What to do if…
your passport is stolen while you are abroad and you still need to travel onward

What to do now

1. Get to a safer pause and secure what you still have.

   • Move somewhere calm and staffed, such as hotel reception, a police station lobby, an airport help desk, or a trusted tour operator desk.
   • Check bags, pockets, room safes, and recent seats carefully before you report it stolen.
   • Ask your accommodation, transport provider, or venue to check lost property.
   • If bank cards or your phone were also taken, freeze cards and lock the SIM or device as soon as you can.

2. Decide whether you need urgent travel or just cancellation.

   • If you need to travel urgently from abroad, start the UK emergency travel document application route.
   • If you are applying for an emergency travel document, you do not usually need to cancel the passport separately first; it will usually be cancelled as part of the application after you pay.
   • If you are not applying for an emergency travel document now, use the official UK lost or stolen passport cancellation service as soon as you can.
   • If a cancelled passport later turns up, do not use it for travel.

3. Write down a quick record before details blur.

   • Note the date, time, place, what was taken, and where you last had the passport.
   • Save any police, hotel, transport, bank, or insurer reference numbers.
   • If you have a photo or scan of the passport details page, keep it private and available for the application.

4. Report the theft locally when practical.

   • Ask local police how to report stolen ID and request a written report or reference number if they issue one.
   • A police report may help with local processes, insurance, and explaining the theft, but it is not a travel document.
   • If you feel unsafe or need immediate help, contact the emergency services in the country you are in.

5. Check whether a UK emergency travel document fits your situation.

   • It is for British nationals outside the UK who need to travel urgently and cannot use their UK passport.
   • You usually need to need travel within 6 weeks, be unable to renew or replace your passport before travel, and have had a valid UK passport issued on or after 1 January 2006.
   • If you have not had a UK passport issued on or after 1 January 2006, you will usually need to apply for a UK passport instead, unless your situation is urgent, unplanned, and exceptional.
   • If that applies, use the official contact route in the emergency travel document guidance rather than guessing.

6. Plan the route before you apply.

   • An emergency travel document is usually valid for one single or return journey.
   • It can include travel through a maximum of 5 countries.
   • Check the countries you need to leave, enter, and transit through, including whether you need a visa.
   • Keep the route as settled as possible before applying; if your travel plans change, you may need to reapply and pay the fee again.

7. Apply online if you can.

   • You will usually need a valid digital passport photo, a contact telephone number, an email address, and a debit or credit card.
   • The fee is £125 and is not refundable.
   • A friend or relative can pay for you if your wallet or cards were stolen.
   • After you apply, wait for the official email telling you what happens next.

8. Follow the collection instructions exactly.

   • If the application is approved, you will be told how and when to collect the emergency travel document.
   • You may need to attend or collect it from a British embassy, high commission, or consulate.
   • It is usually ready to collect 2 working days after applying, but it may take several weeks if more checks, documents, payment, or an appointment are needed.
   • If you are stuck, unsafe, or cannot understand the local process, contact the nearest British embassy, high commission, or consulate using the official GOV.UK finder.

9. Confirm the next movement before you leave for the terminal.

   • Ask your airline, rail, ferry, coach, or other carrier what they will accept for check-in and boarding.
   • Check every country on the emergency travel document route, including transit points.
   • If a visa, residence permit, or entry stamp was in the stolen passport, contact the issuing authority before you attempt onward travel.
   • Keep screenshots or written replies from the carrier or authority if you receive them.

10. Tell your travel insurer early.

• Ask what evidence they need for a passport theft claim.
• Keep police reports or reference numbers, receipts, fee confirmations, travel-change emails, and accommodation receipts.
• Do not delay the document application just to perfect an insurance file.