you informed about the progress at every step.

Frequently asked questions

Can a Ukrainian citizen be cremated in the UAE?

Yes, if the person was not a Muslim and was over 3 years old. In Dubai, a permit can also be issued for a tourist without a residence visa.

Where do cremations take place in the UAE?

In Sonapur (Jebel Ali, Dubai), at the Sharjah Crematorium, and in Al Foah in Al Ain.

How much does cremation cost in the UAE?

We have not found an official price list. We request the exact cost from the crematorium and funeral service for your specific emirate.

Can I carry an urn from the UAE in my hand luggage?

Usually yes, with prior approval from the airline. You will need the death certificate, cremation certificate, and the police no objection letter.

How much does it cost to transport an urn to Ukraine?

From 800 €. No prepayment: payment is made after the urn is handed over under the contract.

Do we need to fly to the UAE?

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

What to do now

Call us and tell us which emirate the person died in and when.
If there was an insurance policy, notify the insurance company.
Agree within the family on who will sign the consent and arrange a power of attorney.
Arrange a place for the urn with a cemetery in Ukraine. We will handle the rest.

Call +380 77 882 77 77 Ask about an urn

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

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Cremation in the UAE: What Families Can Do and Taking the Ashes to Ukraine