Lost Passport in Vietnam: Replacement Passport and Exit Visa Guide

If you lose your passport while traveling in Vietnam, a replacement passport or emergency travel document does not by itself replace the Vietnamese immigration record attached to the lost passport. Official consular guidance for travelers in this situation says to obtain a local police report, replace the travel document, and then apply to the Vietnam Immigration Department for a replacement or exit visa before departure.

TL;DR: Report the loss to the police authority responsible for the place where it occurred, follow your embassy or consulate's instructions for a replacement travel document, and ask what supporting letter it will issue for Vietnam Immigration. Take the new document and case papers to Immigration for the replacement or exit visa. The Ministry of Public Security's general in-country visa procedure allows up to five working days after a complete file is received; a lost-passport case can take longer if the authorities must resolve an overstay or request additional evidence. Wait for Immigration's collection estimate before buying a non-refundable ticket.

Step-by-Step Recovery Process

Step	Action Required	Document / Outcome	Location
1. Report the Loss	Report the lost passport to the competent local police authority	Vietnamese police report	Police authority responsible for the place of loss
2. Replace the Document	Follow your country's consular procedure	Replacement passport or emergency travel document; supporting letter if applicable	Your country's competent embassy or consulate
3. Regularize the Visa Record	Apply for a replacement or exit visa	Visa issued in or separately from the new travel document	Vietnam Immigration Department

1. Obtain a Vietnamese Police Report

Report the passport loss to the police authority with jurisdiction over the place where it was lost or stolen. Official Australian guidance for lost passports in Vietnam warns that a police office in a different locality cannot issue the report for the incident.

What to take: Bring any copy or record of the lost passport and enough information to identify when and where the loss occurred. Ask the local authority what additional identification or evidence it needs.
Outcome: Obtain the Vietnamese police report and keep copies.
Why it matters: Official British and Australian consular guidance states that Vietnam Immigration requires the police report when processing the exit or replacement visa after a passport loss.

2. Obtain a Replacement Travel Document

Contact your country's competent embassy or consulate and follow its current instructions.

Travel document: Depending on nationality and circumstances, the mission may issue a replacement passport, emergency passport, or emergency travel document.
Supporting letter: The form of consular support is not identical for every nationality. For example, Australian official guidance says its embassy or consulate-general issues an introduction letter for the Vietnam Immigration Department. Ask your own mission whether it will issue a letter and exactly what Immigration office or purpose it should name.
Consular requirements: Identification, photos, police reports, fees, and proof of travel are governed by the issuing country's rules. Use the mission's current checklist instead of treating one country's requirements as universal.

3. Apply for a Replacement or Exit Visa

Do not go directly to the airport or a land border with only the new travel document. Vietnam requires the immigration permission associated with the lost passport to be resolved before departure. Official consular guidance describes the result as a replacement visa or exit visa, depending on the case.

Where to apply:
- Hanoi: From 16 June 2026, the Ministry of Public Security says immigration procedures are received at the Immigration Department's new headquarters, 69 Mạc Thái Tổ Street, Yên Hòa Ward, Hanoi. The public-service counter is accessed through Gate 2 on Nguyễn Quốc Trị Street.
- Ho Chi Minh City: Vietnam Immigration Department, 333–337 Nguyễn Trãi Street, Cầu Ông Lãnh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City. The office may require some applicants to file through their sponsoring organization.
Prepare for the application:
1. Your new passport or replacement travel document.
2. The Vietnamese police report.
3. Any introduction or supporting letter issued by your embassy or consulate.
4. Form NA5, the current application for visa issuance or temporary-stay extension, when required by the receiving office.
5. A recent 4 × 6 cm photo with a white background if Immigration issues a separate visa, as specified in the Ministry of Public Security's general procedure.
6. Copies or other evidence of the lost passport, original visa, entry date, and permitted stay, if available.
Fee: The Ministry of Public Security's current general schedule distinguishes a USD 25 single-entry visa from a USD 5 transfer of a still-valid visa or temporary-stay period from an old passport to a new one. A lost-passport case may be treated as an exit/replacement issuance rather than a simple transfer, so confirm the applicable category before paying and obtain a receipt.
Processing time: The official general visa procedure states no more than five working days after a complete file is received. British official guidance for a lost passport likewise says an exit visa can take up to five working days and may take longer when an overstay must be investigated. Use the receipt or appointment notice from the office handling your case as the controlling estimate.

Overstay Fees and Penalties

If your original permitted stay expires while you are arranging the replacement document or visa, you are overstaying. Check the expiry attached to your original entry type—for example, the limits in the Vietnam Visa Exemption Guide or the dates on your eVisa—rather than assuming that the passport loss pauses your permitted stay.

Under Article 21 of Decree 282/2025/NĐ-CP, an unauthorized overstay of under 16 days carries a fine of VND 500,000 to 2,000,000; 16 days to under 30 days carries VND 5,000,000 to 10,000,000. Higher bands apply to longer periods, and expulsion may be imposed for violations in the higher clauses beginning with the 16-to-under-30-day band, depending on the circumstances.
An overstay can delay the exit-visa case while Immigration investigates and determines the fine. Follow the office's payment instructions and retain the official receipt.
Decree 282/2025 also penalizes failure to notify the competent authority of the loss of a still-valid passport or other covered immigration document, so report the loss promptly.