Lost passport or visa in China: reissue and leaving the country

2026-10-11

If a visa is lost, damaged, stolen or robbed in China, Regulations Article 11 says the holder shall apply in a timely manner to the local exit and entry administration for reissuance.

If your visa is lost, damaged, destroyed, stolen or robbed in China, Regulations Article 11 says you shall apply in a timely manner to the exit and entry administration of the public security organ at or above county level where you are staying. If your passport is lost, the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United Kingdom says you should apply to your home country's embassy or consulate in China for a new passport before applying for visa reissuance. If you have no valid passport and your home country's mission cannot reissue one, Regulations Article 23 covers exit formalities.

Visa lost, damaged, stolen or robbed

Regulations, Article 11 (English text published by the National Immigration Administration) reads: "Where the visa of a foreigner in China is lost, damaged, destroyed, stolen or robbed, the applicant shall, in a timely manner, apply to the exit and entry administration authority of the public security organ of the local people's government at or above the county level in the place of his or her stay for reissuance of the visa."

Exit and Entry Administration Law, Article 35 (English text published by the National Immigration Administration) covers reissue after entry. It names ordinary visas and stay or residence permits that need reissue "due to damage, loss, theft, robbery or other reasons" after entry. Those foreigners "shall apply for a reissue" with the exit/entry administrations of the public security organs at or above county level in their places of stay or residence, "in accordance with relevant regulations."

Article 35 sets no time limit for the application.

Passport lost in China

The Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United Kingdom publishes this answer in its FAQ, Part Seven, as Q16 (English original):

Q16. What should I do if I lose my passport whilst in China? A: You should report to the local Chinese public security authority as soon as possible and apply for a new passport (or an international travel document) from the embassy or consulate of your home country in China before applying for the re-issuance of a visa from the above public security authority.

The answer places the passport application before the visa reissue application. It names these steps:

Report to the local Chinese public security authority as soon as possible.
Apply for a new passport or international travel document from the embassy or consulate of your home country in China.
Apply for reissuance of the visa from the public security authority.

This is the embassy's own answer. It is not a rule written in Chinese law.

Leaving China without a valid passport

Regulations, Article 23 (English text published by the National Immigration Administration) applies to a foreigner who "does not hold a valid passport or other international travel documents due to loss, damage, destruction, theft, robbery or other reasons" and "cannot get the said passport or documents reissued by the relevant institution of his own country stationed in China." That foreigner "may apply for exit formalities" to the exit and entry administration authority of the public security organ at or above county level in the place of stay or residence.

Article 23 says "may apply". It does not promise that exit formalities will be approved.

Article 23 sets no time limit.

Documents for visa reissue after loss

The National Immigration Administration service guide for extension, change and reissue of foreigners' visas is published in Chinese. The English below is this site's translation of section (四), which covers supporting documents for reissue after entry. The guide lists:

For a visa that is lost or stolen: a passport loss report of the holder, or a note from the consular mission of the holder's country in China, together with a new valid passport or other international travel document.
For a damaged visa: the damaged passport, or a note from the consular mission of the holder's country in China, together with a new valid passport or other international travel document.
For a group visa that is lost, stolen or damaged: a certificate letter from the local receiving travel agency and a copy of the group visa.

The guide says a visa may be reissued that matches the original visa's type, entry validity period, length of stay, and the number of remaining entries on the original visa.

Planning suggestion, not a rule: keep a separate copy of your passport data page and your visa pages before you travel.

Questions people ask

What should I do first if I lose my passport in China?

The Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United Kingdom says you should report to the local Chinese public security authority as soon as possible. Its FAQ Q16 then places the passport application from your home country's embassy or consulate before the visa reissue application.

Does Regulations Article 11 set a deadline for reissue?

Article 11 requires an application "in a timely manner" and gives no number of days. Article 35 of the Exit and Entry Administration Law sets no time limit either.

Sources

Checked 10 and 11 October 2026

This page is an unofficial summary. It is not published by or affiliated with the National Immigration Administration, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, any embassy, consulate or visa application service centre, and it is not legal or immigration advice. The official text and the current notice of the office handling your case prevail if they differ.