This post provides step-by-step instructions for tourists who have lost or had their passports stolen in Vietnam.
Have you lost or had your passport stolen in Vietnam? Don’t worry! It has happened to me and everything turned out fine! I’m now using my experience to help others in this stressful situation.
Losing a passport in a foreign country sounds like a nightmare to anyone. It can be extremely overwhelming to know what to do next and even more worrying that you’ll be stuck in Vietnam for a long time.
However, this is not the case!
My passport was stolen on Bui Vien Walking Street in Ho Chi Minh City at around 9 pm on 28th October 2022. After taking the following steps, I was on my way to Cambodia on 4th November 2022. Just 1 week later!
So, don’t panic. Even after your passport has gone missing, it is still possible to continue travelling and you won’t be stuck in Vietnam forever!
It’s important to note that I’m talking from the standpoint of a UK passport holder who had their passport stolen in Vietnam. Other embassies may handle this situation differently. However, these steps provide a good understanding of the eventual route that will need to be taken to obtain a temporary passport and exit Vietnam.
Let’s take a look at the steps you now need to take!
Step 1: Cancel your passport
First things first, cancel your passport!
This must be done as soon as possible to reduce the risk of someone using your passport or identity.
Head over to this Gov.UK webpage to cancel your passport.
Step 2: File a police report
Head over to the nearest police station to where the incident occurred and ask to report a crime and obtain a stamped police report.
In my experience, the Vietnamese police didn’t speak the best English (and I certainly did not speak the best Vietnamese). To overcome this, I asked the hotel owner from where I was staying to help me translate. Google Translate is also an efficient way to communicate details with one another.
You’ll have to complete a report, writing down the events that led to the crime.
Then, they’ll log the crime into their system and give you a stamped copy of this report which you’ll need later on.
Step 3. Apply for your ETD
ETD or ’emergency travel document’ is essentially a temporary passport that you’ll need to obtain a new visa (including the exit visa to leave Vietnam).
For UK citizens, you still don’t need to visit the British Embassy yet, you can simply apply and pay for your ETD online using this webpage.
My emergency travel document cost around £100.
You’ll also need to take photos appropriate for your new travel document and upload them online during this step, so make sure you have them ready on your phone beforehand!
Step 4: Collect your ETD
Once your Emergency Travel Document has been processed, you’ll be notified by Gov.UK via email. You’ll then need to arrange an appointment to collect this document from the British Embassy.
The ETD only took 1 working day to process which was a huge relief for me! However, wait times may be longer during the weekends/ public holidays.
I also managed to pick up my ETD the following day after receiving this email!
Along with the ETD, the British Embassy wrote a letter in Vietnamese to the Vietnam Immigration Authority (the next step). This explains the incident and asks the Vietnam Immigration Authority to process the new visa as soon as possible.
Step 5: Visit the Vietnam Immigration Authority
Take your Emergency Travel Document, your police report, and the letter from the British Embassy and go to the Vietnam Immigration Authority.
This is important because you won’t be able to apply for a new visa without it!
You’ll also need cash to pay for a new visa and potentially to pay a small fine too.
There are two Vietnam Immigration Authorities: one in Hanoi and one in Ho Chi Minh City.
In Ho Chi Minh, the Vietnam Immigration Authority’s address is 333-335-337 Nguyen Trai Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.
The Headquarters in Hanoi is located at 44-46 Tran Phu Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi.
They are open Monday to Friday, and Saturday mornings only (excluding public holidays).
- In the morning: 08.00 am – 11.00 am
- In the afternoon: 13.30 pm – 16.00 pm
At the entrance to the building, an employee will greet you and provide you with the correct form and a number for the queue (make sure you arrive early to avoid a very long wait).
Ask for the NA5 Application form for Visa Issuance, Stay Extension.
Fill in the form and keep it with your other documents while you wait for your turn to be seen.
When your number has been called, explain your situation to the person at the desk and hand over all your documents.
You’ll then be asked to wait again in the seating area to pay at a different smaller window.
You’ll be given a receipt to keep with you for when you pick up your ETD with your new visa 3-5 working days later.
Note: make sure you take a copy/ picture of all these documents since they will keep the ETD while processing your new visa!
Step 6: Collect your ETD and visa!
After a 3-5 working day wait, bring your receipt to the Vietnam Immigration Authority and head to the counter where you can collect your documents. This is located on the far right counter of the Ho Chi Minh HQ.
There will be instructions above the desk where you will need to fill out another small form which you place into a little basket on the counter desk.
Then wait for a while in the seating area until your name is called and collect your beautiful ETD and visa! (I think I cried with happiness at this point).
Now, go continue with the rest of your travels and leave the drama behind!
Top tips when dealing with this situation:
- This may sound silly when you’re stressed but use this additional time in Vietnam to explore and to continue enjoying yourself! Even though I experienced this traumatic event, I now have a huge soft spot in my heart for Ho Chi Minh City after spending 2 weeks there!
- Take copies of EVERYTHING. This includes your new Emergency Travel Document number, the police report, and even screenshot emails of confirmation.
- Arrive as soon as the Vietnam Immigration Authority’s doors open to avoid extremely long wait times.
- Follow these steps in order. I tried contacting the British Embassy first and it was absolutely useless until I had reported the crime to the police and applied for my ETD online.
- Keep receipts for expenses you’ve made because of this incident. Your travel insurance company may be able to reimburse some of these costs depending on your policy!
Travel Insurance
If you’re reading this before travelling then now would be a great time to begin looking at travel insurance options!
As you can see, unexpected accidents such as having your passport stolen will likely happen, so it’s best to be prepared and have insurance behind you!
I personally recommend Outbacker Insurance, which was the company I was using at the time of this incident.
When researching travel insurance, I found that Outbacker had great coverage at extremely competitive premiums. The crowning jewel for me was the very low excess that I would pay in the event of making a claim.
For a more in-depth guide to finding the right travel insurance policy for you, read: The Best Travel Insurance For UK Backpackers 2024.
Final Thoughts
I hope this post provides useful content and peace of mind if your passport has gone missing or been stolen in Vietnam.
If you know anyone who may be travelling soon, share this post with them for reference!
This post provides step-by-step instructions for tourists who have lost or had their passports stolen in Vietnam. Don’t forget to pin this post to share or save for later!
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Very helpful information, thank you!
Great info. I cannot imagine losing a passport in a foreign country. At least I have an idea what to do if this happens.
Thanks Kevin! It’s not the first thing you expect when travelling abroad but it’s nice to have help when you’re stuck in a sticky situation such as this. I hope no one ever needs this post but it’s always there to help guide someone back to normality :)
It is also a good idea to travel with extra passport photos for moments such as these.
Yes absolutely! If your country doesn’t allow you to upload photos online for your ETD then you’ll definitely need some extra passport photos handy! Thanks for reading Jolayne
Great information! Hopefully I won’t need this but it’s good to have this information! Great information.
Thank you Cindy! I hope you never need this but if you or a family member finds themselves in a similar situation, I’m always here to help :)
It’s not nice to lose your passport in a foreign country, but the info you provide on what to do is beneficial. Thanks for sharing your post!
Thanks Anthuwin, I’m so glad you found this post helpful!
Great solid advice!
Thank you Lauren! :)
Clear info. I hope I never lose my passport, but if I do, this info will be helpful :)
Thank you for reading Heather. I wish you safe travels and to never need this information too haha! :)
It’s scary thing, but an easy fix. The same thing happened to my daughter and me in Italy when her passport got stolen. (We are American.) We drove to the US Embassy in Rome and she received her temporary passport in only 1 1/2 hours. Whew!
Thanks for your comment Susan. This really can happen to anyone and it’s such an overwhelming feeling as you very well know. The first thing I did was look up what I needed to do because I was clueless myself! Thank goodness you managed to get the temporary passport so quickly… the trip was saved instantly!