Lost Passport in Vietnam: 3 Steps to Get Home on Time

A lost passport in Vietnam takes three steps to fix, in this order: a police report from the place where you lost it, a new passport from your embassy, then a replacement visa from Vietnam's immigration authorities so you can leave. This guide from our Vietnam travel blog covers each step, how long the whole process takes, and what to do if you lose your passport before the trip.

Expect to stay about a week longer than planned, so contact your airline and insurer early. If your passport went missing before you flew and you already hold an e-visa, you can correct the passport number on your e-visa once your new passport is issued.

Lost passport steps:

Step 1: get a police report where you lost it

Get a police report for the lost passport from the police office covering the place in Vietnam where it was lost or stolen. Vietnam's immigration authorities accept only a Vietnamese police report, not a statement from your embassy.

The Australian Consulate-General in Ho Chi Minh City notes that you cannot apply for the report in a different location. Go to the local ward police with a photocopy of the lost passport and visa if you have one, and bring a Vietnamese speaker; your hotel reception can often help. Ask for two copies: one for immigration and one for your travel insurance claim.

Step 2: get a new passport from your embassy

Your embassy or consulate in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City issues a new or emergency passport, usually within a few working days. Bring passport photos, the police report and any photo ID you still have.

Requirements differ by country. Australia, for example, issues emergency passports within two working days. Ask your embassy for a letter to Vietnam's Immigration Department confirming the loss, because you need it in step 3. A temporary travel document may only be valid for the journey home, so check that it covers any stopover country.

Step 3: get a replacement visa to leave Vietnam

Because your Vietnam visa or entry stamp was in the lost passport, you need a replacement visa, sometimes called an exit visa. The UK government states that you must enter and leave Vietnam with the same passport.

Take your new passport, the police report, the embassy letter, a photo and your onward ticket to the Immigration Department office in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. Ask your embassy for the current address and opening hours before you go. A government fee applies and varies by case. If you entered on a work or business sponsorship, the Immigration Department may ask your sponsor to lodge the application.

How long a lost passport in Vietnam delays you

Plan for five to ten working days from the loss to your flight. Embassy guidance puts the replacement visa at 3 to 7 working days, after the new passport is ready.

The US State Department gives at least 3 to 5 working days for the Vietnamese visa. Weekends and public holidays add to every stage, so book a flexible ticket.

Two situations come up often and are easier to handle: losing your passport before you fly to Vietnam, and keeping it safe once you arrive.

Lost your passport before the trip

Losing a passport at home is simpler, because you only need a new passport and a visa that matches it. The details are below.

Your e-visa and a new passport

A Vietnam e-visa is tied to the passport number in your application. If you get a new passport before the trip, the old e-visa no longer matches it and you can be refused boarding.

You have two options. If your dates are unchanged, ask us to correct the passport number on your e-visa with a scan of the new passport. If your trip has moved too, it can be simpler to apply for a new e-visa.

Keeping your passport safe in Vietnam

Hotels must register foreign guests with the local police, so they ask for your passport at check-in. Most scan it and hand it back; if a hotel is keeping your passport in Vietnam, ask when you will get it back and collect it before you go out for the day.

Do not leave your passport as a deposit for a motorbike rental; offer a cash deposit instead. Carry a printed copy of the photo page and visa, and keep a scan in your email. Our Vietnam travel tips cover the photo ID rule in more detail.

VietnamVisa-Easy.com is a private visa service operated by H2 Global Travel JSC since 2012, not a government website, and we cannot replace your embassy or the Immigration Department. For your next trip, you can apply directly at evisa.gov.vn for US$25, or start your application with us.