Vietnam: prisoner pack
Information on the legal and prison systems for British prisoners, their family and friends in Vietnam.
- From:
- Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
- Published
- 7 July 2015
- Last updated
-
2714MayFebruary20242025 — See all updates
Documents
Details
This document explains:
- what happens when you’re arrested/detained in Vietnam
- the Vietnamese judicial process
- prison life in Vietnam
See also help if you’re arrested abroad.
Updates to this page
Published 7 July 2015
Last updated 2714 MayFebruary 2024
2025
+ show all updates
-
Updated information under 'Visits: consular staff' section.
-
Document revised to include references to Immigration detention centres in addition to prisons.
Clarity on what British Embassies/Consulates can and cannot do throughout the process.
Clarity on what British Nationals can expect in the process of being detained, detention facilities & the Vietnamese legal process overview.
-
-
Update info (money transfer info/medication info) in the current Prisoner Pack.
-
-
Update the pack.
-
-
Update the pack
-
-
Update the pack
-
-
Replace the attachment with up-to-date prisoner pack.
-
-
Updated Prisoner Pack in June 2018
-
-
This guide has was last updated on 9 July 2015.
-
-
First published.
-
-
replace new attachment
-
-
The version is being updated upon the request from Consular Hanoi.
Sign up for emails or print this page
Update history
2026-03-27 12:02
Annual review. Added clarity around: consent required before sharing; change in visit duration from 1 hour to dependent on the facilities; sending mail: only domestic post allowed not international; mail: outgoing mail is translated into Vietnamese before being sent by the detention facility; bail – Embassy/Consulate does not produce good character bail letters for detainees.
2025-02-14 13:15
Updated information under ‘Visits: consular staff’ section.
2024-05-27 09:32
Document revised to include references to Immigration detention centres in addition to prisons.Clarity on what British Embassies/Consulates can and cannot do throughout the process.Clarity on what British Nationals can expect in the process of being detained, detention facilities & the Vietnamese legal process overview.
2023-03-14 10:31
Update info (money transfer info/medication info) in the current Prisoner Pack.
Details
This document explains:
- what happens when you’re arrested/detained in Vietnam
- the Vietnamese judicial process
- prison life in Vietnam
See also help if you’re arrested abroad.
Updates to this page
Published 7 July 2015Last updated
-
Updated information under 'Visits: consular staff' section.
-
Document revised to include references to Immigration detention centres in addition to prisons. Clarity on what British Embassies/Consulates can and cannot do throughout the process. Clarity on what British Nationals can expect in the process of being detained, detention facilities & the Vietnamese legal process overview.
-
Update info (money transfer info/medication info) in the current Prisoner Pack.
-
Update the pack.
-
Update the pack
-
Update the pack
-
Replace the attachment with up-to-date prisoner pack.
-
Updated Prisoner Pack in June 2018
-
This guide has was last updated on 9 July 2015.
-
First published.
-
replace new attachment
-
The version is being updated upon the request from Consular Hanoi.
Sign up for emails or print this page
Update history
2026-03-27 12:02
Annual review. Added clarity around: consent required before sharing; change in visit duration from 1 hour to dependent on the facilities; sending mail: only domestic post allowed not international; mail: outgoing mail is translated into Vietnamese before being sent by the detention facility; bail – Embassy/Consulate does not produce good character bail letters for detainees.
2025-02-14 13:15
Updated information under ‘Visits: consular staff’ section.
2024-05-27 09:32
Document revised to include references to Immigration detention centres in addition to prisons.Clarity on what British Embassies/Consulates can and cannot do throughout the process.Clarity on what British Nationals can expect in the process of being detained, detention facilities & the Vietnamese legal process overview.
2023-03-14 10:31
Update info (money transfer info/medication info) in the current Prisoner Pack.