Vietnamese funeral customs, Buddhist and Catholic rites and memorials in NZ

Written by Henry Smith · Reviewed by Smiths Insurance & KiwiSaver, licensed Financial Advice Provider (FSP712931) · Updated 2026-10-20 · Reviewed annually, or sooner if the rules it describes change.

Financial advice is provided by Craig Smith Business Services Limited, trading as Smiths Insurance & KiwiSaver, a licensed Financial Advice Provider (FSP712931). QuoteHub is a trading name.

Vietnamese funerals in New Zealand are not all the same. Families follow Buddhist, Catholic or other traditions, and many blend them with the veneration of ancestors. General sources describe an altar with a portrait, white mourning clothing, a vigil or wake, and memorial ceremonies at 49 and 100 days. How closely a family keeps these customs varies with religion, region, generation and circumstances, so ask the family. The cost in New Zealand follows the same funeral director, venue and council prices as any other funeral.

What we can and cannot say

New Zealand has few published primary sources on Vietnamese funerals, and we will not invent customs to fill the gap. This guide uses three kinds of source and says which is which.

What it covers	Source	How far to rely on it
NZ law, paperwork, costs, grants	Government agencies, legislation, FDANZ	Sourced and checked, as at 20 October 2026
Traditional Vietnamese mourning customs	A general reference on Vietnamese culture (its funeral section is marked by the publisher as lacking citations)	Description of tradition in Vietnam, not NZ practice; use as a prompt for questions
Your family's own wishes	The family, their temple or church, their community	The one that counts

If you are a friend or colleague of the family, the most useful thing you can do is ask a close family member what would be welcome, rather than assume.

Buddhist, Catholic or both

Vietnamese New Zealanders include Buddhists and Christians (Wikipedia: Vietnamese New Zealanders), and Catholic funerals are part of that picture. Our sources do not give an NZ breakdown, so we do not put a percentage on it. What matters in practice is that the rites differ:

A Buddhist funeral is usually led or supported by a temple community. The general reference on Vietnamese Buddhism notes that temples play a significant role in death rituals and funerals among overseas Vietnamese (Wikipedia: Vietnamese Buddhism). For the Buddhist side in NZ, see our Buddhist funerals guide.
A Catholic funeral follows the church's own rites. See our Catholic funerals guide.
Some families combine elements, for example a church service together with a home altar and ancestor veneration. We found no NZ source on this blend, so ask the family how they want it to run.

Tell the funeral director which tradition or traditions the family wants, because it affects the venue, the officiant, the timing and the order of service.

Traditional customs as generally described

The following is what a general reference on Vietnamese culture describes. Treat it as tradition in Vietnam, not a checklist for New Zealand (Wikipedia: Culture of Vietnam, funeral ceremony).

The wake or vigil. Described as lasting about five to six days in Vietnam, and longer if relatives are travelling from abroad. In New Zealand, how long a body can be kept is a practical matter for the funeral home and the family, so ask early if relatives are coming from overseas.
Washing and dressing the body. The body is washed and dressed before being placed in the coffin.
Mourning dress. Traditionally white clothes and white turbans or headbands for the family.
Procession and burial. The date and time of the funeral procession is carefully chosen, and relatives and friends accompany the coffin to the burial ground.
After the funeral. The family visits the grave three days later. After 49 days there is a ceremony called lễ chung thất, after which the family stops bringing rice to the altar. After 100 days comes tốt khốc, "the end of the tears". There are further ceremonies at one and two years.
Modern simplification. The same reference says modern mourning rituals have been simplified.

We have not included the finer points of mourning-dress hierarchies or gift customs, because we could not source them for New Zealand. If the family explains them to you, follow their lead.

What this means in New Zealand

Altar, portrait and incense. Many families keep an altar with the person's portrait. Whether incense, candles or chanting are allowed at a venue is up to that venue, so ask the funeral director when you book. We have no source on venue rules.

Burial or cremation. FDANZ reports that 69% of 2025 funerals were cremations and 25% burials. It also says that for Māori, Pacific peoples and the growing number of Asian New Zealanders, "a more 'traditional' funeral or tangihanga remains the norm, with burial still most common" (FDANZ, 2026 New Zealand Funeral Industry Trends Report). That covers Asian New Zealanders as a group, not Vietnamese families alone. Our burial versus cremation guide sets out the choice.

Cremation paperwork. Cremation needs the cause-of-death certificate or a coroner's order, a Form A signed by the executor or a near relative, a Form B or the new Form BA from a doctor or nurse practitioner, and the medical referee's permission (Health NZ: Cremation). The funeral director normally handles this.

Ashes. Auckland Council notes that scattering of ashes varies across cultures and belief systems and asks people to avoid sacred places (Auckland Council: Scattering of ashes). Check local rules before you scatter or bury ashes.

Registration. Registering the death is free, and has to be done within 3 working days of burial or cremation. An official death certificate costs $35 (govt.nz: Registering a death).

Time off work. Bereavement leave is 3 days for close relatives and 1 day for others where the employer accepts a bereavement, taking into account closeness, responsibility for arrangements and "any cultural responsibilities" (Holidays Act 2003, sections 69 and 70). Ask your employer early if memorial dates fall on working days.

What it costs

FDANZ's 2026 report puts a full funeral for 50 people, with a cremation, at an average of $11,700 (range $10,000 to $13,900), and the same funeral with a burial at an average of $14,300 (range $12,800 to $17,000). An unattended cremation with no service averages $4,700. Components vary by funeral director; FDANZ's indicative ranges as at July 2025 include:

Item	Indicative range
Professional services fee	$3,000 to $6,500
Chapel hire	$200 to $500
Celebrant or clergy	$300 to $900
Flowers	$200 to $500
Catering	$15 to $25 a head
Cremation fee (council)	$600 to $1,100
Burial plot and interment (council)	$1,000 to $8,000

Source: FDANZ: Financial matters. As an example only, catering for 100 guests at $15 to $25 a head would be $1,500 to $2,500; a multi-day gathering with meals multiplies that. Memorial ceremonies after the funeral, such as the 49-day and 100-day gatherings, are extra costs that sit outside these ranges. See our guides to funeral costs and direct cremation.

Help with the cost

The Work and Income Funeral Grant is up to $2,697.43 (as at 1 April 2026). Its guidance for staff lists cultural, spiritual or religious practices among the costs it may treat as reasonable (Work and Income: Funeral expenses guidance). The grant is tested against the estate and, for a partner or child, income and assets, and a prepaid funeral account counts as an asset. ACC pays up to $8,236.40 where the death is from a covered injury (ACC).

Where funeral insurance fits

If you are planning ahead for yourself or a parent, Momentum Life's Funeral Insurance, issued by Momentum Life Limited, is one option. It accepts New Zealanders aged 40 to 75 with no health questions and pays a fixed benefit of $3,000 to $30,000 towards costs. In the first 24 months it pays only for accidental death (death within 90 days of the accident); for any other death in that window the premiums paid for that person are refunded. Add up the premiums over many years and they can exceed the benefit, and the benefit may not cover a whole funeral, least of all one with a multi-day gathering. Momentum Life Limited's A.M. Best rating is B (Fair), affirmed on 11 February 2026 (Momentum Life: financial strength). Details are on our Momentum Life Funeral Cover page and the funeral insurance hub. Savings and a prepaid plan are other routes.

Questions to ask the funeral director

Can we have an altar, portrait, candles or incense at the venue?
Can a temple or church leader lead the service, and can chanting or prayers run for as long as we need?
What are the options on timing if relatives are coming from overseas?
What does the quote include, and what is extra, such as the cremation fee, the casket and the death certificate?
Who handles the cremation or burial paperwork?
Can we hold a memorial gathering later, and where?

Our cultural funeral customs guide lists other communities, and the when someone dies hub covers the steps that apply to every family.

If you are planning ahead for your own funeral costs

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Insurer: Momentum Life Limited. Financial strength rating B (Fair) from AM Best, affirmed 11 February 2026; B ratings sit in AM Best's 'vulnerable' range. The rating scale is available for inspection at every Momentum Life office in New Zealand. What this means

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Opens Momentum Life's online application; its guidance only covers eligibility. QuoteHub is a Momentum Life partner. Smiths Insurance & KiwiSaver may receive a commission if you buy. General information, not advice.

Adviser's view

There is no single Vietnamese funeral. Families follow Buddhist, Catholic or other traditions, and how closely they keep older customs varies. The safest approach for friends and organisers is to ask the family what they want, and for families to tell the funeral director early about altars, incense, chanting and memorial dates so the venue and timing can be arranged.

Henry Smith, Financial Adviser (FSP1010699). General information, not personalised financial advice.

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Cite this page QuoteHub NZ (2026). Vietnamese Funeral Customs NZ: Buddhist Rites. www.quotehub.co.nz/guides/when-someone-dies/vietnamese-funeral-traditions-nz. Updated 2026-10-20.