In this article, we will cover step by step what you need to do when losing your passport in China
It is advisable to keep aĀ photocopyĀ of the main page of yourĀ passport, and currentĀ visaĀ and latest entry stamp either in your phone or online storage device.
One other useful tip is to keep a copy of these documentsĀ emailedĀ to yourself so you can access it from anywhere.
In this article we will use the term āembassy,ā however, we do mean the nearest āembassy or consulate.ā
1. File a police report at the local police station nearest to where the event took place
The report is only in Chinese and is called ę„ę”čÆę āReceipt of a Report.ā
When filing the report, provide them with yourĀ passportĀ andĀ visaĀ copies and they will give you a small form with a red stamp on it.
Please note that it is important for you to go to theĀ police stationĀ as soon as you lost your passport so that if someone tries to misuse it, you will have proof that itās not you.
2. Bring the report to your local Public Security Bureau Entry and Exit division (åŗå „å¢ē®”ēå±) to obtain a bilingual confirmation of the lost passport (Confirmation of reporting of the loss of passport ę¤ē §ę„失čÆę).Ā
This is another form detailing the report of the missing passport.
Ask them in advance how long it will take to arrange aĀ new visa. The confirmation document is only valid forĀ 30 daysĀ from the date of issue.
You will need to apply for aĀ new passportĀ fromĀ your embassyĀ and file an application for a new visa or residence permit within that time frame. If theĀ thirty days has passed, then it will be considered anĀ overstay.
3. Use the report to inform your embassy that your passport has been lost.Ā
If you are holding aĀ resident permitĀ in China and you lost your passport, upon reporting to your embassy, you must apply for aĀ replacement passport; however, this is where the procedures, time, and fees will vary by country. Please check with yourĀ countryās embassyĀ for details.
- Some countriesĀ will issue replacement passportsĀ immediatelyĀ or the same day and in this case, you would need to apply for aĀ temporary visaĀ from theĀ Public Security Bureau Entry and Exit divisionĀ (åŗå „å¢ē®”ēå±), usually a humanitarian visa while you update the supporting documents (such as a work permit for a work related stay) and then following the residence permit.
- Other countriesĀ will issue aĀ temporary or emergency passportĀ to be used while you wait for your replacement passport. In this case, you will need to obtain aĀ temporary visaĀ in that passport from the Public Security Bureau Entry and Exit division (åŗå „å¢ē®”ēå±), usually a humanitarian visa, and then once your replacement passport arrives you would need toĀ update the supporting documentsĀ (such as a work permit for a work related stay) and then following theĀ residence permit, with the replacement passport details. Depending on the processing time of your replacement passport compared to your temporary visa expiration date, you may need aĀ temporary visa in the new passport, which would add another step in the process. While on a temporary visa, some people received a special document from theĀ Public Security Bureau Entry and Exit divisionĀ (åŗå „å¢ē®”ēå±) to allow international travel with that visa, providing they had a valid reason and proof of upcoming travel, while others were unable to obtain this permission.
- Some countriesĀ do not issue temporary or emergency passports and do not issue replacement passports immediately and if this is the case, then your country will issue anĀ āEmergency CertificateāĀ and work with the Chinese authorities to ensure you are legal to be in China until your replacement passport arrives. If you have lost your passport while traveling in China:
- If your country issues aĀ replacement passport immediatelyĀ or issues a temporary or emergency passport, then you should follow theĀ same proceduresĀ as already mentioned, except for the fact that you will be issued an exit visa in that passport.
- If your countryĀ does not issue emergency passports, then youĀ wonāt be able to stay in ChinaĀ or continue your journey to other countries. You would not be able to apply for a replacement passport in China because you do not hold a residence permit or other long term status here. You would onlyĀ be able to return to your country on the basis of āEmergency Certificateā.Ā
- For the issuance of an āEmergency Certificateā, you need to contact yourĀ countryās embassyĀ and they would use this document to coordinate with the Chinese authorities for your exit from China, similarly to the above situation only that they would coordinate with the authorities to permit your exit from China.
4. When picking up either your temporary or replacement passport, it is important to retain the proof of when you picked it up as this may be required later to prove that you were within the given time limit.Ā
If there is aĀ large gap of timeĀ between when theĀ passport was issued and when you prove that you picked it upĀ you may have to provide anĀ extra explanation.
The time limit for when the visa or residence permit must be moved isĀ between 30 and 60 daysĀ but the exact time limit will vary by location in China, so it is best to check with theĀ Public Security Bureau Entry and Exit divisionĀ (åŗå „å¢ē®”ēå±). If you are updating and moving your work related residence permit, then you will first need to update the work permit.
5. Regardless of what visa you hold you would need to get a new temporary certificate from your local police station or your hotel, after any changes to your passport or visa.Ā
You may needĀ supporting documentsĀ such as the police report because there is no visa in that passport.
If you hold a residence permit and lost your passport outside of China, there areĀ specific proceduresĀ depending on if you lost your passport in your home country or if you lost your passport outside of your home country.
There is likely to be some sort ofĀ temporary visaĀ the embassy or consulate can issue you so that you can return to China because residence permits are only issued in China. As non-residence permits are issued outside of China, then the embassy should have procedures for handling this.
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