Lost Your Passport in Vietnam? Do This Immediately
Losing your passport in Vietnam is stressful, but it’s a manageable situation if you act quickly and in the right order.
Step 1 — Report to Local Police (Within 24 Hours)
Go to the nearest police station (Công An) and report your passport lost or stolen. Ask for a police report / loss certificate (Biên Bản). This document is required by virtually every embassy to issue an emergency travel document.
- In Ho Chi Minh City: District police stations (Công An Quận) handle tourist reports
- In Hanoi: Similarly, district-level police stations
- Bring any ID you have (a photo of your passport data page stored in your email helps enormously here)
Step 2 — Contact Your Embassy or Consulate
| Country | Embassy Location | Emergency Contact |
|---|---|---|
| USA | Hanoi (Embassy), HCMC (Consulate) | Check travel.state.gov |
| UK | Hanoi (Embassy), HCMC (Consulate) | Check gov.uk/contact-consulate |
| Australia | Hanoi (Embassy), HCMC (Consulate) | Check smartraveller.gov.au |
| Canada | Hanoi (Embassy) | Check travel.gc.ca |
| Germany | Hanoi (Embassy), HCMC (Consulate) | Check hanoi.diplo.de |
Step 3 — Apply for an Emergency Travel Document
Your embassy will issue either:
- Emergency Passport — a full-validity or limited-validity passport
- Emergency Travel Document (ETD) — a temporary single-trip document to get home
Processing time varies by embassy — typically 1–5 business days. Some embassies offer same-day emergency processing for imminent flight departures.
Step 4 — Notify Vietnam Immigration
Before departing, inform Vietnam’s Department of Immigration (Cục Quản lý xuất nhập cảnh) about your lost passport and new travel document. Your accommodation’s front desk or the embassy can advise on the nearest office. This step prevents issues when exiting through immigration.
Travel Insurance
Many comprehensive travel insurance policies cover emergency passport costs and related expenses. Check your policy — then keep the receipts for everything.
Need help with Vietnam entry requirements? Our team is available 24/7.
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