Starting from 26 April 2019, the initial interment period for an allocated public niche is 20 years, which upon expiry may be extended for 10 years each time on payment of the prevailing prescribed fee.

To ensure the steady supply of public niches, the Government has been committed to implementing the columbarium development plan. Whenever a new columbarium is ready for commissioning, the FEHD will announce the niche allocation arrangements in newspapers and on its website.

Application criteria

The deceased must meet one of the following criteria:

1. He/She was a resident of Hong Kong at the time of death and his/her remains were cremated in a government crematorium within 3 months after his/her death; or
2. He/She was a resident of Hong Kong for at least 10 years in the last 20 years before his/her death and his/her remains were cremated outside Hong Kong; or
3. His/Her remains were lawfully exhumed and cremated at a government crematorium.

How to apply

Please bring along the following documents to a Cemeteries and Crematoria Office to go through the formalities:

• a completed "Application for Allocation of a Public Niche" (please download the application form from the "Public Forms" on the FEHD website)
• the original and a copy of the Hong Kong identity card of the applicant and the deceased
• the "Permit to Take Away Cremated Ashes" (FEHB 153); or
• the "Certificate of Cremation" or
• the original and a copy of the cremation document(s) issued by a Mainland / an overseas legal crematorium
• the documentary proof of the relationship of the first deceased and the other deceased (only applicable to the application for placing more than one set of cremated ashes in a niche).
• For application for a niche in the Islands District, the applicant should also submit:
• the original of the supporting document issued by the rural committee of the respective island certifying that the first deceased was an indigenous villager of the Islands District, or a bona fide resident of the Islands District for a continuous residing period of not less than 7 years (10 years for Cheung Chau), or a minor child of such person; and
• the original of the statutory declaration made by the legal representative or next of kin of the first deceased declaring that the first deceased was an indigenous villager of the Islands District, or a bona fide local resident of the Islands District for a continuous residing period not less than 7 years (10 years for Cheung Chau), or a minor child of such person.

The permit holder of an allocated public niche may apply for placing additional sets of cremated ashes in the niche if the subsequent deceased persons were in close relationship with or were the close relatives of the first deceased. This will make worshipping the deceased persons more convenient.

Generally, each "standard" niche can hold the ashes of more than two deceased persons, while each "large" niche can hold the ashes of more than four deceased persons.

Application criteria

1. The applicant must be the permit holder of the niche;
2. The deceased whose cremated ashes to be added must be in close relationship with or be a close relative of the first deceased person

How to apply

Please bring along the following documents to a Cemeteries and Crematoria Office to go through the formalities:

• a completed "Application for Placing Additional Cremated Ashes of the Deceased" (FEHB 136A)
• the original and a copy of the Hong Kong identity card of the applicant and the deceased
• the "Permit to Take Away Cremated Ashes" (FEHB 153)；or
• the "Certificate of Cremation" or
• the original and a copy of the cremation document(s) issued by a Mainland / an overseas legal crematorium
• the documentary proof of the relationship of the first deceased and the other deceased

Members of the public should make reference to the Register of Private Columbaria before choosing a private niche to ascertain that the columbarium concerned is operating legally. For details, please refer to the website of the Private Columbaria Licensing Board

As the prices and relevant charges of private niches in the market vary greatly, members of the public should be careful in choosing suitable niches.

Apart from public niches, additional sets of cremated ashes can also be placed in the urn graves of public cemeteries. The deceased whose cremated ashes are to be added must be a close relative of or be in close relationship with the first deceased person.

Each urn grave can accommodate the skeletal remains or ashes of no more than three deceased persons.

Application criteria

1. The applicant must be the permit holder of the urn grave;
2. The deceased whose ashes are to be added must be a close relative of or be in close relationship with the first deceased person

How to apply

Please bring along the following documents to a Cemeteries and Crematoria Office to go through the formalities:

• a completed "Application for Urn Grave Burial or Placing Additional Skeletal Remains/Ashes" (FEHB 262)
• a copy of the Hong Kong identity cards of the applicant and the deceased
• the "Permit to Take Away Cremated Ashes" (FEHB 153); or
• the "Certificate of Cremation" or
• the original and a copy of the cremation document(s) issued by a Mainland / an overseas legal crematorium
• the documentary proof of the relationship of the first deceased and the other deceased

• Temporary storage service for cremains is a transitional arrangement. Cremains can be kept in a temporary storage facility for an extendable storage period of 3, 6 or 12 months at a monthly charge of HK$80. The facilities are located in:
  • Kwai Chung Crematorium (for storage of cremains bags only); and
  • Wo Hop Shek Columbarium (for storage of cinerary urns only)
• The public may use the existing worshipping facilities in the columbaria near the temporary storage facilities for paying tribute to their deceased loved ones.

Application criteria

The deceased must meet one of the following criteria:

• He/She was a resident of Hong Kong at the time of death and his/her remains were cremated in a government crematorium within 3 months after his/her death; or
• His/Her remains were cremated in a private crematorium specified in Part 6 of Schedule 5 to the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132); or
• He/She was a resident of Hong Kong for at least 10 years in the last 20 years before his/her death and his/her remains were certified to be cremated in a lawful crematorium outside Hong Kong; or
• His/Her remains were lawfully exhumed and cremated at a government crematorium in Hong Kong; or
• His/Her cremains were interred in a private columbarium in Hong Kong prior to the submission of the application.

How to apply

1. Please bring along the following documents to a Cemeteries and Crematoria Office to go through the formalities:
   • a completed "Application for Temporary Storage Service for Cremains" (FEHB 251)
   • the original identification documents of the deceased and the applicant
   • the original and a copy of the "Permit to Take Away Cremated Ashes" (FEHB 153) or "Certificate of Cremation"
     (not applicable to applicants who have already applied for the cremains transfer service)
   • the original and a copy of document(s) proving the cremains of the deceased were interred in a private columbarium in Hong Kong
2. The FEHD will normally grant approval within 10 working days after receiving the application and the required documents.
3. Pay the fee in person at the relevant Cemeteries and Crematoria Office or pay online through the "Online Payment System for Cemeteries and Crematoria Services"

• The ashes can be kept at home (not more than 10 sets of cremated ashes).
• Nowadays, exquisite and special funeral products are available in the market. For instance, funeral service providers can transform cremated ashes into crystals or diamonds, produce ashes-infused glass ornaments or ashes containers of various sizes, etc., enabling a close connection between the deceased loved ones and the bereaved. Please contact the relevant service providers direct if necessary.
• For export of cremated ashes out of Hong Kong, please refer to "Import and Export of Cremated Ashes".