The biggest nightmare when you're travelling abroad is to lose your phone, wallet or passport.
A passport is the most important document you carry while travelling abroad. It is a government authorized document that ensures foreign authorities that you are an Indian Citizen.
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The loss of passport should be immediately reported to the nearest Police Station and to the Passport Office, or the Indian Mission. If required, you can apply for “Re–issue” of passport.
Here is a step by step guide to what you need to do...
1. File a police complaint
Once you realize you have lost your passport or it has been stolen, you should go to the nearest police station and file a complaint.
Make sure to collect a copy of the report because it serves as a proof of loss of your passport. Also, a police report helps you with embassy-related formalities like applying for a new passport or an emergency certificate.
2. Contact the nearest Indian Embassy or Consulate
The next essential step is to visit or contact the nearest Indian embassy or consulate. Indian embassies abroad are there to help citizens who are stuck abroad or facing any problem such as a lost passport.
3. Apply for a new passport or an Emergency Certificate
You have two options – you can either apply for a new passport or get an emergency certificate. If you decide to apply for a new passport, you will have to wait for minimum a week to get the new passport.
Duplicate passports are not issued. However, a new passport with different passport number may be issued with fresh validity.
Documents you need to apply for a new passport
- Proof of Present Address
- Proof of Date of Birth
- Affidavit stating how and where the passport got lost/damaged (Annexure 'F')
- Police report in original
- Self-attested photocopy of first two and last two pages, including ECR/Non-ECR page of old passport, if available.
- Original EC/Seizure Memo
Photocopy of your old passport is not a mandatory document to be submitted in case of lost/damaged/stolen passport.
But you will be required to produce, the previous passport details like passport number, Date of issue, Date of expiry and place of issue, while filling the passport application form.
If you can't wait for a week, apply for an Emergency Certificate. This travel document can be used once to authorize travel of an Indian citizen who has lost their passport, to return to India.
The documents you need to apply for an Emergency Certificate are
- Copy of lost passport (both sides)
- Copy of police report
- Passport size photos
- Application for submitting an EAP-2 form
No matter which option you choose, you'll have to get your visa stamped again.
4. Apply for re-issue of visa
If you lose your passport while travelling abroad, you will also end up losing any visa you might have.
You can get your visa back by visiting the respective country’s embassy that issued your visa in the first place. You will need a copy of your old visa and the police report filed.
You will also need your new replacement passport and/or Emergency Certificate.
5. Reschedule your flight and claim travel insurance
It might be impossible for you to catch your scheduled flight if you don't have enough time to do the above steps and get your travel documents in place.
Check for alternatives and connect with the airline for possible alternatives.
Even though travel insurance isn't mandatory for all visas, it is highly advised to get yourself covered over the course of your trip.
When you lose your passport, contact your travel insurance provider at the earliest and tell them about the case. Keep the Police Report and receipts related to expenses incurred due to passport loss handy.
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