As cremated ashes have been processed at a high temperature, they will not pose any threat to public health. There are different ways to dispose of cremated ashes, and the common ones are as follows:

1. scattering in the designated waters;
2. scattering in a garden of remembrance managed by the Government or a private cemetery;
3. depositing at a columbarium managed by the Government;
4. adding to an urn grave of a public cemetery;
5. depositing at a licensed private columbarium;
6. keeping at home (not more than 10 sets of cremated ashes); and
7. using the temporary storage service for cremains of the FEHD.

The bereaved may use other documents to prove that the deceased, whose Hong Kong identity card are not available, was a Hong Kong resident when applying for depositing his/her cremated ashes in or adding them to a public niche. Such documents, which should contain the name and the Hong Kong identity card number of the deceased, include the "Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macau Residents", Hong Kong Re-entry Permit, Hong Kong passport, residence proof of public housing, driving licence issued by the Transport Department, medical attendance records of medical institutions under the Hospital Authority, and so on. The applicant may also apply to the Immigration Department for a "Certificate of Registered Particulars" to prove that the deceased was a Hong Kong resident.

No. Upon the commencement of "Public Health and Municipal Services (Fees) (Amendment) Regulation 2019", all niches of the FEHD (including reused niches) are extendable niches. Nevertheless, the extendable arrangement does not affect the existing public niches which have been allocated for permanent use by the members of the public.

A grace period of two years from the expiry date of the interment period will be allowed for the related persons to contact the FEHD to apply for extension. If the related persons do not apply for extension in the grace period (straddling two cycles of Ching Ming and Chung Yeung Festivals), the FEHD will initiate actions to remove the ashes (together with its container) and other related items, if any, therein from the niche. The ashes will be disposed of in a manner that the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene considers fit. The niche will then be vacated for re-allocation. The FEHD will properly document the means and location of the final disposal of the removed ashes for reference of any descendants showing up and enquiring about the ashes in the future.

The updating of information of niche holders and nominated representatives is only applicable to extendable niches. Niche holders or nominated representatives may log in to the relevant system and update the information through the following URL:https://app.fehd.gov.hk/nicontact/regupdate.jsf?lang=en

The list and addresses of "Registered Marble Manufacturers / Contractors Permitted to Provide Services in Public Columbaria and Gardens of Remembrance" are available at the FEHD website: https://www.fehd.gov.hk/english/cc/registered_contractor.html

Works Booking Online Services are only for registered trade users. The available works booking schedule will be the 3rd to 92nd day from the date of application. For cases which only the scattering of cremated ashes in a Garden of Remembrance will take place, members of the public can contact the Cemeteries and Crematoria Office concerned three days in advance to make a booking for the works.

The FEHD has relaxed the arrangement of placing additional cremated ashes into public niches. If the applicant prefers, a standard niche may hold more than two sets of cremated ashes and a large niche may hold more than four sets of cremated ashes (the sizes of niches of different venues may differ).

Members of the public can apply to the FEHD for placing additional sets of cremated ashes in an existing niche. The applicant must be the permit holder of the niche. The deceased whose cremated ashes to be added must be a close relative of or be in close relationship with the first deceased person. A close relative means the spouse, parent, brother, sister, father-in-law, mother-in-law, daughter-in-law, son-in-law or a direct descendant of either the paternal or maternal line. In close relationship means the first deposited deceased person and the deceased whose cremated ashes to be added have a close relationship, even though they do not fit the definition of "close relatives", such as co-wives, an adoptive father and his adopted son, a cohabiting couple, and so on.

The cremated ashes of the deceased can be kept at home (not more than 10 sets).

At present, the temporary storage facility for cremains in Kwai Chung Crematorium is limited to storage of cremains bags only (cinerary urns are not accepted) while the temporary storage facility in Wo Hop Shek Columbarium is limited to storage of cinerary urns only (cremains bags are not accepted). The storage period for application of temporary storage service for cremains, which is extendable, is either 3, 6 or 12 months. The monthly charge is HK$80. The fee is subject to adjustment from time to time and the applicant should pay the prevailing prescribed fee on the day of payment.

The public may use the existing worshipping facilities in the columbarium near the temporary storage facility for paying tribute to their loved ones.

The applicant (must be the holder of the "Permit to Take Away Cremated Ashes" or a person authorised in writing by the holder) should bring along a completed "Application for Temporary Storage Service for Cremains" [FEHB 251], together with the original and a copy of the relevant documents, in person to a Cemeteries and Crematoria Office at Hung Hom or Happy Valley for submission of the application. If submission is made by post / fax (fax no.: 2765 6402) / email (cc@fehd.gov.hk), a copy of the necessary documents is required. The applicant has to produce the original of the relevant documents for verification when being interviewed by the FEHD staff. The date of commencement of the storage period for temporary storage service for cremains will be assigned by the FEHD. The FEHD will normally grant approval within 10 working days after receiving an application.

One month prior to the expiry of the storage period, a letter with an "Online Payment Identification Number" reminding to retrieve the stored cremains or to extend the storage period will be issued to the applicant. The applicant can extend the storage period at a Cemeteries and Crematoria Office located in Hung Hom or Happy Valley or at Cheung Sha Wan Cremation Booking Office, or by online application, and pay the fee required.

The applicant or authorised person has to make an appointment for retrieval of cremains with the office of the temporary storage facility concerned not less than three working days before the intended date of retrieval, and bring along the original of the documents listed below to the office to go through the formalities in person on the day of retrieval:

• the original of the Identification Document of the applicant;
• the original of the "Permit to Take Away Cremated Ashes" or "Certificate of Cremation" of the deceased;
• the original of the receipt for temporary storage service; and
• an authorisation letter with a copy of the Identification Document of the applicant and the authorised person (if applicable).

If there is any outstanding storage fee before the intended date of retrieval of cremains, the applicant or authorised person has to pay the outstanding fee at a Cemeteries and Crematoria Office located in Hung Hom or Happy Valley or at Cheung Sha Wan Cremation Booking Office not less than three working days before the intended date of retrieval.

The period of temporary storage service for cremains is counted from the assigned deposition date to the retrieval date. If the cremains are retrieved before the end of the assigned temporary storage period for which payment has been made, fees will be refunded for the remaining number of months in the storage period (days that do not add up to one month will be disregarded).

The applicant has to submit the original copy of the"Receipt of fee for permission to use the temporary storage service for cremains"on the day of collection of cremains for processing the refund. The FEHD will normally complete the processing within two months after receiving a refund application. The fees will be refunded in the form of a crossed cheque and delivered to the applicant's correspondence address by post.

Under the current practice, import and export of cremated ashes into and out of Hong Kong do not require application to the HKSAR Government.

However, some countries may require the applicants to produce the "Certificate of Cremation" and "Authorisation to Remove Cremated Ashes" for import of cremated ashes. If necessary, the applicants can apply for the above certificate / authorisation at a Cemeteries and Crematoria Office of the FEHD on Hong Kong Island or in Kowloon for a deceased person who was cremated at a crematorium managed by the FEHD. Details are available at the FEHD website.