Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang and the north
Medical Repatriation from Vietnam to Australia
Vietnam has become one of the most popular destinations for younger Australian travellers, and the calls we get reflect that. Many involve motorbikes, often on the mountain roads of the north, where the nearest good hospital can be many hours away.
Send patient details
A few details is enough. A coordinator calls you back to go through the rest.
What situations do Australians face in Vietnam?
Care in Vietnam varies a lot. International hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Da Nang offer a good standard and speak English. Provincial public hospitals are often crowded, and records are in Vietnamese. Where the patient is matters as much as what has happened to them.
Motorbike accidents and licences
Crashes on the Ha Giang loop and other northern routes, and in the cities. Vietnam does not generally recognise the International Driving Permit issued in Australia, so many tourists ride without a valid local licence, and insurers may decline the claim. Check the policy before assuming cover.
Moving from a provincial hospital
Patients injured in remote areas are often taken to a provincial hospital first. Moving them to an international hospital in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City is sometimes the right step before any flight home.
Dengue and food poisoning
Dengue fever and severe gastroenteritis are common, especially in the wet season, and can need several days in hospital.
Older travellers on tours and cruises
Heart attacks, strokes and falls on group tours, river cruises and Halong Bay boat trips.
How do hospitals in Vietnam handle discharge for a transfer?
International hospitals such as FV Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, the Vinmec network and Hanoi French Hospital have staff who deal with insurers and air ambulance teams. They usually provide an English medical report and imaging, and want the account settled or a guarantee of payment before discharge.
Public hospitals work differently. Records are in Vietnamese, doctors may be stretched, and discharge can take longer to arrange. We ask the family for photos of any documents they have, arrange translation, and have our doctor speak with the treating team through an interpreter where needed.
Commercial stretcher or dedicated jet: which is right?
Seated with a medical escort
Direct flights from Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi reach Sydney and Melbourne in about eight to nine hours. Stable patients often fly seated in business class with a nurse escort.
Commercial airline stretcher
Some airlines can carry a stretcher on Vietnam flights with notice and medical approval, but availability is limited. Connecting through Singapore is sometimes an option.
Dedicated air ambulance jet
A long-range jet can fly Ho Chi Minh City to the east coast nonstop; a mid-size jet stops in Darwin. Used for unstable patients or those who can't sit up for a long flight.
For a patient in a provincial hospital, the first decision is often whether to move them within Vietnam before the flight home.
How stretcher repatriation compares in costWhat documents are needed?
We need the passport, the medical report and any imaging, and the insurer's claim number. If the report is in Vietnamese, send it to us as it is; we arrange translation of what the medical team and the Australian hospital need.
For motorbike accidents, insurers usually ask for a police report, the rider's licence and photos. If the patient's e-visa expires while they are in hospital, the hospital may need to help with an extension or exit clearance from Vietnamese immigration.
Which routes do we fly from Vietnam?
All routes we flyWe don't have a Vietnam route page yet. These nearby routes show the flight times, aircraft and fuel stops we plan for Southeast Asia:
FAQ
Repatriation from Vietnam: common questions
Last reviewed 9 November 2026. Read alongside official travel advice: Travel advice: Vietnam (Smartraveller, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade); Travel insurance (Smartraveller, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade); IATA Medical Manual (International Air Transport Association).
International medical repatriation guide