Lost/Stolen Passport Procedure in HCMC

I am documenting this as a guide for foreigners who have lost their passports in HCMC or have had them stolen.

Background (5 Dec 12) : We were walking along Dong Khoi outside Parkson. 2 well-dressed men on a bike went onto the pavement. We made way for them. One of them suddenly grabbed my mother's handbag and they sped off. That was it. 2 passports and money gone.

Step 1 : 
Make a police report at the WARD police station where the crime was committed - you need to get the right ward police station. Otherwise you'll be running in circles looking for the right one. You'll need the help of a Vietnamese as most of the policemen do not speak English. You also need to write your statement in English and then have it translated to Vietnamese.

We made the report at night right after the incident. We were "informed" that if we reported our passports as lost instead of stolen, we will get the procedures processed faster. What procedures? Their motive? No prizes for guessing. Hint : statistics. The passports and money will never see the light of day again - it's just the report that we need. We stuck to our story -  asked for a copy of the report but none was given. No reason given too. We were just told that we can only collect our copy at 9am the next morning.

The next morning, we arrived promptly at 9am. One officer pulled the report from his drawer, passed to another for a look, and then to a third officer to stamp the report. All done in less than 3 minutes. That's how the "procedure" is for collecting a copy of the police report. Note also that procedures differ from ward to ward.

Police station at Ward Ben Nghe

Police Report (EL in front)

Police Report (VN - at the back)

Step 2 :

Go to your embassy/consulate, in our case Singapore. They will need the police report and 2 passport photos per person. You need to check with your embassy on their specific requirements. Don't go there and then start searching for a photo-shop to take your passport photo - adds to the delay and frustration, which you can well do without. Get your photos taken before you go there. We needed 3 photos per person - 2 for consulate, one for the VN Imm Dept later. Best to make 4.

The embassy will issue a Document of Identity (see below) for you to fly out of the country legally. However, in Vietnam, they need an additional Vietnam visa together with this document. So you need to go the Vietnam Immigration Department. See below for details.

Our consulate said it will take about 3 days to get the VN Visa done - which means you should be prepared to stay another 3 days or more. (See how we cut short below)

Document of Identity

Letter by SG Consulate to VN Imm Dept

Step 3 :

Go to the Immigration Department. In HCMC, the address is 254, Nguyen Trai, District 1.

It is about 10 minutes walk from Citi Plaza (shopping centre where we had lunch).

You need to get a Vietnamese friend to go with you. Handling them on your own is really difficult.

Note that it operates Mon to Fri 0800-1130, 1330-1600; Sat 0800-1130.

We rushed to reach there at 1110 but the queue number counter already closed.

So don't bother to go in the morning if you can't make it by 1100.

We had no choice but to hang around at Citi Plaza for 2 hours to wait for the 1.30pm opening.

Went back at 1.25pm - queue counter was already opened. Got a queue number.

Imm Dept at 254, Nguyen Trai, Dist 1

This is the queue number ticket

This is Counter 9 where you will make your report.

You need to fill up another form : "Application for visa issuance, replacement, modification or stay extension". One for each visa application. You need to buy it from the queue counter.
You also need to submit one passport photo to make your visa document.
You will need to make photocopies of all your documents for submission.

We went out to make photocopies after talking to the officer (machine at queue number counter was out). Someone in uniform approached us and offered to help get our visas done by today so that my parents can fly out this very night as originally scheduled. I let my VN friend handle the discussion. Final "service fee" was US$100. That's why you need a Vietnamese to go along with you.

We finally got the visas done at 4.30pm. Cost is US$25 per visa.
Total damage for us : US$150

Finally, the VISA!!

HCMC - No longer safe

Caught in the act (Crime in HCMC)

In my earlier days in HCMC, when I was still green, I attributed being cheated by some Vietnamese to my naivete. Then my wife was pick-pocketed. Still defended HCMC and blamed ourselves for not being careful. Then my apartment was burgled - ok, bad luck. Then I was robbed a few months back - my fault? Today, my mum was robbed. A very kind young lady brought us to the police station and help us make a police report. She said that her foreigner boss and another manager also fell victim to crime. Sorry, HCMC, I cannot defend you anymore. You have become too dangerous for me as a foreigner.

One year back, I rated you, HCMC, as the second safest city for tourists after Singapore, even safer than the other cities in Southeast Asia. Sorry, not any more. Not after what has happened to me and my family - call it bad luck, call it my fault, call it whatever you want - but HCMC has degenerated into a very dangerous city to be in, especially the city centre. Even their own citizens are afraid. See the following news from just one source, vietnamnet.vn (I've added more sources since then) :

Police-detain-25-muggers-on-buses-in-hcmc
Back-to-the--hot-spot--of-street-crime-in-saigon
More-mobile-police-for-hcmc-to-fight-crime
HCMC-to-mobilize-forces-to-crack-down-on-crime
Robbers-slash-man-s-arm-for-30-chinese-phone
Woman-s-arm-chopped-off-by-thieves
Woman-pushed-into-moving-traffic-by-bag-snatchers
HCMC-parks-targeted-by-criminals
Witches-brew

From vietnamnet.vn
Cruel-tricks-of-saigon-bandits
Incredible-tricks-of-saigon-robbers
Robbery-on-the-streets-of-saigon (1)
Robbery-on-the-streets-of-saigon (2)
The-police-to-declare-war-against-robbery-in-saigon
Street-knight-identifies-robbery
Combating-street-robbery--street-knight--model-still-a-concern
Ministry-of-public-security-to-tackle-robbery-in-hcm-city
Crime-will-bring-consequences-to-vietnam-expat-victim

I read the comments of some foreigners about how wonderful the country and city is, about how long they have stayed here and never fell victim to crime, about dumb people who don't know how to protect themselves from being robbed ... all I can say is that it only has to happen to you just once, and that spell which Vietnam cast will be broken. I gave HCMC four to five chances. Enough! For all its charm, beauty and hospitality, I do not want to live in a city where I have to look over my shoulders each day I go out, especially if I have a bag ... to look at every bike coming my way as a hostile force out to rob me, to go home and wonder if it has been broken into. This is what's happening to me now every day - certainly not a good way to live life.

I do not want to feel the helplessness of being robbed again and not being able to do anything about it. It is very frustrating. And if you do happen to be robbed, you are to surrender everything because if you retaliate, chances are you'll be hurt or killed. And the irony of it all is that you should thank your lucky stars that you're not hurt after being robbed. And you can expect that nothing will be done by the authorities despite your report. Whether it's the sheer numbers they have to deal with, or the helplessness, or the inefficiency, or the simply can't-be-bothered attitude, or whatever excuses they can cook up, you'll never see your belongings ever again - unless you're some super VIP with heavenly connections.

Even with all the pleasant memories, experiences and some wonderful Vietnamese friends, there comes a time when what is acceptable crosses the line, and enough is enough. I have made enough excuses for you, HCMC ... hasta la vista, Saigon! I'll be back for business but never to live again.

Pandora City

A new shopping mall has just opened at the stretch where Cong Hoa Street meets Truong Trinh Street - Pandora City. You can't miss it - a lively coloured facade of red, white and blue, and anchored by Big C. Should be opening some time soon. There's Big C, Nguyen Kim (electronics supermart), Adidas, KFC and Pizza Hut as far as I can see for the moment. However, seems like only KFC is open for business so far. Completing the Cong Hoa/Truong Trinh stretch will be another new shopping/office complex Pico Plaza. I also saw a site opposite Pico Plaza with a signboard that states TDB-Parkson Plaza. Certainly good news for residents of Tan Binh, Tan Phu and the surrounding districts.

For those unfamiliar with the location, this is the stretch of street bringing you to Cu Chi Tunnels and Cambodia. You can now stop along these locations on your way back from Cu Chi/Cambodia to explore a more local shopping scene. No worries, you can either take a cab back to town or take Bus No 4 which brings you to the Bus Station opposite Ben Thanh Market.

Pandora City

Sinh Tourist (aka Sinh Cafe) - then and now

Just found a 2008 brochure of Sinh Cafe, which has changed its name to Sinh Tourist (probably too many "imitation" Sinh Cafes sprouting up in Vietnam), and compared prices with its recent brochures out of curiosity:

1D HCMC Tour  

then 112,000VND now 140,000VND

1/2D Cu Chi Tunnels Tour  

then 80,000VND now 90,000VND

(exclude all entrance fee)

1D HCMC Tour + Cu Chi  

then 128,000VND now 150,000VND

(exclude all entrance fee)

1D Cao Dai Temple + Cu Chi  

then 112,000VND now 120,000VND

(exclude all entrance fee)

1D My Tho & Ben Tre (Mekong)

then 160,000VND now 180,000VND 

1D Cai Be & Vinh Long (Mekong)

then 176,000VND now 210,000VND

2D1N Phan Thiet-Mui Ne

then 900,000VND now 980,000VND

(twin-sharing)

3D2N Phan Thiet-Mui Ne

then 1,460,000VND now 1,570,000VND

(twin-sharing)

Good buys

Joyce's dad, auntie and June came over for a visit from 16 to 20 Sep 08. These were the good buys that they were very happy with.

Their good buys
@ Cho Ben Thanh














@ Saigon Square & Le Thanh Ton














@ Saigon Square














@ Saigon Square














@Saigon Square














This are our good buys - caps at Russian Mart














@Russian Mart



















@Cho Dan Sinh



















Saigon Square

Saigon Square is packed with "copy" brands - and a teenagers' paradize...well, and some undergrown adults too. The outlets sell everything from Mont Blanc pens and LV bags to Adidas apparel and North Face winter wear. There are shoes, socks, DVDs, belts, t-shirts, jeans, shirts - I think anything remotely linked to apparel can be found there. Prices are cheap by SG standards but for us, it's still slightly expensive compared to the other places that we buy from. But it's convenient for the tourist as it's just a stone's throw from Ben Thanh Market.

Cho Dan Sinh (closed down)

Cho Dan Sinh is a strange mix of machinery, tools and equipment coming together with military stuff, clothes and kitchen ware. This is the best place for military buffs esp if you're into the Vietnam War - you can buy "Vietnam War" lighter souvenirs, watches, full packs, uniforms, bags etc. If you're short of tools, this is also the place to go - I bought some of my tools here, and my tea spoons as well. Cho Dan Sinh is sandwiched between Pham Ngu Lao and Nguyen Thai Hoc but it's not on the main road itself. You need to take one of the side roads to get there.

Stuffed Toys

Joyce wanted to buy a big stuffed toy to welcome Adel in Aug 08. So on our way back home this evening, we stopped by this roadside makeshift instant stall (if you can call it one) - they spring up every evening by the roadside selling bread, sea food, stuffed toys etc. Ended up buying the dog for 150,000VND (S$12.50) and the frog 100,000VND (S$8.30).















Good friends - dog n frog














difficult choice...



















eat your hearts out...

Dumpling Festival

Today is Dumpling Festival Day aka Dragon Boat Festival in Singapore, and here in VN, the locals celebrate it too, but for a different reason - insects!

Dumplings sold along Le Van Si Street


























Had this for lunch near Notre Dame.


Today is also another first for me as I took my first pillion rider, Joyce. It wasn't so bad, the balance was ok...much better than I expected (but I don't know about Joyce...lol).

Suoi Tien Theme Park

Went to Suoi Tien Theme Park (STTP) today - sometimes called Suoi Tien Cultural Park. STTP is the larger of two theme parks in HCMC, the other being not-so-well-kept Dam Sen Park. Both have modern and mythical themes to it and are rather similar. Dam Sen looks rather run down nowadays, so a better bet for the kids (and adults) would be STTP; the only setback being the distance and time taken to travel there. One can spend a whole day there - it can be quirky at times but it provides an interesting insight into how Vietnamese spend their leisure. Entrance fee is 35k (adults), 20k (kids) and you pay additional for the rides inside.

Click on both these maps for a close-up look


























It's been a year or so since I was last there. The new shopping centre/supermart VITIMART is up - really fast work. The park is being spruced up even as I write and there have been several upgrades since I last visited. Joyce wanted to have a look at the Southern Fruit Festival which is suppose to highlight VN's special fruits. It's a pretty long festival, lasting 3 months from 1 Jun 2008, and some of the fruits on sale there are really cheap. We were lucky to catch the "March of Giant Fruits", a colourful parade of giant fruits and mythical beings - a visual treat through somewhat tacky.

















We took a public bus (No 19) there (from Saigon Bus Station next to Ben Thanh) - cost us only 3,000VND per person. However, it took us 1hr 15min to get there and 1hr 30min to get back - tiring, esp the return journey. The last time I took a cab from there to town cost me 180,000VND - it'll can only cost more at today's petrol prices.

a sampling of artificial fruits
















































Golden Unicorn Mountain? That's what this place is called.














View from ferris wheel (15k/pax)














so-called the Octopus Ride - but where are the tentacles?














Looks of terror...



















Fruit Sculptures ... many were submitted for the competition














Note the English














Cheap rambutans



















Joyce with a monkey spiritual being - I really don't know what to call it















Parade of floats, mythical creatures & fairies ..."March of the Giant Fruits"














More participants of the procession



















hi there, piggy being














Giant fruits and waving fairies














more striped participants

A first...

There's always a first time for everything...and tonight's the first time I rode onto the main roads around Sky Garden. Managed to pluck up the courage to bring the bike out of the carpark. The traffic was thankfully light, perhaps due to the drizzle. Whatever the reason, I'm thankful I got back in one piece. Been practising riding (more of practising falling!!) the past several nights going round and round the carpark...

The rain comes early

According to the local weather report, the rainy season will come earlier this year, and VN will be hit by about 6-8 typhoons. Not very good news. Was raining heavily yesterday for a while and then it was gone as suddenly as it came.

...and Bryan had his hair highlighted yesterday for 500,000VND at the Rose Hair Salon in Sky Garden. Considering the location, it's a fair price to pay.