A Ukrainian Died in Vietnam: Documents and Embassy in the First Days

Briefly in 30 seconds.

• The hospital or police issue a death notice (giấy báo tử), and the local civil registry office registers the death.
• Without refrigeration, a body can be kept for up to 48 hours, and in a refrigerator for up to 7 days; beyond that, only under deep freezing.
• The Embassy of Ukraine operates in Hanoi; there are no consulates in Vietnam.
• Since September 11, 2026, Vietnamese documents are certified with an apostille.
• Repatriation of the body home takes from 72 hours; the price is fixed in the contract.

Call +380 77 882 77 77Find out the cost of repatriation from Vietnam

The first 24 hours: who to call

If the death occurred in a hospital, the hospital issues a death notice. If it happened in a hotel, on a beach, or on the road, the police arrive. The local provincial department of foreign affairs and the embassy of the country of citizenship are notified of the foreigner's death.

The family should immediately:

• call the emergency hotline of the Embassy of Ukraine in Vietnam (the number is on the "Vietnam" page of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine);
• find the travel insurance policy and call the insurance company;
• call us: we work with partners in Vietnam and take over communication with the hospital and the morgue.

What documents Vietnam issues

Death notice and registration

The hospital (or the police, if the death occurred outside a hospital) issues a death notice (giấy báo tử). Based on it, the civil registry office registers the death and issues an extract (trích lục khai tử).

Documents for transport abroad

To transport the body across the border, it is placed in a three-layer coffin: a soldered zinc liner with a moisture absorber, wood, and plywood. At the border, the body is declared to the quarantine service and a quarantine certificate is obtained. Vietnamese rules do not require embalming, but the airline may require it. Read more on the page repatriation of a body from Vietnam.

Apostille instead of legalization

Vietnam has joined the Apostille Convention; since September 11, 2026, Vietnamese documents are certified with an apostille affixed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam. Ukraine has raised no objections. The document is translated into Ukrainian.

Body or urn

You can repatriate the body or arrange cremation in Vietnam and bring back the urn. We organize both options along with transport to Ukraine. About cremation: cremation in Vietnam and transporting the urn.

What to do now

1. Call us or the embassy's emergency hotline.
2. Send a photo of the deceased's passport and travel insurance policy.
3. Tell us the city in Vietnam and the city in Ukraine. The price is fixed in the contract.

Call +380 77 882 77 77Find out the cost of repatriation from Vietnam