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What to do about a lost or stolen passport

It is vital that you report a lost or stolen passport as soon as possible. If your passport is stolen, you should report it to the police at once.

You can report your passport as lost or stolen and apply for a replacement passport at the same time if you're:

• a British national
• in the UK at the time of applying

If you're not in the UK or don't want to replace your passport straight away, you should report it as lost or stolen. See 'Report a lost or stolen passport' for more information.

• Report a lost or stolen passport

What to do about a damaged passport

You don't need to report a damaged passport. But if your passport is damaged beyond reasonable wear and tear, some airlines may not let you travel. For this reason IPS recommends that you apply for a replacement as soon as possible.

You will need to send the damaged passport to IPS when you apply for a replacement. IPS will return it once they have established your identity and confirmed that the damage is not due to 'fraudulent tampering'. Fraudulent tampering means someone trying to change the identity details or photo on a passport to, for example, use it illegally.

If your child was included on the passport

If your child was included on your lost, stolen or damaged passport, they cannot be included on the replacement. All children now need their own passports to travel abroad. You should apply for a first child passport for them if they are under 16. If they are 16 or over, they can apply for an adult passport.

• Applying for a new or renewed child passport

• Applying for your first adult passport

The cost of a replacement passport

An adult passport costs £72.50 for standard service and £103.00 for the one-week Fast Track service.

A child passport costs £46.00 for standard service and £87.00 for the one-week Fast Track service.

The Premium one-day service is not available for replacement passports.

You can find detailed information in 'Table of passport fees, how to pay and refunds'.

• Table of passport fees, how to pay and refunds

The passport application form

To replace a passport, you need to complete and submit the standard IPS application form. The form comes with full instructions, whether you fill in the paper version or complete it online.

How to get the passport application form

You can get the form in four ways. You can:

• collect it from a Post Office branch that offers the Passport Check & Send service
• request it online and IPS will send it to you in the post
• call the IPS Passport Adviceline 0300 222 0000 and ask IPS to send it to you in the post
• complete it online - then IPS will print it out and send it to you to sign and return with supporting documents

• Find your nearest Check & Send Post Office (choose 'passport checking service' from the dropdown list) Opens new window

• Request a passport application form Opens new window

• Online passport application form explained

• Complete the application form online Opens new window

Countersigning the passport application form for a replacement adult passport

If you are applying for a replacement passport, you should sign the form yourself at section 9 and get it countersigned at section 10.

The person you ask to countersign should have known you for at least two years. They must also:

• be over 18
• hold a current British or Irish passport
• be willing to write their passport number on the form

The person should also work in a recognised profession or otherwise have good standing in the community. For a list of suitable professions, see 'Who can countersign your application?'

The same person needs to certify one of your photographs. They do this by writing on the back:

• 'I certify that this is a true likeness of [Miss, Mr, Mrs, Ms or other title and your full name]'

They must then sign and date the statement.

• Who can countersign your application?

Signing the passport application form for a replacement child passport

The same person should complete and sign the child's passport application form and the Lost and Stolen Notification (LS01) form. If you complete and sign these forms, IPS will compare your signature with the signature on the application for the original passport.

If the original application was made by a different person, you need to enclose a signed letter from them. The letter should confirm that the passport has been lost or stolen. This is to reduce the risk of child abduction.

• More about passport applications and child abduction

For child applications, the countersignatory (the person who signs the form at section 10) should have known the person completing the form (usually a parent) for at least two years.

The supporting documents you need to replace a passport

To replace your passport, you should send IPS:

• a Lost or Stolen (LS01) Notification form (if this applies and you have not already sent it)
• the application form
• the fee
• photos
• the damaged passport (if this applies)

IPS may ask you to supply further documents such as birth or marriage certificates and you may be required to attend an interview.

IPS will then cancel your lost or stolen passport. If you later find it, you must return it to a Regional Passport Office.

• Find your nearest Regional Passport Office Opens new window

• Find your nearest Regional Passport Office (Northern Ireland) Opens new window

• Order a birth or marriage certificate (government, citizens and rights section)

• Order a civil partnership certificate (government, citizens and rights section)

Lost or Stolen (LS01) Notification form

You can get the Lost or Stolen (LS01) notification form:

• by completing it online - IPS will then print out the completed form and send it to you to sign and return with supporting documents
• by downloading it online
• at your Regional Passport Office
• at certain Post Office branches that offer the Check & Send service
• by calling the IPS Passport Adviceline on 0300 222 0000
• at your local police station

• Complete Lost or Stolen (LS01) Notification form online Opens new window

• Download 'Lost or Stolen (LS01) Notification' form (PDF, 231K) Opens new window

• Help with PDF files

If you need a replacement urgently

If you need to travel in less than two weeks, you should make an urgent application for a new passport. You can use the Fast Track one-week service (the Premium one-day service is not available for replacement passports). First you should call the IPS Passport Adviceline 0300 222 0000 to make an appointment at a Regional Passport Office.

• Urgent passport applications

Useful contacts

• Foreign Office Travel Advice

• Identity and Passport Service (IPS)