The numbers to know
Vietnam uses separate short numbers for each service. The UK government lists five national hotlines in its guide for British nationals living in Vietnam:
| Number | Service | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| 111 | Child protection hotline, 24 hours, free | A child is at risk |
| 112 | National search and rescue | A search and rescue situation |
| 113 | Police | Crime, a road crash with injuries, a threat to safety |
| 114 | Fire and rescue | A fire, or a rescue |
| 115 | Ambulance | Medical emergencies and injuries |
Save all five in your phone today, with the names written in English and Vietnamese.
Sources: UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Living in Vietnam (updated 23 September 2025); New Zealand Embassy in Viet Nam, Essential numbers.
Will anyone speak English?
Often not. The New Zealand embassy says the 115 ambulance line is for Vietnamese speakers only. The UK government says these numbers are not always answered and may not have English speaking staff.
Plan for it before you need it. Ask a Vietnamese friend, a neighbour, your landlord or your building manager if they would make the call for you. Keep their number at the top of your favourites. If you live alone, write your full address in Vietnamese on a card by the door and in a note on your phone, so anyone can read it out.
Sources: New Zealand Embassy in Viet Nam, Essential numbers; UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Living in Vietnam (updated 23 September 2025).
What to say when you call 115
Keep it short. The operator needs to know where you are and what happened. These Vietnamese phrases cover the basics:
| English | Vietnamese |
|---|---|
| I need an ambulance | Tôi cần xe cấp cứu |
| The address is | Địa chỉ là |
| Someone is unconscious | Có người bất tỉnh |
| There has been a road accident | Có tai nạn giao thông |
| I do not speak Vietnamese | Tôi không nói được tiếng Việt |
An address given as house number, street, ward and city is easier for an operator to follow, and addresses in alleys can be hard to find.
Who pays, and when
UK government guidance for British nationals says its embassy does not pay medical bills and that the patient must pay all hospital costs. It also tells people to read their insurance contract carefully, especially the amount they will have to pay for care before they can claim it back.
That is why three things are worth carrying: your insurer's 24 hour emergency number, your policy number, and a payment card. The UK advice is to contact your insurer quickly if you are sent to a hospital for treatment.
Sources: UK FCDO travel advice for Vietnam, Health; UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Living in Vietnam (updated 23 September 2025).
Storms, floods and heat
Some emergencies in Vietnam are about weather, not illness. The UK government says Vietnam has floods, flash floods, landslides and typhoons, and that typhoons usually occur from June to December. Even small tropical storms can grow into major typhoons quickly, and severe weather can cut transport, power and phone networks.
Its advice for a natural disaster is practical: carry your passport in a waterproof bag, keep in touch with family and friends, check local media, and follow the advice of local authorities. This is when 112, the search and rescue line, matters most.
Heat is a quieter risk. The same guidance says humidity and heat can be severe, especially in the rainy season, and that dehydration and heatstroke can both be fatal. The ambulance number for any medical emergency is 115.
Sources: UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Living in Vietnam (updated 23 September 2025).
Calling your embassy
Your embassy cannot send an ambulance, but it can help in other ways. The New Zealand embassy, for example, keeps a list of hospitals and clinics and runs an after hours duty phone for its citizens with urgent medical needs. It also notes that it cannot recommend any one hospital. Check whether your own embassy runs a similar line, and save it next to 115.
For a crime, the UK government says you must report it at the police station nearest to where it happened, and that you should always ask for a police report because an insurer may want it. It suggests taking a translator with you.
Sources: New Zealand Embassy in Viet Nam, Essential numbers; UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Living in Vietnam (updated 23 September 2025).
Road accidents
The UK government says that after an incident you should record the vehicle registration, the date, the time and the place, and contact the police on 113 and an ambulance on 115. It also notes that all sleeper buses in Vietnam must have seat belts in order to be licensed.
Your insurer may ask for a police report later, and the UK government says you should always get one when you report a crime.
Sources: UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Living in Vietnam (updated 23 September 2025).
A five minute setup before you need it
- Save 113, 114, 115 and 112 in your phone with English and Vietnamese labels.
- Write your home address in Vietnamese and keep it by the door and on your phone.
- Pick one Vietnamese speaking contact who agrees to call for you.
- Save your insurer's emergency line and your policy number.
- Save your embassy's after hours number.
- Note the address of the hospital emergency department nearest your home and your work.
Our family clinic picks name one clinic our editors noted.
Common questions
- What number is 112 in Vietnam?
- 112 is the national search and rescue line in Vietnam, according to the UK government's list of hotlines. The ambulance number is 115.
- Is 115 the ambulance number in all of Vietnam?
- 115 is the ambulance number that both the UK government and the New Zealand embassy list for Vietnam. The New Zealand embassy notes that the line is for Vietnamese speakers only, so have a Vietnamese speaker ready to call for you if you can.
- Does 911 work in Vietnam?
- 911 is not among the numbers the UK government lists for Vietnam. Its list gives 113 for police, 114 for fire and rescue and 115 for an ambulance.
- Are public hospitals free in Vietnam?
- UK government guidance for British nationals living in Vietnam says the patient must pay all hospital and associated expenses and the UK government will not, and it tells residents to hold a health insurance policy.
- What should I do if no one answers 115?
- The UK government warns that emergency numbers are not always answered and may not have English speaking staff. That is why a Vietnamese speaking contact who agrees to call for you, and your embassy's after hours number, are worth saving in advance.