US Emergency Passport - okay at BKK?

[OZinPattaya]

Suffice it say that my US passport was stolen (along with my 10k baht for tourist stamp income purposes) in Vietnam the other day. Plan on getting an Emergency Visa at US Embassy in HCMC. I believe this is a full passport as opposed to an emergency departure doc. Are emergency passports valid/okay at Bangkok BKK? I emailed Thai Consulate in HCMC but so far no word. 

 

I am currently in Nha Trang. Is it possible to get on a plane with Vietjet with no passport? I have a police report from Nha Trang police stating that it was "lost." Police would not give report if I stated it was stolen. I tried calling Vietjet many times and I always get disconnected immediately. Otherwise should I take the train to Saigon? Bus? No passport needed then, only passport number? 

 

Thanks, 

[DrJack54]

Man that's bad luck. In Los you can fly domestic with photo ID. Such as DL.

Not sure about Vietnam. Nha Trang is a hike from Saigon but fall back position is train/bus. Check out Jetstar. Might be more helpful. Temporary pp consists of couple pages and is good for international travel. Can't advise on USA pp replacement time. Mine from OZ took very little time. Think 5 days.

Just to clarify you don't want emergency visa. You need emergency passport and obtain visa exempt entry at Los. 

Wait for better advice. 

[OZinPattaya]

It seems Vietjet does allow a local police report in place of lost passport. I can't tell though if the police report is in addition to 'diplomatic document' or is an alternative. 

 

From their website

 

a. Foreign passport or laissez-passer, separate visa, permanent residence card or temporary residence card issued by Vietnam (these document must have Vietnamese exit and entry stamp as prescribed).

b. In case of losing passport, passenger must present diplomatic document from his/ her country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Consulates or official letter of Department of Foreign Affairs, local police where the passenger lost the passport to confirm personal record or inform the case. Document must have passenger’s ID image and overlapping stamp. These documents will be valid within 30 days from the issued date;

 

[moe666]

Emergency passports are usually only good for a departure flight out of the country were issued. You can use them for hotel as well but have a short life span.

[OZinPattaya]

1 minute ago, DrJack54 said:

Man that's bad luck. In Los you can fly domestic with photo ID. Such as DL.

Not sure about Vietnam. Nha Trang is a hike from Saigon but fall back position is train/bus. Check out Jetstar. Might be more helpful. Temporary pp consists of couple pages and is good for international travel. Can't advise on USA pp replacement time. Mine from OZ took very little time. Think 5 days.

Just to clarify you don't want emergency visa. You need emergency passport and obtain visa exempt entry at Los. 

Wait for better advice. 

Correct. Emergency  passport, not visa, I misspoke.

[DrJack54]

OP, easy from couch in Thailand but I would go to airport and deal directly with staff either vietjet or Jetstar. Do you have photo ID. DL from home country? 

Fly to Saigon and obtain emergency pp there. I might even consider just saying that I lost it.

Good luck

[OZinPattaya]

Just now, moe666 said:

Emergency passports are usually only good for a departure flight out of the country were issued. You can use them for hotel as well but have a short life span.

I thought that was only the case with the so-called emergency travel document, not emergency passport. Will call US Embassy tomorrow and see if they know for sure.

[OZinPattaya]

2 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

OP, easy from couch in Thailand but I would go to airport and deal directly with staff either vietjet or Jetstar. Do you have photo ID. DL from home country? 

Fly to Saigon and obtain emergency pp there. I might even consider just saying that I lost it.

Good luck

Yes, US driver's license and picture/copy of passport. 

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, OZinPattaya said:

I thought that was only the case with the so-called emergency travel document, not emergency passport. Will call US Embassy tomorrow and see if they know for sure.

As I mentioned previously. Better advice will come along. Esp from Ubonjoe. Think he is USA so expert advice soon.

In meantime my concern is not just obtaining emergency pp.

Years ago I was about to travel from Los to Vietnam and realized my pp was about to end. I went to Oz embassy bkk and applied for replacement pp along with emergency pp.

I returned in 8 days and both emergency and new "normal" pp had arrived. Yes that's correct. So the embassy staff made me accept the emergency pp, sign doc. Then hand it back, cancel it and then hand my new full passport over to me.

Point is you would need apply for emergency pp in Saigon then pp in Thailand. How would that work.

BTW...I keep referring to it as emergency pp. It may have another name. Looks exactly same as normal pp. With one/2 pages

[OZinPattaya]

1 minute ago, DrJack54 said:

As I mentioned previously. Better advice will come along. Esp from Ubonjoe. Think he is USA so expert advice soon.

In meantime my concern is not just obtaining emergency pp.

Years ago I was about to travel from Los to Vietnam and realized my pp was about to end. I went to Oz embassy bkk and applied for replacement pp along with emergency pp.

I returned in 8 days and both emergency and new "normal" pp had arrived. Yes that's correct. So the embassy staff made me accept the emergency pp, sign doc. Then hand it back, cancel it and then hand my new full passport over to me.

Point is you would need apply for emergency pp in Saigon then pp in Thailand. How would that work.

BTW...I keep referring to it as emergency pp. It may have another name. Looks exactly same as normal pp. With one/2 pages

Yes, my plan was to get the emergency passport in Saigon and then apply in person for permanent passport at US Embassy in Bangkok the day after I get there. 

[OZinPattaya]

18 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

OP, easy from couch in Thailand but I would go to airport and deal directly with staff either vietjet or Jetstar. Do you have photo ID. DL from home country? 

Fly to Saigon and obtain emergency pp there. I might even consider just saying that I lost it.

Good luck

On their website JetStar says for domestic travel a passport is "usually" not required, just photo id, so I will probably go that way, thanks for the suggestion.

[DrJack54]

2 minutes ago, OZinPattaya said:

Yes, my plan was to get the emergency passport in Saigon and then apply in person for permanent passport at US Embassy in Bangkok the day after I get there. 

Think good plan. As I mentioned earlier I think just go to airport with your USA DL and after checking with airline purchase flight either at sales counter or online. 

[OZinPattaya]

Just for future reference to anyone who loses a passport in Nha Trang (and perhaps most of Vietnam in general).

 

1. Bring a translator! The officer insisted on my having a translator. My sweet mama-san hotel manager and husband met me at police station. God bless them.

2. If money was also stolen, do not report this. Just take it for a loss. They are extremely reluctant to file police reports over stolen income and may outright refuse to create a report at all.

3. Report passport as "lost" to police even if stolen. It amounts to the same thing anyway, and in my case they made me fill out a second police report stating that it was lost, end of story. 

 

If US passport, and I imagine other countries, you MUST get a local police report even for lost passports in order to obtain an emergency passport. This has to do with the now nonexistent entry stamp, I believe. 

 

[DrJack54]

4 minutes ago, OZinPattaya said:

Just for future reference to anyone who loses a passport in Nha Trang (and perhaps most of Vietnam in general).

 

1. Bring a translator! The officer insisted on my having a translator. My sweet mama-san hotel manager and husband met me at police station. God bless them.

2. If money was also stolen, do not report this. Just take it for a loss. They are extremely reluctant to file police reports over stolen income and may outright refuse to create a report at all.

3. Report passport as "lost" to police even if stolen. It amounts to the same thing anyway, and in my case they made me fill out a second police report stating that it was lost, end of story. 

 

If US passport, and I imagine other countries, you MUST get a local police report even for lost passports in order to obtain an emergency passport. This has to do with the now nonexistent entry stamp, I believe. 

 

So correct. Think I mentioned above.... when back bkk and go through process of replacement full pp just say you lost it. 

Mention of stolen will open can of worms.

[OZinPattaya]

15 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

So correct. Think I mentioned above.... when back bkk and go through process of replacement full pp just say you lost it. 

Mention of stolen will open can of worms.

You don't imagine Embassy will make a bigger effort to expedite if reported stolen than lost? Probably not. I think I'll take your advice.

 

Even worse in Thailand. You're liable to get charged with filing a false police report if you report stolen income or property. Risky. The backpackers committing insurance fraud to finance their holidays has led to this. 

Edited December 9, 2019 by OZinPattaya

[Nakmuay887]

2 hours ago, OZinPattaya said:

Just for future reference to anyone who loses a passport in Nha Trang (and perhaps most of Vietnam in general).

 

1. Bring a translator! The officer insisted on my having a translator. My sweet mama-san hotel manager and husband met me at police station. God bless them.

2. If money was also stolen, do not report this. Just take it for a loss. They are extremely reluctant to file police reports over stolen income and may outright refuse to create a report at all.

3. Report passport as "lost" to police even if stolen. It amounts to the same thing anyway, and in my case they made me fill out a second police report stating that it was lost, end of story. 

 

If US passport, and I imagine other countries, you MUST get a local police report even for lost passports in order to obtain an emergency passport. This has to do with the now nonexistent entry stamp, I believe. 

 

Identical situation for me in Vientiane. 

 

They didn't include that money had been stolen in the police report and they would only write me a statement if I said that I had "lost" my bag and passport. 

 

Fortunately as I was on the phone with my embassy to start start working on an emergency pp my Canadian one was turned into the British embassy by a fellow from Issan. Double lucky that the Canadian government hadn't yet canceled it as it had been reported stolen about 6 hours earlier. 

[BritTim]

"Emergency passport" and "emergency travel document" basically mean the same thing. Some countries will only issue one to return you your home country. Where your embassy is more flexible, they typically are only valid for a few countries that you can demonstrate an urgent need to visit. Contact the embassy, describing your situation and plans. They usually have some discretion, but will not want to give you an emergency passport with any more flexibility than absolutely necessary as it is not subject to the normal security safeguards you get with a full passport.

Thailand will accept an emergency passport/travel document, provided it states that it is valid to use in Thailand.

[ubonjoe]

11 hours ago, OZinPattaya said:

Are emergency passports valid/okay at Bangkok BKK? I emailed Thai Consulate in HCMC but so far no word. 

Yes you can enter Thailand using an emergency passport. They have no restriction on where can travel to and are valid for a year.

Info is here about applying. https://vn.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/passports/emergency-passport/

For emergency assistance you need to call the Embassy in Hanoi.

[AgMech Cowboy]

It's been a while since I had a stolen passport (it went with my computer and bag at KLIA).  I reported to US Embassy in KL the next day and picked up a 1 year passport the next day along with an admonishment for not being more careful. They may have changed, but the validity time, but you will just have to find out on your own.  It will be for more than a one trip home.

[DJ54]

While on the subject of passport. Has anyone used the U.S. Passport Card? It’s similar size to drivers license. The background 

looks like the identification on passport... same picture etc. 

 

It says on the back in fine print not for use out of US and certain 

Countries.. Mexico..  you pay extra for card when getting new passport.

 

might work in a pinch...

[impulse]

13 minutes ago, DJ54 said:

While on the subject of passport. Has anyone used the U.S. Passport Card? It’s similar size to drivers license. The background 

looks like the identification on passport... same picture etc. 

 

It says on the back in fine print not for use out of US and certain 

Countries.. Mexico..  you pay extra for card when getting new passport.

 

might work in a pinch...

 

My understanding is that the passport cards are for crossing the US border by land or boat, into Canada and Mexico and the Caribbean.  I don't think they're accepted any more for flights, even into the USA.

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/need-passport/card.html

 

Edited December 10, 2019 by impulse

[DrJack54]

13 minutes ago, DJ54 said:

While on the subject of passport. Has anyone used the U.S. Passport Card? It’s similar size to drivers license. The background 

looks like the identification on passport... same picture etc. 

 

It says on the back in fine print not for use out of US and certain 

Countries.. Mexico..  you pay extra for card when getting new passport.

 

might work in a pinch...

Did you even read the op?

He lost/stolen pp in Da Nang. Needs get back to Thailand. 

Brilliant

[SiSePuede419]

My passport was stolen out of my bag by a policeman.  Note to self: Never carry passport in bag, only on person.

 

Went to an embassy.  They issued new passport within a day or so.

 

However, whenever I go back, I usually get additional scrutiny because my passport was issued outside the US, apparently.

 

In Denver, I swear I was the only non-Chinese person in the "special scrutiny" line. ????

[Caldera]

8 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Did you even read the op?

He lost/stolen pp in Da Nang. Needs get back to Thailand. 

Brilliant

Speaking of reading, there's no mention of Da Nang in the OP. Nha Trang is being mentioned as their current location. Not that it makes much of a difference.