Emergency Help in China: Police, Fire, Medical, and Lost Passport
Use 110 for assault or property crime, 119 for fire, 120 for first aid, and follow the official police, embassy, and NIA sequence after passport loss.
Start with the hazard and exact location. Current government guidance lists 110 for police, 119 for fire, and 120 for emergency medical help. Keep the location in written Chinese because language support is not guaranteed. Begin urgent care before contacting the insurer. For a lost passport, report it to police, obtain the required certificate, contact your embassy or consulate, then complete the Chinese replacement-document process.
Do the three stepsSend local help to the exact location first
State the hazard, location, number of people affected, and a callback contact. Use local staff to support the call when language or connection fails.
Do these three things
These three actions cover the normal path. Special cases and deeper detail follow below.
- 1
Name the immediate hazard
Use 110 for personal assault or property crime, 119 for fire, or 120 for first aid, based on the current government guide.
- 2
Give the exact location
Show or say the Chinese address, landmark, floor or gate, number of people affected, and a working callback contact.
- 3
Use the correct follow-up role
After immediate help starts, contact the insurer, police, embassy or consulate, or local exit-entry service for the task each one controls. For visa or stay-document questions, use local exit-entry or 12367; 12367 is not emergency dispatch or consular service.
Which response is needed now?
Police, fire, medical, immigration, embassy, and insurer roles are different. Begin with the active danger.
Call the local emergency route
Use 110, 119, or 120 as the situation requires and give the exact location. Ask nearby staff to support the call if needed.
Start appropriate medical help
Call 120 or seek the nearest appropriate care. Contact the insurer or assistance provider after urgent help is under way.
Follow the police, embassy, and NIA sequence
Report the loss, obtain the official loss certificate, contact the correct embassy or consulate, then complete the required Chinese document step.
You are ready when...
- 110, 119, and 120 are saved offline with their different roles.
- The hotel or local contact and a written Chinese location card are available.
- Insurer and nationality-specific embassy or consulate contacts are saved.
- Passport copies and travel records are stored separately from the original.
Special cases and detailed steps
Use these sections when the normal path does not fit your conditions. They cover exceptions, extra checks, and longer recovery steps.
Start with the immediate hazard
The current government guide lists 110 for personal assault or property crime, 119 for fire, and 120 for first aid. Give the exact location, landmark, floor or gate, number of people affected, and a callback contact.
Language support is not promised. Keep the hotel or another local contact and a written Chinese address ready. If a call fails, ask nearby hotel, station, venue, police, or medical staff to place or support it.
Urgent medical care comes before insurer administration
For illness or injury, call 120 or seek the nearest appropriate medical help. Contact the insurer or assistance provider after urgent care is under way, not instead of starting needed care. Preserve practical records without delaying treatment.
An embassy does not replace local police, fire, or medical response.
Follow the full lost-passport sequence
Report a lost passport to the local police station immediately. NIA guidance says to obtain the required passport-loss certificate from local public-security or exit-entry authorities, contact the traveler's correct embassy or consulate, and then complete the required Chinese visa or stay-document step after replacement. For that visa or stay-document question, contact local exit-entry or call +86-12367. The hotline is not emergency dispatch or consular service.
Do not assume a replacement passport alone restores the old visa, stay status, ticket, or booking. Keep police and loss records and check current NIA requirements before further travel.
If something does not work
Match the issue to one recovery step, then move to the backup when time matters.
The emergency call does not connect
Ask nearby hotel, station, venue, police, or medical staff to place or support the call. Show the exact Chinese location and immediate hazard.
The caller and operator do not share a language
Use the written Chinese address and short need, and bring in a local staff contact. Do not assume an emergency number provides the traveler's language.
A passport is lost
Report the loss to local police immediately, obtain the required public-security or exit-entry loss certificate, and contact the correct embassy or consulate. After replacement, contact local exit-entry or +86-12367 about the required visa or stay document; 12367 is not emergency or consular service.
An insurer cannot be reached
Do not delay urgent medical help. Start appropriate local care, preserve records where practical, and contact the insurer or assistance provider when possible.
If a call cannot connect or communication fails, ask hotel, station, venue, police, or medical staff to place or support the call. Show the written Chinese location and immediate need. Seek the nearest appropriate staffed help point when safe to move. Keep offline contacts and an address card; no language service is guaranteed.
Sources and currentnessReviewed 19 Jul 2026; next review due 19 Aug 2026
Recheck when it matters: Save 110, 119, and 120; the hotel's direct contact and Chinese address; the insurer or assistance number; the correct nationality-specific embassy or consulate; local exit-entry help; and +86-12367 for visa or stay-document questions. Keep passport copies and visa or stay records separately.
- Guide to Working and Living in ChinaState Council of the People's Republic of China
- Damaged and Lost PassportNational Immigration Administration
- Visa and replacement document requirements after passport lossNational Immigration Administration
- China Immigration Service Hotline 12367 Now Supports FrenchNational Immigration Administration
Frequently asked questions
What are the main emergency numbers in China?
The current government guide lists 110 for personal assault or property crime, 119 for fire, and 120 for first aid.
Should I call my insurer before urgent medical care?
Do not delay urgent care. Call 120 or seek appropriate medical help first when needed, then contact the insurer or assistance provider.
Can my embassy replace police or medical response?
No. Embassy help is nationality-specific and does not replace local police, fire, or medical response.
Does a replacement passport restore my old visa automatically?
No automatic restoration is established here. After the loss report and embassy replacement step, contact local exit-entry or +86-12367 about the required Chinese visa or stay-document process; that hotline handles immigration questions rather than emergency response or consular replacement.