Can I bring the remains of my foreign husband to Vietnam for burial?

Can I bring the remains of my foreign husband to Vietnam for burial?

In Article 3 of Circular 01/2011/TT-BNG, human corpses, remains and ashes permitted for transportation into Vietnam as follows:

1. Except for the cases specified in Clause 3 of this Article, human corpses, remains and ashes can be transported back into Vietnam, if the deceased are:

a/ Vietnamese citizens with permanent residence registration in Vietnam:

b/ Overseas Vietnamese with relatives (natural parent, adopted parent, spouse, offspring, adopted child, sibling, paternal grandparent, maternal grandparent or grandchild of the deceased) residing in Vietnam;

c/ Foreigners permanently residing in Vietnam.

2. The transportation into Vietnam of the corpses, remains or ashes of persons not permitted for entry for reasons of national security or social order and safety will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

3. It is not permitted to transport into Vietnam the corpses of persons who die of infectious diseases of group A specified in Clause 1, Article 3 of the November 21,2007 Law on Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (A-H5N1 flu; plague: smallpox; Ebola. Lassa or Marburg viral hemorrhagic fever; West Nile fever; yellow fever, cholera; SARS and newly emerging dangerous infectious diseases with unknown pathogenic agents).

Thus, according to the above regulations in Vietnam, the remains of foreigners permanently residing in Vietnam can be brought back to Vietnam. Your husband is Singaporean and died there, you can still bring your husband's remains to Vietnam for burial.

Can I apply for permit for the entry of remains of my foreign husband into Vietnam?

According to Article 5 of Circular 01/2011/TT-BNG, permit applicants are as follows:

Individuals, legal persons, agencies or organizations may apply for permits in the following cases:

1. Relatives of the deceased;

2. Persons authorized in writing by relatives of the deceased;

3. Agencies/ units managing the deceased, or friends, acquaintances of the deceased who have no relatives or whose relatives do not oppose the transportation of their corpses, remains or ashes back to the country.

Therefore, according to the above regulations in Vietnam, if you are a wife, you are a relative of your husband. You can apply for permit for the entry of remains of your foreign husband from Singapore to Vietnam.

What documents does an applicant for permit for the entry of human remains into Vietnam submit? 

Pursuant to Clause 1, Article 6 of Circular 01/2011/TT-BNG stipulating permit-granting procedures as follows:

1. A permit applicant shall file a dossier comprising:

a/ An application for transportation of corpse, remains or ash into the country, made according to form No. 01/NG-LS, promulgated together with this Circular (not printed herein):

b/ Papers evidencing the applicant falling into a case specified in Article 5 of this Circular:

- 1 copy of the applicant's passport or paper of immigration validity;

- 1 copy of the paper proving his/her relationship with the deceased:

- 1 copy of the household registration book of the applicant, if the deceased falls into a case specified at Point b, Clause 1, Article 3 of this Circular;

- The original paper of authorization, if the applicant falls in to a case specified in Clause 2, Article 5 of this Circular;

- The original application, if the applicant is the agency or organization managing the deceased, as stated in Clause 3, Article 5 of this Circular;

c/ Papers evidencing that the deceased falls into a case specified in Article 3 of this Circular:

- The deceased's original passport or paper of immigration validity (if any);

- 1 copy of the deceased's permit for permanent residence in Vietnam, if the deceased falls into a case specified at Point c. Clause I, Article 3 of this Circular;

- 1 copy of the death certificate issued by a competent foreign body or a representative mission;

- 1 copy of the sanitation and quarantine certificate issued by a competent foreign agency (for human corpses); exhumation certificate and sanitation and quarantine certificate issued by a competent foreign agency (for remains); cremation certificate (for ashes);

- 1 copy of the application for a permit for transportation of the corpse, remains or ashes for burial or preservation in a locality, made according to form No.02/NG-LS with written consent of a Vietnamese commune/ward/ township People's Committee or the cemetery-managing unit, if the deceased falls into a case specified at Point b. Clause 1, Article 3 of this Circular.

Thus, when you apply for permit for the entry of remains of your foreign husband into Vietnam, the dossier will include the following documents: 

- 01 application for transportation of corpse, remains or ash into the country, made according to form No. 01/NG-LS issued together with this Circular; 

- Proof that you are the wife (relative) of your husband; 

- Documents proving that your husband is a foreigner with permanent residence registration in Vietnam.

Best Regards!