# Security in Hanoi, Vietnam Canonical page: https://closeprotectionhire.com/cities/hanoi/ Executive protection and close protection in Hanoi, Vietnam. police-certified operators for corporate principals across Ba Dinh, Tay Ho, and the Old Quarter district. ## Threats - **Petty theft and motorbike bag-snatching**: Ministry of Public Security Vietnam Crime Statistics 2024: Hanoi records elevated rates of motorbike bag-snatching in the Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem, and tourist-dense areas; principals should not carry valuables visibly on streets. - **Traffic risk (motorbike density)**: Vietnam Road Traffic Safety Committee Report 2024: Hanoi's road network operates with one of the highest motorbike densities in the world; road traffic incidents involving foreigners are a consistent operational risk; vetted drivers familiar with Hanoi's traffic patterns are essential. - **Regulatory restrictions on private security**: Decree 96/2016/ND-CP, as amended: a security company must be an enterprise and needs a certificate of security and order conditions from the provincial police (or the Ministry of Public Security for a foreign-invested company); foreign investors may only contribute capital for security equipment. ## Regulations - **Licensing**: Security services are a conditional business under Decree 96/2016/ND-CP, as amended by Decree 56/2023/ND-CP and Decree 58/2026/ND-CP, administered by the Ministry of Public Security. A security company must be an enterprise (Article 11) and needs a certificate of satisfaction of security and order conditions, issued by the provincial police or, for a foreign-invested company, by the Ministry's Police Department for Administrative Management of Social Order. Ask any provider for its certificate before an assignment starts. - **Firearms**: Vietnam's Law No. 42/2024/QH15 on the Management and Use of Weapons, Explosives and Support Instruments bars individuals from owning weapons, explosives and support instruments (Article 4) and lists the bodies that may be equipped with military weapons (Article 18). Private security companies are not on that list, so plan for unarmed close protection. - **Foreign operators**: Under Article 11 of Decree 96/2016/ND-CP, a foreign investor may only contribute capital to a Vietnamese security company, to buy security equipment, and must have run a security business for at least 5 years and contribute at least USD 1,000,000. A foreign company cannot provide security services in its own name. Use a licensed Vietnamese company, and take local legal advice before a foreign team carries out protective duties. Sources, checked 2026-10-07: - [Can Tho legal information portal, Decree 58/2026/ND-CP on authority to certify security and order conditions (5 March 2026)](https://pbgdpl.cantho.gov.vn/quy-dinh-tham-quyen-cap-giay-chung-nhan-du-dieu-kien-ve-an-ninh-trat-tu-chung-chi-nghiep-vu-bao-ve-va-tham-duyet-giao-trinh-chuong-trinh-dao-tao-nhan-vien-dich-vu-bao-ve) - [Decree 96/2016/ND-CP, hoatieu.vn text](https://hoatieu.vn/phap-luat/nghi-dinh-96-2016-nd-cp-dieu-kien-ve-an-ninh-trat-tu-doi-voi-mot-so-nganh-nghe-dau-tu-kinh-doanh-co-dieu-kien-114551) - [Law No. 42/2024/QH15 on weapons, explosives and support instruments (Quang Ninh legal information portal)](https://pbgdpl.quangninh.gov.vn/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/42-2024-qh15.pdf) - [Vietnam Briefing (Dezan Shira & Associates), providing security services in Vietnam for foreign firms](https://www.vietnam-briefing.com/doing-business-guide/vietnam/sector-insights/providing-security-services-in-vietnam-for-foreign-firms) ## Zones Lower-risk areas: - Hoan Kiem (Old Quarter core, Hoan Kiem Lake area, daytime): high tourism policing during business hours with consistent CCTV coverage. - Ba Dinh district (government ministries, embassies, international organisations): consistent police presence across the diplomatic quarter. - Tay Ho (West Lake) and Long Bien expat residential areas: lower ambient crime, preferred for HNWI executive accommodation. Elevated-risk areas: - Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem streets after 22:00: bag-snatching and motorbike crime elevated; principals should not display valuables or use phones visibly on the street. - Some southern Hanoi suburbs after dark: reduced police density and road lighting; pre-planned routes advisable for any scheduled visits. ## Emergency contacts - Police: 113 - Ambulance: 115 - Bach Mai Hospital: 024-3869-3731 - Hanoi French Hospital: 024-3577-1100 ## Warnings - FCDO advises normal precautions for Vietnam (2026); FCDO notes road traffic conditions as a specific risk for visitors, particularly motorbike density. - US State Department Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) for Vietnam as of 2026. - Noi Bai International Airport is approximately 35km from the Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem; allow 40-60 min outside peak hours and 75-90 min during peak. The Nhat Tan Bridge and Vo Nguyen Giap expressway are the primary route. - Hanoi French Hospital (024-3577-1100) is the principal international-standard medical facility for Hanoi, with French and English-speaking staff and international patient services. Hanoi presents a moderate risk profile for visiting executives. The Ministry of Public Security Crime Statistics 2024 identify motorbike bag-snatching in the Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem district as the principal concern for corporate principals, particularly after dark. The Vietnam Road Traffic Safety Committee Report 2024 identifies road traffic conditions, driven by Hanoi's exceptional motorbike density, as a consistent operational risk for foreign nationals; unvetted transport is a frequent contributory factor in incidents involving foreign executives. The FCDO advises normal precautions for Vietnam (2026), and the US State Department rates the country at Level 1. The corporate footprint is anchored in Ba Dinh district (embassies, government ministries, international organisations) and Tay Ho (West Lake), which provides the preferred HNWI residential and hotel zone. The National Convention Centre in Ba Dinh and the Lotte Center Hanoi serve as the primary events and business meeting venues. Principals operating in and around the Old Quarter should plan movements to avoid late-evening exposure, and all airport transfers from Noi Bai International Airport (HAN, 35km from the city centre) require vetted drivers familiar with the Nhat Tan Bridge and Vo Nguyen Giap expressway corridor. Our [executive protection services in Hanoi](/executive-protection/hanoi/) cover Ba Dinh, Tay Ho, and the National Convention Centre. [Vetted security drivers in Hanoi](/security-drivers/hanoi/) provide airport transfers from HAN and intercity connections. For regional context, see our briefings for [Ho Chi Minh City](/cities/ho-chi-minh-city/) and [Singapore](/cities/singapore/). ## Frequently asked questions ### Is Hanoi safe for executive and corporate travellers? Hanoi presents a moderate risk profile for corporate principals. Ba Dinh district (embassies, government), Tay Ho (West Lake expat residential), and the Hoan Kiem daytime tourist area record lower ambient crime per Ministry of Public Security 2024 data. The principal risks are motorbike bag-snatching in the Old Quarter after dark and the city's exceptionally high motorbike traffic density, which makes unvetted transport a significant operational variable. The FCDO advises normal precautions for Vietnam (2026), and the US State Department rates the country at Level 1. ### What close protection licensing applies in Vietnam? Security services in Vietnam are a conditional business under Decree 96/2016/ND-CP, as amended, administered by the Ministry of Public Security. A security company must be an enterprise and needs a certificate of satisfaction of security and order conditions from the provincial police. A foreign company cannot provide security services in its own name. Clients should see the operator's certificate before engagement. ### What are the main security zones for executives in Hanoi? Ba Dinh district, Tay Ho (West Lake), and the Hoan Kiem core during daytime hours form the standard lower-risk corporate footprint. The Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem streets after 22:00 carry elevated bag-snatching and motorbike crime risk per MPS Crime Statistics 2024. Some southern Hanoi suburbs after dark have reduced police density and require pre-planned routes for any scheduled visit. ### What medical facilities serve international executives in Hanoi? Hanoi French Hospital (024-3577-1100) is the principal international-standard facility, with French and English-speaking staff and dedicated international patient services. Bach Mai Hospital (024-3869-3731) is the largest public hospital in Hanoi and provides specialist care. Medical evacuation coordination should be confirmed with your travel insurance provider before departure.