Passport Lost or Stolen While Travelling?

Quick answer: If your passport is lost or stolen while travelling, stay calm, retrace your steps, file a police report and then contact your embassy or nearest consulate for an emergency or temporary passport. Depending on the country, you may also need an exit visa before you can leave. Losing a passport is one of the worst travel nightmares, but with a little courage it can be dealt with.

Stay Calm

Losing your passport is certainly a big deal, but panicking won’t do any good. A passport can be re-issued; it is not the end of the world.

Backtrack Your Steps

Try to recall the last time you used your passport. There is a chance you left it somewhere such as the foreign exchange desk or the car rental counter, so check those places first.

File a Police Report

Go to the nearest police station and lodge an official complaint, mentioning where the passport may have been lost if you remember. The officer will give you an acknowledgement of the complaint, which you will need when applying for a duplicate passport.

Notify Your Embassy or the Nearest Consulate

Visit your country’s embassy in the country where you lost your passport. The embassy will ask for documents that prove the authenticity of your request and your citizenship. Officials normally ask for:

1. A copy of the passport
2. A copy of the police complaint
3. 2 photos
4. A request form, usually available online on the embassy’s website or from the embassy itself
5. The emergency / temporary passport issuance fee

You May Need an Exit Visa

Once you have your emergency / temporary passport, you may need an exit visa from the country you are in. This is because you entered on a different document, the one that carried your entry visa or stamp.

Your embassy can help you arrange it, but the local authorities may charge a penalty to do so.

Always Keep Copies of Your Passport

Carry hard copies of your passport, and keep a scanned copy saved in the drafts folder of your email inbox. These copies are very helpful if your passport is ever lost or stolen.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do first if my passport is lost while travelling?

Stay calm and retrace your steps, checking places such as the foreign exchange desk or car rental counter where you last used it.

Do I need a police report for a lost passport?

Yes. The acknowledgement the police give you is needed when you apply for a duplicate passport at your embassy.

What documents does the embassy need?

Usually a copy of your passport, a copy of the police complaint, two photos, the request form and the emergency passport fee.

Conclusion

A lost or stolen passport is stressful, but it is fixable. Keep copies of your passport, report the loss to the police, go to your embassy with the right documents and sort out an exit visa if needed, and you will be on your way again.