Repatriation from Hoi An, Vietnam

Hoi An Ancient Town is one of Southeast Asia’s most visited destinations for British travellers. The UNESCO-listed old quarter, lantern-lit streets, tailor shops, and proximity to An Bang and Cua Dai beaches make it a repeated fixture on long-haul itineraries. The British tourist volume here is substantial — notably higher than the political and business traffic that drives Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City numbers.

Hoi An is located in Quảng Nam Province but sits only 30 kilometres south of Da Nang City, which provides the international airport (Da Nang International Airport, DAD) and the province-level forensic and administrative facilities. In practical terms, a British national dying in Hoi An will have their case handled by Quảng Nam Province police and the nearest forensic institute, with Da Nang as the logistics and documentation hub.

This site also has pages for Da Nang, Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh City.

Consular coverage

The British Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City handles all consular services for southern and central Vietnam, including Quảng Nam and Da Nang. The British Embassy Hanoi is the sovereign diplomatic mission.

British Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City: +84 (0)28 3825 1380. FCDO 24-hour: +44 (0)20 7008 5000.

What Vietnamese law requires

Bộ Luật Tố Tụng Hình Sự (Criminal Procedure Code, Law No. 101/2015/QH13, effective 2018): All sudden and unnatural deaths are reported to the Công an (Vietnamese Public Security Police). The Viện Kiểm Sát Nhân Dân (People’s Procuratorate) supervises cases where criminal involvement is suspected.

Death registration: The Ủy ban Nhân dân (People’s Committee) at the commune or ward level issues the Giấy Chứng tử (death certificate) under the Civil Status Law (Luật Hộ Tịch No. 60/2014/QH13).

Forensic post-mortem: Cases ordered by the Procuratorate go to the Viện Pháp Y (Forensic Medicine Institute). The nearest facility to Hoi An is the Viện Pháp Y Quảng Nam/Da Nang (Da Nang). The National Institute of Forensic Medicine (Viện Pháp Y Quốc Gia) in Hanoi is used for complex or contested cases.

Ministry of Health export permit: The Bộ Y Tế (Ministry of Health) issues the international health certificate permitting the export of human remains, administered through the provincial health authority (Sở Y Tế Quảng Nam / Da Nang).

Source: Criminal Procedure Code Law No. 101/2015/QH13 (Vietnam); Civil Status Law No. 60/2014/QH13; 2025.

Medical coverage

Bệnh viện Đa Khoa Quảng Nam (Quảng Nam General Hospital) in Tam Kỳ is the province’s main public hospital. In practice, seriously ill British nationals in Hoi An are often transferred to Bệnh viện Da Nang (Da Nang Hospital) or the international facilities in Da Nang. FV Hospital (Ho Chi Minh City) is the preferred medical evacuation destination for complex cases.

The documentation chain

1. Giấy Chứng tử from the ward People’s Committee (Hoi An). 2. Công an (Public Security Police) investigation closure (sudden/violent deaths). 3. Viện Pháp Y forensic post-mortem (if ordered by Procuratorate — usually in Hoi An cases involving tourism accidents, drowning, road fatalities). 4. Sở Y Tế Quảng Nam provincial health export permit. 5. Embalming and preservation at an approved funeral home. 6. Air waybill via DAD (Da Nang) or, for direct routing, via SGN (Ho Chi Minh City) or HAN (Hanoi) to LHR.

Da Nang Airport (DAD) handles Vietnam Airlines domestic connections; international routing to LHR typically goes via Hanoi (HAN) with Vietnam Airlines or via Bangkok (BKK), Doha (DOH), or another hub. Direct connections between Da Nang and Europe are limited and mainly charter.

Timeline from Hoi An

Natural death, expected: 14 to 21 days
Accident, investigation: 21 to 35 days
Complex forensic/criminal case: 6 to 12 weeks

All Vietnamese documents need certified translation into English before UK entry. Use translators recognised by the British Consulate.

For repatriation guidance, reach our team via the enquiry form or WhatsApp.

See also the Vietnam repatriation guide.

Information based on Criminal Procedure Code Law No. 101/2015/QH13 (Vietnam), effective 2018. Last reviewed May 2026.