Final Disposition of Expat Human Remains in Vietnam

I have no knowledge so this is just to provoke thought - Would becoming a Vietnamese citizen solve the issues or cause more problems that the above?

Fred wrote:

I have no knowledge so this is just to provoke thought - Would becoming a Vietnamese citizen solve the issues or cause more problems that the above?

It would be far easier for a foreigner to be entombed in Vietnam than it would be for that same foreigner to become a naturalized citizen (link previously shared by Colin):

the-conditions-for-the-foreigners-to-apply-vietnamese-citizenship

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

I would want to be cremated in Vietnam and have my partner (who would hopefully be my wife by then) deal with my ashes according to her family customs.

Based on your links it seems as though the only problem areas are what you don't intend anyway, namely bringing a whole body, even if embalmed, back to the US.  I expect that the airline costs could get exorbitant too.

I can't see why your cremation plan shouldn't work.  The only snag I could imagine might be if your spouse wanted to bury your ashes in a government run cemetery.   Imagine the stir if she ordered a granite US military tombstone from the VA.      I never actually observed it in Vietnam but I believe that in some Asian countries, ashes are kept on the family altar.  However that may be only for a certain predetermined time.   Another solution is for ashes to go in a crypt in a wall in the local Buddhist pagoda.  Again you might need to check with the head monk, and that may or may not work if your spouse is Catholic.   

You may be aware that throwing ashes in the ocean is a fairly common practice in Hawaii.  It seems that Da Nang might be an excellent location for the same.   If that is what she wants to do, tell her no need to tell anyone, especially anyone from the government.  Like Nike says "Just do it."  The cliffs on the penninsula on the North side of the city (I can't remember the name but expect you can,) would be an excellent spot as the prevailing winds should be offshore.   Based on personal experience,    have her try to avoid a day when the wind is onshore.