If you lose your passport in Vietnam, do three things in order: file a loss report for the passport (and the residence card, if lost too) confirmed by the ward police where you are staying; get a new passport from your embassy or consulate together with a diplomatic note confirming the lost passport issued by that same embassy or consulate; and only then apply to the immigration authority to have your lost visa or temporary residence card reissued on the new passport. Your visa, e-visa, residence card and entry stamp all belong to the old passport, so without the last step you cannot pass departure control. Info Travel advises on and handles the visa and residence card paperwork after a lost passport – message us on WhatsApp +84327828822.
Why a lost passport affects your stay and your exit
Under Vietnam’s Law on Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence of Foreigners (Law 47/2014/QH13, as amended), a foreigner may leave the country only if they have a passport or valid international travel document, a valid temporary residence certificate, temporary residence card or permanent residence card, and no exit suspension against them.
Losing your passport breaks the first two conditions:
- You have no travel document until your embassy issues a new passport or emergency document.
- Your visa sticker, e-visa and entry stamp were all issued against the old passport number. A new passport does not inherit them automatically.
- Your permitted stay keeps counting down. If it runs out while you wait for the new passport, you are overstaying.
The sooner you act, the better – especially if you already have a flight booked or your visa is close to expiry.
Step 1: Get a loss report confirmed by the ward police
As soon as you notice the passport is missing (lost, stolen or snatched), write a loss report for the passport (listing the residence card too if it was lost with it) and have it confirmed by the ward/commune police where you are staying. Bring:
- A copy or photo of the passport bio page, visa or e-visa and entry stamp, if you have one on your phone or in your email;
- Any other ID (residence card, driving licence, national ID card);
- Your address in Vietnam (hotel or rented home) and when and where the loss happened.
The result is the loss report confirmed by the ward police. It is required both by your embassy for the new passport and by the immigration authority to reissue your visa or residence card, so keep the original and make several copies. If a foreign authority needs it, you may also need a notarised translation. If you don’t speak Vietnamese, take an interpreter, your hotel staff or someone from your sponsoring company with you.
Step 2: Get a new passport and a lost-passport diplomatic note from your embassy
Only your own country’s embassy or consulate can replace a passport. Depending on your nationality you may be offered:
- A full replacement passport – the right choice if you live in Vietnam with a residence card or work permit;
- An emergency travel document – short validity, mainly for returning home or travelling onward.
When you apply for the new passport, ask your embassy or consulate to also issue a diplomatic note (official letter) confirming the loss, showing the details of the lost passport and the new one. Vietnam’s immigration authority requires this note to reissue your visa or residence card on the new passport; without it the application will not be accepted.
Requirements, processing time and fees are set by each embassy, so check directly with yours. Our guide to foreign embassies in Vietnam is a good starting point.
Choose carefully: a Vietnamese visa or residence card must expire at least 30 days before the passport does, so a short emergency document is rarely enough for a long-term residence card.
Step 3: Have your visa or residence card reissued on the new passport
With the new passport and the embassy’s diplomatic note in hand, you (or your sponsoring company or family member) apply for reissue to the immigration authority (the Immigration Department or the provincial immigration office). What you need depends on your status before the loss:
| Your status before the loss | Usual way forward |
|---|---|
| Valid visa | Apply for the visa to be reissued on the new passport through your sponsor. |
| Valid e-visa | The e-visa is tied to the old passport number; submit the new passport and the diplomatic note to have a visa reissued on the new passport before departure. |
| Visa exemption (temporary residence certificate) | Submit the new passport and the diplomatic note to have your temporary residence certificate (or a visa) reissued on the new passport. |
| Temporary residence card | Apply for the residence card to be reissued on the new passport, with the diplomatic note and the sponsor’s letter. |
| Visa already expired | Settle the overstay first, then obtain a visa on the new passport to exit. |
Forms: Since 1 July 2026, immigration forms follow Circular 70/2026/TT-BCA (see Vietnam immigration forms NA). An in-country visa request normally uses form NA5 (visa / temporary stay extension application); a residence card uses NA8 together with NA6 (company sponsor) or NA7 (individual sponsor). The reissue file contains the application form, the new passport, the embassy or consulate’s diplomatic note confirming the lost passport, the passport/residence card loss report confirmed by the ward police where you are staying, the sponsor’s letter and photos.
Government fees (Circular 28/2026/TT-BTC): charged by the type of visa or card reissued, e.g. single-entry visa USD 25; residence card up to 2 years USD 145, over 2 to 5 years USD 155, over 5 to 10 years USD 165.
Lost passport while holding a residence card
If you live in Vietnam on a temporary residence card (work, investment or family), losing your passport does not end your right to stay, but the card carries the old passport number. Once you have the new passport and the embassy’s lost-passport diplomatic note, your company or family sponsor applies to have the card reissued on the new passport. If the card was lost together with the passport, the reissue is also based on this note. See replacing a lost or damaged residence card.
Also ask your landlord or hotel to update your temporary residence declaration with the new passport, and tell your employer so work permit records can be updated if needed.
Timing and the risk of overstaying
By law, the immigration authority considers an in-country visa, a stay extension or a residence card within 5 working days of receiving a complete file. The total time also depends on how quickly your embassy issues the new passport.
The biggest risk is your visa running out while you wait. Overstaying is fined under Article 21 of Decree 282/2025/ND-CP (VND 0.5–2 million for under 16 days, more for longer periods), and a foreigner whose stay has expired may also be ordered to leave. See Vietnam visa overstay fines, and if your visa is about to expire, plan a visa extension as soon as the new passport arrives.
Unpaid taxes, court obligations or administrative fines can also stop you at the airport even with perfect paperwork – see exit bans for foreigners in Vietnam and our overview of exit procedures for foreigners.
How Info Travel helps after a lost passport
- Clear advice on the right sequence for your situation (visa, e-visa, visa exemption or residence card);
- Guidance on the police-confirmed loss report, the new passport and the lost-passport diplomatic note from your embassy;
- Once you have the loss report, the new passport and the diplomatic note: our service at the immigration authority to reissue your visa or residence card on the new passport;
- Preparing and filing the reissue of your visa or residence card on the new passport, on the Circular 70/2026 forms;
- Advice on settling an overstay if your visa expired while you waited;
- Urgent handling when you already have a flight booked.
Our service fee depends on your case and timeline – message us on WhatsApp/Zalo +84327828822 for a quote.
FAQ
Can I fly out with just the police-confirmed loss report?
No. The report is not a travel document. You need a new passport or emergency travel document from your embassy, plus valid permission to stay on that document, before going to the airport.
My e-visa is still valid – does it carry over to the new passport?
No. The e-visa was issued for the old passport number. Get a new passport and the embassy’s lost-passport diplomatic note, then apply to the immigration authority to have a visa reissued on the new passport.
I found my old passport after reporting it lost. Can I use it?
Passports reported lost are usually cancelled by the issuing country. Check with your embassy before travelling on it.
How long does the whole process take?
The immigration step takes around 5 working days from a complete file; the embassy decides how long the new passport takes. Contact us as soon as the loss happens so we can plan around your flight.
Info Travel – visa solutions for foreigners in Vietnam
📞 WhatsApp/Zalo: +84327828822 – Hotline: +84903782118
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