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Italy
McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes is an accredited Approved Air Cargo Known Consignor with trained and knowledgeable staff able to guide your family through this entire process.
This page contains information on shipping cremated remains and human remains from Canada to Italy. These rules are set by the Consulate of Italy and we have provided their contact information below. The cost of a shipment from Canada to Italy is determined by the funeral home fees for handling the arrangements and the fees set by the Italian consulate. Please call or request a quote for exact pricing information.
Traveling with an Urn To Italy
Transporting urns as carry-on luggage requires that the urns must pass successfully through the x-ray machine. Many urns generate an opaque image and will not be permitted through airport security.
If the urn cannot be x-rayed, the next option is to transport the remains in the belly of the plane as checked baggage. The crematory container will undergo testing for explosive devices and, if cleared, will be permitted as checked baggage.
We recommend purchasing a temporary container made of wood, plastic or non-lead lined ceramic along with their permanent urn or to purchase a permanent urn that meets the TSA requirement for transporting your loved one’s remains.
- Urns will not be opened by security personnel.
- Certificate of cremation from Crematorium
- Declaration of Contents from Funeral Home
- Certified copies of Death Certificates (1)
- Passport of the deceased
- Name address and phone of consignee
Shipping of Cremated Remains To Italy
Documentation and procedures to ship cremated remains to Italy
List of required documents (please follow the instructions closely as no exceptions will be made):
- Two (2) “Statements of death” (if female, whenever possible please use the maiden name).
- One (1) “Medical certificate of death”.
- One (1) original “Certificates of cremation” issued by the crematorium.
- The original and one (1) copy of the “Certificate for shipment of a body outside of British Columbia” or equivalent certificates for Alberta, Saskatchewan or Yukun Provices.
- One (1) copy of the burial permit.
- The last passport of the deceased (Italian, Canadian or both) plus two (2) copies of the main pages.
- A letter of permission signed by the family specifying the name of the cemetery and the “Comune” (city) where the burial is to take place. This letter should also authorize the Funeral Home to act on the family’s behalf in dealing with the Consulate General of Italy.
- The cremated remains must be placed in an approved urn and the urn must in turn be placed in a wooden shipping container.
- A small metal plate must be affixed to the urn and engraved with the following information relating to the deceased: name and surname (maiden name, if applicable), date of birth and date of death. This plate must be secured onto the urn with extra strong glue.
- Always indicate the airport in Italy that is to be used as the port of entry.
- It is illegal in Italy to scatter ashes without formal authorization from the local city hall. Authorization and regulations to scatter ashes may be obtained from the “Comune” (city hall) in Italy.
Please be advised that we cannot request authorization from Italy until we have all of the above listed documents. Authorization may take anywhere from 7 to 10 business days. Once authorization has been obtained, the paperwork (passaporto mortuario) is usually ready for the next business day and the cost for the entire procedure is approximately CDN$ 150 cash (the amount varies with the exchange rate).
Do not make any flight arrangements until notified.
Shipping of Human Remains To Italy
Documentation and procedures to ship human remains to Italy
List of required documents (please follow the instructions closely as no exceptions will be made):
- Two (2) “Statements of death” (if female, whenever possible please use the maiden name).
- One (1) “Medical certificate of death”.
- One (1) original letter from local public health authority (if the deceased is a female, please use the maiden name), confirming that the absence of any infectious dicease.
- The original and one (1) copy of the “Certificate for shipment of a body outside of British Columbia” or equivalent certificate for Alberta, Saskatchewan, Yukon Provices.
- The original and one (1) copy of the burial permit.
- The last passport of the deceased (Italian, Canadian or both) plus two (2) copies of the main pages.
- Letter from the Funeral Home certifying how the body was embalmed and providing the following information: – the body was embalmed as required by law;
- the body was enclosed in a hermetically sealed metal container and this container has been placed inside a wooden casket;
- the wooden casket has in turn been enclosed in a metal lined wooden shipping shell.
- A small metal plate must be affixed to the wooden casket and engraved with the following information relating to the deceased: name and surname (maiden name, if applicable), date of birth and date of death. This plate must be secured onto the casket with extra strong glue.
- A letter of permission signed by the family specifying the name of the cemetery, the town or city in Italy where the burial is to take place. This letter should also authorize the funeral home to act on the family’s behalf in dealing with the Consulate General of Italy.
- Always indicate the airport in Italy that is to be used as the port of entry.
Please be advised that we cannot request authorization from Italy until we have all of the above listed documents. Authorization may take anywhere from 7 to 10 business days. Once authorization has been obtained, the paperwork (passaporto mortuario) is usually ready for the next business day and the cost for the entire procedure is approximately CDN$ 150 cash (the amount varies with the exchange rate).
Do not make any flight arrangements until notified.
Contact Consulate of Italy
Consulate General of Italy in Vancouver
510 West Hastings Street – Suite 1100, Vancouver, BC – V6B 1L8 – Canada
Phone: 1-604-684-7288
Fax: 1-604-685-4263
Email: consolato.vancouver@esteri.it
Website: www.consvancouver.esteri.it/consolato_vancouver/
Italy Embassy Canada
275, Slater Street, 21st floor, Ottawa Ontario Canada K1P 5H9
Phone: 1-613-2322401
Fax:1-613-2331484
Email: ambasciata.ottawa@esteri.it
Website: www.ambottawa.esteri.it
Other Notes
Cremated remains:
- Documentation is to be forwarded to Consulate prior to shipment and they provide a clearance letter.
- There is a fee from the Consulate.
Human remains:
- Documents must be translated into Spanish: Medical Certificate, Statement of Death, Out of Province Certificate, Burial Permit and Embalming letter.
- Statement of Death needs to be authenticated by Management Board
- All documents are to be delivered to the Consulate. Consulate will return documents once completed. Consulate does not come to put seals on the container.
- Fee for Consulate changes with currency rate fluctuations. Check prior to confirm charge. They accept CASH ONLY. No cheques.
