The first hour after losing a passport or ID matters more than the next week. Here is what to do straight away, then the exact route to report and replace it in India, the US, UK, Canada and Australia, at home or abroad.
A lost passport or ID feels like a disaster, but it is a well worn path. Every country has a process, and people use it every day. What makes the difference between a week of stress and a quick fix is what you do in the first hour, and whether you have a copy of what you lost.
Procedures and fees change, so for each country we point you to the official government page. Use those, and ignore any site that charges you to “help” with a form that is free on the official one.
The first hour: the same five steps everywhere
- Search properly once. Retrace your steps, call the last place you were, check the car and the bag lining. Once you report a passport lost, it is cancelled, even if you find it an hour later.
- Report it. Reporting cancels the document so nobody else can use it. Every country below has an official way to do this, many of them online.
- File a police report if it was stolen. You will often need the report number for insurance, for a replacement, or for an emergency travel document abroad.
- Lock what can be locked. Cards, bank apps and, in India, Aadhaar biometrics. If your phone went with it, change your email password from another device.
- Get your copies. A copy of the lost document, with its number and issue date, makes every step after this faster.
Report it, and it cannot be used against you
A reported passport is cancelled straight away. That is what stops a stolen one being used to travel or to open an account in your name.
India: lost passport, Aadhaar or PAN
Passport. Report the loss to the police first. Many states let you file a lost article report online. Then apply for a reissue on the official Passport Seva portal, choosing the lost or damaged option, and bring the police report and an affidavit explaining how it was lost to your appointment. If you are abroad, contact the nearest Indian embassy or consulate, which can issue a new passport or an Emergency Certificate to get you home.
Aadhaar. You cannot cancel an Aadhaar number, and you do not need to. Lock your biometrics through the myAadhaar portal or the mAadhaar app so nobody can authenticate with your fingerprints, then download your e-Aadhaar with an OTP to your registered mobile. It is as valid as the card. If you have forgotten the number, myAadhaar can retrieve it, and you can order a PVC Aadhaar card for a small fee.
PAN. Your PAN number never changes, so you are replacing the card, not the identity. Download an e-PAN, which is valid proof on its own, or order a reprint through the official PAN service providers or the Income Tax e-filing portal for a small fee.
United States: lost passport or Social Security card
Report a lost or stolen passport with Form DS-64, online or by mail, through the State Department. This invalidates it. To replace it you apply in person with Form DS-11 together with the DS-64, and the usual passport fees apply. Abroad, contact the nearest US embassy or consulate, which can issue an emergency passport.
You rarely need your physical Social Security card, so check whether you actually need a replacement before ordering one through ssa.gov. If you think your details are being misused, freezing your credit with the three bureaus is free and quick, and IdentityTheft.gov gives you a recovery plan.
United Kingdom: lost passport or driving licence
Report a lost or stolen passport on GOV.UK. It is cancelled as soon as you do. You then apply for a replacement, which you can usually do online. If you are abroad and need to travel soon, apply for an Emergency Travel Document instead of a full passport.
A lost driving licence is replaced online through the DVLA. If your documents were stolen and you suspect fraud, report it to the police, and if accounts are opened in your name, report it to Action Fraud.
Canada: lost passport or SIN
Report a lost or stolen Canadian passport to the Passport Program at IRCC straight away, and to the local police if it was stolen. When you apply for a replacement you complete a declaration about the lost document. If you are outside Canada, contact the nearest Canadian embassy or consulate, which can help with a replacement or an emergency travel document.
You do not normally get a new Social Insurance Number because a card or letter is lost, and many people no longer have a card at all. If you suspect your SIN is being misused, contact Service Canada.
Australia: lost passport
Report a lost or stolen passport to the Australian Passport Office. It is cancelled immediately and cannot be used again, even if it turns up. Replacing it can involve an additional fee on top of the usual application. If you are overseas, contact the nearest Australian embassy or consulate, which can issue an emergency passport so you can keep travelling or get home.
At a glance
| Country | Report the lost passport | Replace it | If you are abroad |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | Police report, then Passport Seva | Reissue on Passport Seva with the report and an affidavit | Indian embassy: new passport or Emergency Certificate |
| USA | Form DS-64, online or by mail | In person with DS-11 plus DS-64 | US embassy: emergency passport |
| UK | Online on GOV.UK | Replacement application, usually online | Emergency Travel Document |
| Canada | IRCC Passport Program, and police if stolen | New application with a declaration | Canadian embassy or consulate |
| Australia | Australian Passport Office | New application, extra fee may apply | Australian embassy: emergency passport |
If you lose it abroad
Losing a passport overseas is more urgent, but embassies and consulates deal with it constantly. Go in with as much as you can carry:
- The police report number from the country you are in.
- A copy or photo of the lost passport, which proves your identity and nationality far faster than anything else.
- Passport photos, if you can get them locally.
- Your travel details: flight bookings and dates.
- Another form of ID if you still have one, such as a driving licence or national ID.
An emergency travel document is usually valid only for a direct trip home or to your next destination, so ask what it covers before you book onward travel.
Found it after reporting it?
Do not travel on it. In every one of these countries a reported passport is cancelled, and using it can get you stopped at a border. Follow the official instructions for returning it, and carry on with the replacement.
Set this up before you ever lose anything
Nearly every step above is faster with a copy of what you lost. The worst place for that copy is your photo gallery, which is exactly what a thief gets along with your phone. The best place is somewhere encrypted that you can open from any device.
That is what DigiSafe is for. Keep your passport, national ID, driving licence and your family's documents in one encrypted vault, readable on any phone or computer once you sign in, and available offline. It supports papers from two countries at once, so a passport from home and a residence permit from where you live sit side by side. If you are sharing copies with an embassy or an insurer, our guide to sharing a copy of your ID safely shows how to limit what you hand over.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Search once properly, then report it as lost or stolen through your country's official passport service, which cancels it. If it was stolen, file a police report. Then gather a copy of the lost passport and apply for a replacement.
No. In India, the US, the UK, Canada and Australia a passport reported lost or stolen is cancelled and cannot be used to travel, even if you find it later.
Contact your country's nearest embassy or consulate. Bring a police report, a copy of the lost passport, passport photos and your travel details. They can issue an emergency passport or travel document, often valid only for a direct journey.
Lock your biometrics through the myAadhaar portal or mAadhaar app, then download your e-Aadhaar using an OTP to your registered mobile. The e-Aadhaar is valid on its own, and you can order a PVC card for a small fee.
Your PAN number does not change. Download an e-PAN, which is valid proof by itself, or order a reprint of the card through the official PAN service providers for a small fee.
Yes, a lot. A copy proves your identity and nationality and gives the passport number and issue details that replacement and emergency applications ask for. Keep it somewhere encrypted rather than in your photo gallery.
In your photo gallery, not really, because anyone with your phone or your cloud photos gets it. In an encrypted vault that needs a PIN or fingerprint to open, it is one of the most useful things you can carry.
Written by
Kavion Solutions Team
The senior team behind Kavion Solutions. We build websites, apps, AI tools and cloud setups, and run the SEO and ads that bring in customers, so everything here comes from work we have actually shipped.
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