Important
Save your embassy's emergency contact number before you travel. In a crisis — lost passport, arrest, natural disaster — your embassy is your lifeline.
What Your Embassy Can Do
- Replace a lost/stolen passport with an emergency travel document
- Provide a list of local lawyers, doctors, and translators
- Contact family on your behalf in an emergency
- Visit you in jail if you are arrested (but cannot get you released)
- Issue emergency loans in extreme circumstances (must be repaid)
What Your Embassy CANNOT Do
- Get you out of jail or interfere in legal proceedings
- Pay your medical bills, legal fees, or travel costs
- Provide translation services (they can refer you to one)
- Investigate crimes — that is the local police's job
- Guarantee your safety in dangerous areas
Pro Tip
Register with your embassy before traveling (if your country offers this service). It makes it much easier for them to help you in an emergency.
Finding Your Embassy
Most countries maintain their primary embassy in Beijing. Many also have consulates in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, and other cities.
TL;DR
Search "[Your Country] embassy China" or check your government's foreign ministry website for the official address and emergency contact number. Save this number in your phone before you travel. Many embassies also have WeChat official accounts you can follow for updates.
Consulates in Other Cities
| City | Major Consulates |
|---|---|
| Shanghai | US, UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, Japan, Korea |
| Guangzhou | US, UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, Japan, Korea |
| Chengdu | US, Germany, Korea, Australia, France (limited services) |
| Xi'an | Very limited — most services through Beijing or Shanghai |
| Shenyang | US, Japan, Korea, Russia |
| Wuhan | US, France, Korea, UK (limited) |
Before You Need Help
- Register with your embassy online before departure (if available)
- Save embassy numbers in your phone and write them down separately
- Note your embassy's address in Chinese characters for taxi drivers
- Follow your embassy on WeChat for travel alerts and updates
- Keep photocopies of your passport and visa separate from the originals
Pro Tip
Program your embassy's emergency number into your phone as "Embassy Emergency" so you can find it quickly in a crisis. Also save it on a physical card in case your phone is lost or stolen.
Lost Passport Process
If you lose your passport, your embassy can issue an emergency travel document. Here is the general process:
- Report to police immediately and get a police report (报案证明)
- Contact your embassy to schedule an appointment
- Bring: Police report, passport photos, ID (driver's license, copy of passport), completed application form, fee
- Processing time: 1-3 working days for emergency travel documents
- Then visit PSB (Public Security Bureau) to get an exit visa with your new travel document
Important
Replacing a passport takes 1-3 days plus an exit visa from the PSB. Build this delay into your travel plans. Always keep photocopies of your passport in multiple locations.