Chinese embassies will not hold stocks of blank Special Administrative Region passports for issuing to travellers who lose or have them stolen.
They will have to wait for a replacement passport complete with photograph and personal details sent by courier from the Hong Kong Immigration Department or apply for an emergency travel document which will allow them to return to the territory.
In contrast, British embassies hold blank Hong Kong travel documents to issue to residents in trouble abroad.
Representatives of Western nations in Hong Kong say blank passports would be best kept out of mainland officials' hands.
Diplomats have expressed fears corrupt officials would steal the uncompleted documents and sell them to alien smuggling rings.
As nations consider the acceptability of the passport, diplomats have emphasised its integrity needs to be protected.