Return of Human Remains

For persons who intend to import/export human remains to  and from Jamaica, please note that only registered Funeral Homes with a licensed Embalmer will be issued with Transit Permit to import or Export Human Remains.

Click to see Guidelines and Requirements

The human remains shall be subject to the following measures:

§  Thorough washing with an effective disinfectant of all orifices; packing of all orifices with cotton saturated with an effective disinfectant; wrapping in a sheet saturated with an effective disinfectant; and placing in an impervious coffin.

OR

§  Proper embalming (arterial and cavity) and encasement in a plastic container which has been sealed by heat or by adhesive materials prior to placement in a non-impervious coffin. If cause of death was from a quarantinable disease then it should be placed in a impervious coffin.

§  The impervious coffin must then be hermetically sealed.

CREMATED REMAINS:

A Clearance Permit is required to bring cremains into Jamaica.  The Clearance Permit may be obtained prior to or post arrival of the cremains in the island.

Prior to arrival

The Cremation and Death Certificates must be sent to the Kingston and St. Andrew Health Department and the permit requested.  The contact information for the Kingston and St. Andrew Health Department is listed below:

5 Marescaux Road

Kingston 5

Jamaica

Telephone: (876) 926 4437/1550-2, 906 1293

Post arrival

The cremains must be declared to Customs at the airport where they will be inspected and detained by the Customs Division and a Confiscation/ Detention Certificate issued.  This certificate along with the Death and Cremation certificates must be taken to the relevant Public Health Department office, as direct by Customs, where a minimal fee will be charged and a permit issued for clearance. The clearance permit must then be taken back to customs to clear the remains.

There is no restriction as to how the cremains are disposed of in Jamaica.