A dignified, fully-managed repatriation from the United Kingdom. We handle the paperwork, coordinate with the authorities in both countries, and bring your loved one home with care.
The final price depends on the destination city or province in Vietnam, the airline and routing and consular and legalisation fees. We confirm a firm quote at first contact. The base covers transport to the destination airport; customs clearance and onward delivery are quoted separately, where available.
*Estimated from when the death is registered. Our team does everything possible to complete the repatriation sooner.
When someone dies in the UK and is to be returned to Vietnam for the funeral, the process brings together the UK coroner's formalities, the requirements set by the Vietnamese authorities, and the long-haul flight itself. The deceased travels by air, and we manage the full journey and the paperwork on both sides so that the family in Vietnam does not have to deal with UK offices in English. Our repatriation hub sets out the essentials if you are just starting.
Taking a body out of England and Wales follows a set UK procedure; Vietnam's own consular and import requirements then govern the documents that must accompany the deceased and the way the coffin is prepared. Vietnam is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, so a UK public document can be legalised by apostille where recognition is required.
Before a deceased person can be taken out of England and Wales, the law requires that the coroner for the district be given at least four clear days' notice (the Removal of Bodies Regulations 1954). The coroner then issues an acknowledgement — the "out of England" notice — confirming there is no objection to removal, and can release the deceased sooner where satisfied that no further enquiries are needed. We complete this notification and obtain the acknowledgement on the family's behalf. In Scotland the equivalent authority is the procurator fiscal; in Northern Ireland, the coroner.
The deceased travels with the UK death certificate, the coroner's out-of-England acknowledgement, and certificates of embalming and freedom from infection, legalised by apostille where the Vietnamese authorities require it. In Vietnam, the death is recorded with the local ward People's Committee, the quarantine and customs authorities clear the remains on arrival, and a local funeral director takes the deceased into care for the funeral. We prepare the document file and coordinate directly with the funeral director in Vietnam.
The deceased is embalmed and placed in a sealed, transport-standard coffin that meets international air-transport requirements, accompanied by certificates of embalming and freedom from infection. Our team collects the deceased from the UK hospital, mortuary or funeral home, books the freight and manages the flight through to arrival in Vietnam, where we hand over to the receiving funeral director. Where a family member wishes to travel on the same aircraft, we arrange the timing so they can accompany their loved one home.
A repatriation from the UK to Vietnam typically takes 5–7 days from first contact. The main factors are the four clear days' notice to the coroner (which can sometimes be shortened at the coroner's discretion), the consular step before dispatch, the legalisation of the documents, and long-haul flight availability. Where the death has been referred to the coroner for investigation, the timeline can be longer.
This estimate is counted from when the death is registered, and our team does everything possible to complete the repatriation sooner.
We confirm a firm, fixed quote at first contact, with no hidden costs. The final figure depends on the destination city or province in Vietnam, the airline and routing, the legalisation and consular fees, and any UK funeral-home and mortuary charges. The agreed price is settled once the flight is confirmed, with no deposit or advance required, before your loved one departs; we then stay with you through arrival, the final paperwork and registering the death. A UK estate, a life-insurance policy or the deceased's own arrangements may cover part of the cost, and we are glad to discuss this openly.
We handle the UK coroner's formalities, the Vietnamese consular and receiving requirements and the flight as one coordinated process, in English and Vietnamese, keeping both sides of the family informed and remaining contactable 24/7. You can read more about repatriating a body from the UK in our guidance.
Last verified July 2026.
Repatriation to Vietnam is coordinated with the Vietnam Embassy in London, who issues a permit for the repatriation and transportation of the remains before the coffin is dispatched. We prepare and lodge the consular application on the family's behalf, so no one needs to attend the mission in person.
Common questions about repatriating someone who has died in the UK to their home country — the paperwork, timescales, costs, and who arranges each step.
Before removal, the coroner must be given at least four clear days' notice and issues an "out of England" acknowledgement. The UK documents are legalised by apostille for recognition in Vietnam, a consular permit is obtained from the Vietnam Embassy in London, and the deceased travels embalmed in a sealed, transport-standard coffin with certificates of embalming and freedom from infection.
We complete the coroner notification, the legalisation and the consular application on your behalf.
Yes. Repatriation to Vietnam is coordinated with the Vietnam Embassy in London, which issues a permit for the repatriation and transportation of the remains before the coffin is dispatched.
We prepare and lodge the consular application on the family's behalf, so no one needs to attend the mission in person.
Typically 5–7 days from first contact. The main factors are the four clear days' notice to the coroner, the consular step before dispatch, the legalisation of the documents, and long-haul flight availability.
Where the death has been referred to the coroner for investigation, the timeline can be longer.
No. We handle the UK coroner's formalities, the registration and the legalisation in English, and deal with the Vietnam Embassy in London on the family's behalf.
The family provides a simple written authorisation, and we coordinate both sides of the process remotely across the time difference.
The quoted price covers the coroner notification, the apostille legalisation, the consular application, embalming, a sealed transport coffin, the transport certificates, and the flight to Vietnam with handover to the receiving funeral director. We confirm a firm, fixed quote at first contact with no hidden costs.
The agreed price is settled once the flight is confirmed, with no deposit or advance required, before your loved one departs; we then stay with you through arrival, the final paperwork and registering the death.
When choosing, it was hard — we'd never done anything like this before. We definitely chose the right company; their whole ethos is built around caring. From start to finish, Sebastian and his team worked tirelessly for a smooth process and took all the stress away. Our family can't thank Funero enough.
I can't speak highly enough of Sebastian and the Funero team. I'll admit I was slightly worried about using them as they were far more competitive — but their service was impeccable, with regular, timely communication that was a huge comfort at a difficult time.
Funero truly stands out — caring staff, affordable prices and excellent communication. Their team goes above and beyond to make the process smooth and respectful, making a difficult time a little easier, and affordable without ever compromising on quality or care.
I'm from Sydney and lost my brother in London. I was lucky to find Funero to help with the repatriation. Sebastian was fast, helpful and available at all times — they made the whole process easy for me. Highly recommended!
Every colleague at Funero went over and above during the repatriation of our loved one, from the first moment to the end and beyond. They spared no effort to make it happen far sooner than usual, treated our loved one with outstanding respect, and their empathy made an unbearable time feel manageable. Your loved ones will be in the best of hands.
Considering the shock and our lack of knowledge, Sebastian and Mihai were absolutely amazing with their help and guidance. It was an emotionally draining time, but they are calm, polite, empathetic and warm — from practical advice to personal effort and so much patience. We can't thank them enough.
An exceptionally professional and compassionate team. During one of the most painful moments of my life they went above and beyond, offering genuine support and care. Thanks to their kindness and dedication, the burden of losing my mother was made a little easier. I am deeply grateful for their respect, empathy and humanity.
Our loved one died on holiday in Egypt and, as a family of modest means, what felt impossible was made possible. Funero was the only company that didn't ask for money upfront, which gave us time to fundraise — and their quote was more than reasonable. They kept us informed every step, translated everything, and their reps in Egypt worked so hard for us. We can't thank them enough for bringing our loved one home.
Speak to a repatriation specialist any time, day or night — we'll guide you through every step.
