Losing your passport is a nightmare that all expats and travelers fear when in a foreign city. But the experience is even more complicated for those in China where the loss of a passport is compounded by the loss of that all-important Chinese visa.
Don’t worry. Follow 5 steps to get a new passport REISSUED!
Step 1
Get the Receipt from the Police Station
The first thing you need to do is reporting the loss or theft of property/ passport to the nearest police station and get the receipt with a red stamp on it [all formal documents should have a red stamp on them].
Tips
It’s handy to have a Chinese speaker to go with you.
Step 2
Get “Confirmation of Reporting the loss of Passport”
After that, you need to visit the Local ‘Division of Exit and Entry Administration of the Municipal Public Security Bureau’ for a “Confirmation of Reporting the Loss of Passport” (Valid for 30 days).
You will have to queue and wait to be called to the desk like any Visa office. At this time, you need to provide the documents as below:
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The receipt from the police station (Step 1) ;
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Registration Form of Temporary Residence;
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Photocopy of your passport;
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Photocopy of your Residence Permit/Chinese visa (if you have);
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Other relevant documents.
Processing Time
About 2 working days.
Step 3
Apply For A New Passport
You should go to your countries nearest embassy or consulate to apply for a new passport or Emergency Travel Documents. The officers will help you to register the procedure of losing passport.
Special Situation
If you are in emergency, they are able to arrange an emergency time slot for you, you will have to pay for this service of course.
Note
Please note that once you have reported your passport lost or stolen to the embassy/consulate, it is electronically canceled and cannot be used for further travel.
Step 4
New Registration Form of Temporary Residence
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If you registered Registration Form of Temporary Residence with the police then you will need to go and amend this with your new passport number.
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If you are staying at a hotel then you can ask the reception to help you with this form.
The 1st Thing You Need To Do In China
Step 5
Apply For New Visa/Resident Permit
After you get new passport, you can apply for the new visa or resident permit from the Division of Exit and Entry Administration of the Municipal Public Security Bureau.
Bring all your documents, photos etc here. Ask for a visa application form and fill it out and queue up for the counter.
Once you are there you can apply for the visa and they will give you an estimated date to collect your visa and how much it will cost.
How To Transfer the Residence Permit to Your New Passport?
Processing Time
Normally, it will take 5 working days for processing this procedure. Then you will get your new Chinese Visa/Resident Permit.
Tips
In the whole process of applying for passport and new Chinese visa/resident permit, you need to go to the local Exit and Entry Administration of the Municipal Public Security Bureau twice.
So please take notes of the address and the working time before you head for.
# Exit and Entry Administration of the Municipal Public Security Bureau in Guangzhou
ADD.
No.155, Jiefangnan Rd, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou
WORKING TIME
Monday-Friday, (8:30-12:00, 14:00-17:30)
(For other cities, you can consult your local Municipal Public Security Bureau on it.)
To Enjoy Immediate Acceptance
in These Situations
To facilitate the convenience of foreigners with emergency needs, the Public Security Exit and Entry Administration provide instant acceptance and approval for foreigners in the following three situations:
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For foreigners who need to re-issue their visas for the loss of passports, they can enjoy the instant acceptance & approval services on the basis of the explanation letter provided by the inviting unit and the plane (railway / boat) ticket with the confirmed date and seat;
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For foreign crew member and his/her accompanying family member urgently need to apply for a staying permit to leave the port city and leave the country, they can enjoy immediate acceptance by the ship’s agency guarantee letter and the plane (railway / boat) ticket with the confirmed date and seat;
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For a member of a foreign tour group urgently needs to apply for a visa to separate from the group and leave the country, they can use the letter of explanation provided by the host travel agency and the plane (railway / boat) ticket with the confirmed date and seat to apply.
How To Transfer the Residence Permit to Your New Passport?
Hope the information can help you. Unfortunately, when you encounter a problem of losing passport in China, you will know how to deal with it next time.
