VIETNAM TRAVEL GUIDE — PASSPORT EMERGENCY
Lost Your Passport
in Vietnam?
Here Is Exactly What to Do
Three mandatory steps: report to local police, get an emergency passport from your embassy, then obtain an exit visa from Vietnamese Immigration. This guide walks you through each step with contacts, timelines, and documents.
3 MANDATORY STEPS
within 2 working days
emergency passport ~1 day
3–7 working days
Do not book new flights until exit visa is in hand.
- Go to the nearest police station to where it was lost — report within 2 working days. Get the stamped original report.
- Contact your embassy or consulate in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City to apply for an emergency replacement passport or emergency travel document.
- Take your new passport + police report to the Vietnamese Immigration Department to apply for an exit visa. Do not book flights until this is approved (3–7 working days).
Step-by-Step: What to Do After Losing Your Passport in Vietnam
Report to Local Police — Within 2 Working Days
Under Vietnamese law (Decree 144/2021/ND-CP), foreigners must report a lost or stolen passport to police within 2 working days of discovering the loss. Failing to report may result in an administrative fine of VND 500,000–2,000,000 (approximately $19–$74 USD).
What to say: “I need to report a lost passport” (Toi can bao mat ho chieu). Bring any photo ID you have.
What you will receive: A stamped police report (Form TK05 under Circular 68/2022/TT-BCA). Request the stamped original — both your embassy and Vietnamese Immigration require it. If you need it in English for insurance purposes, ask at the station about certified translation (a small fee applies).
Processing time: Typically 1 working day.
Contact Your Embassy or Consulate for an Emergency Passport
Once you have the police report, contact your home country’s embassy or consulate in Vietnam. They will guide you through applying for an emergency replacement passport or emergency travel document.
- Stamped police report
- Completed passport application form (provided by the embassy)
- Passport-style photo (most embassies require 2 copies)
- Any other identification: driver’s license, national ID card, copy of lost passport if you have one
- Proof of travel: flight booking, hotel bookings
- Payment for the emergency passport fee
Processing time: Most Western embassies issue emergency passports within approximately 1 business day. Standard full-validity replacement passports take up to 6 weeks (sent to home country for printing) — for departure purposes, the emergency document is sufficient.
Important: The emergency passport gets you to the embassy. It does not automatically get you out of Vietnam. Step 3 is still required.
Apply for an Exit Visa at Vietnamese Immigration
This is the step most travelers are not aware of — and the one that causes the most delay. Your emergency replacement passport has a new passport number, and Vietnamese Immigration needs to authorise your departure on this new document. Without an exit visa stamped into your new passport, you cannot legally leave Vietnam.
- Hanoi: Immigration Department — 44-46 Tran Phu Street, Ba Dinh District
- Ho Chi Minh City: Immigration Department — 254 Nguyen Trai Street, District 1
What to bring:
- New emergency passport
- Stamped police report (original)
- Diplomatic note from your embassy (the embassy prepares this)
- Completed Form NA5 (exit/entry/transit visa application — available at the counter)
- Copy of your original lost passport (if you have it)
- Flight ticket
Processing time: 3–5 working days in Hanoi; 5–7 working days in Ho Chi Minh City. Public holidays and Tet can extend this significantly.
Critical: Do not book new flights until the exit visa is physically stamped into your new passport. Airlines will not board you without it.
Realistic Timeline: Lost Passport to Legal Departure
| Day | Action | Time needed | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Report to local police | A few hours | Stamped police report |
| Day 1–2 | Contact embassy, apply for emergency passport | ~1 business day | Emergency passport / travel document |
| Day 2–3 | Submit exit visa application at Vietnamese Immigration | Half a day to submit | Application lodged |
| Day 5–10 | Exit visa approved and stamped in new passport | 3–7 working days | Exit visa in new passport |
| Day 5–10 | Book new flight and depart Vietnam | After exit visa issued | Legal departure |
Important: This timeline assumes weekdays with no public holidays. Vietnam has several extended holiday periods — particularly Tet (Lunar New Year) in January/February — when all government offices close for multiple days. If you lose your passport during a holiday period, add the number of public holiday days to the timeline above.
Embassy and Consulate Contacts in Vietnam
Most major nationalities have representation in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Contact the nearest office to your current location.
7 Lang Ha Street, Ba Dinh
Tel: +84-24-3850-5000
Consulate HCMC:
4 Le Duan Boulevard, District 1
Tel: +84-28-3520-4200
vn.usembassy.gov
8 Dao Tan Street, Ba Dinh
Tel: +84-24-3774-0100
Consulate HCMC:
20F Vincom Center, 72 Le Thanh Ton
Tel: +84-28-3521-8100
vietnam.embassy.gov.au
Central Building, 31 Hai Ba Trung
Tel: +84-24-3936-0500
Consulate HCMC:
25 Le Duan, District 1
Tel: +84-28-3829-8433
gov.uk/world/vietnam
31 Hung Vuong Street, Ba Dinh
Tel: +84-24-3734-5000
Consulate HCMC:
10F, MetLife Building, 235 Dong Khoi
Tel: +84-28-3827-9899
canadainternational.gc.ca/vietnam
What Happens to Your Vietnam eVisa?
| Situation | Your old eVisa | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Current trip — departing Vietnam | No longer usable | Use the exit visa issued by Vietnamese Immigration |
| Future trip — returning to Vietnam | Cannot be transferred to new passport | Apply for a new eVisa at ApplyEvisaVietnam.com |
| eVisa was multi-entry — partially used | Lost with the old passport | Apply for a new eVisa for the new passport |
How to Prevent Passport Loss — Before Your Trip
Email a scan of your passport photo page to yourself and a trusted person at home. Store it in cloud storage. This speeds up police reports and embassy replacements dramatically.
Write down your passport number, issue date, expiry date, and issuing authority in your phone notes and in a notebook carried separately from the passport.
Carry a printed photocopy of your passport photo page in a separate bag or pouch. This helps at police stations and may be accepted at some checkpoints while awaiting replacement.
Leave your passport in the hotel safe when exploring, especially in crowded markets, on motorbike rides, or at beaches. Carry only the photocopy. Hotels are legally required to accept it.
Most travel insurance policies cover emergency passport replacement costs. Check that your policy includes “loss of travel documents” before departing. Keep the policy number accessible.
Apply for your Vietnam eVisa before departure, not at the last minute. This gives you time to correct any issues and arrive without travel stress.
Related Guides
Lost Passport in Vietnam — FAQ
What are the first steps if I lose my passport in Vietnam? +
Three steps in order: (1) Report the loss to the local police station closest to where it was lost, within 2 working days under Vietnamese law. Get the stamped original report. (2) Contact your country’s embassy or consulate to apply for an emergency replacement passport. (3) Take your new passport and police report to the Vietnamese Immigration Department to apply for an exit visa. You cannot legally depart Vietnam without completing step 3.
Can I leave Vietnam without my passport? +
Not without completing the proper procedure. You must obtain an emergency replacement passport from your embassy, then apply for an exit visa from Vietnamese Immigration. The exit visa is stamped into your new passport and allows you to depart legally. Do not book a new flight until the exit visa is physically in hand — processing takes 3–5 working days in Hanoi and 5–7 working days in Ho Chi Minh City.
How long does it take to replace a lost passport in Vietnam? +
Emergency passport from most Western embassies: approximately 1 business day. Exit visa from Vietnamese Immigration: 3–5 working days in Hanoi, 5–7 in Ho Chi Minh City. Total minimum time to legally depart: approximately 4–8 working days. Public holidays and Tet extend this significantly.
Do I need to report my lost passport to the police in Vietnam? +
Yes — legally required. Under Vietnamese law (Decree 144/2021/ND-CP), foreigners must report a lost passport within 2 working days. Failure may result in a fine of VND 500,000–2,000,000. The police report is also required by your embassy for the replacement passport and by Vietnamese Immigration for the exit visa. Report at the station nearest to where the loss occurred.
What happens to my Vietnam eVisa when I lose my passport? +
Your eVisa is linked to the lost passport number and becomes unusable for future travel. For your current departure, the exit visa from Vietnamese Immigration covers you. For any future trip to Vietnam, you must apply for a new eVisa under your new passport number. The old eVisa does not need to be cancelled separately.
How do I contact the US Embassy in Vietnam about a lost passport? +
US Embassy Hanoi: 7 Lang Ha Street, Ba Dinh. Tel: +84-24-3850-5000. US Consulate HCMC: 4 Le Duan Boulevard, District 1. Tel: +84-28-3520-4200. Schedule an American Citizen Services appointment for emergency passport replacement. Emergency passports are typically issued within 1 business day.
Do I need a new eVisa after getting a replacement passport? +
Yes. Your Vietnam eVisa is linked to your original passport number. Once you have a new passport, any future trip to Vietnam requires a new eVisa application under the new passport number. ApplyEvisaVietnam.com can process a new eVisa in as fast as 30 minutes if you need to return urgently.
Should I make a copy of my passport before traveling to Vietnam? +
Yes — always. Before any international trip, scan your passport photo page and email it to yourself and a family member. Store a photo in cloud storage. Carry a printed photocopy separately from your original passport. If lost, copies speed up the police report and embassy replacement process significantly. Also record your passport number, issue date, and expiry date separately.
Planning Your Next Vietnam Trip?
Apply for your new eVisa before you travel. 100% online, from $110, emergency options from 30 minutes. Government fee included.
ApplyEvisaVietnam.com is a private visa agency and is not affiliated with the Vietnamese government or any embassy. The information in this guide is provided for general reference only. For official guidance on passport replacement and exit visas, contact your embassy and the Vietnamese Immigration Department directly.
