Lost your passport? The first steps that matter most

The first steps, in order

A lost passport feels like an emergency, and if you are travelling it partly is — but the process is orderly, and rushing the wrong step wastes time. Work through this sequence:

1. Look properly first. Before reporting it lost, make a genuine, final check of bags, drawers, safes and vehicles. A passport reported lost and then found creates its own complications, because the reported booklet is treated as invalid.
2. Report the loss to the police. File a report or FIR at the local police station, particularly if the passport was stolen or lost in public. Keep the original report — it is both your protection and a reissue document.
3. If you are abroad, contact the Indian mission. The nearest Indian Embassy or Consulate handles emergency travel documents and guidance for citizens who lose a passport overseas.
4. Gather your identity evidence. Assemble whatever you have — a photocopy or scan of the old passport, Aadhaar, PAN, address proof — as these support the reissue.
5. Then apply for a reissue. Under the lost or damaged category, as covered below.

The theme is simple: secure the situation first, then rebuild the document. The police report is the hinge between the two.

The reissue under the lost / damaged category

Replacing a lost passport is a reissue, not a fresh application — you have held a passport before, and the system treats this as issuing a new booklet under the lost or damaged category. Our guide to renewal versus reissue explains the terminology; the practical point is that you select the lost or damaged reissue option on the portal.

Two features distinguish it from an ordinary reissue. First, because the previous booklet is not available for the office to examine, a lost passport reissue often involves additional scrutiny and verification, which can lengthen the timeline. Second, it carries higher fees than a routine reissue, reflecting the extra handling. Both are normal; neither should alarm you. A clean police report, an accurate affidavit, and consistent identity documents are the best way to keep the case moving. Our lost passport service covers the done-with-you process.

Fees, timelines, and when you may not need us

Replacing a lost or damaged passport carries higher government fees than an ordinary reissue. Under the schedule effective 1 July 2026, an adult 36-page lost/damaged reissue is ₹5,000 normal and ₹7,500 Tatkal, with the 60-page booklet higher again. These are government charges paid to Passport Seva; confirm the exact figure for your case on the official Fee Calculator, as many websites still show pre-July-2026 amounts. Our own assistance fee (₹499) and the government fee are always disclosed separately before work begins — see our passport fees page.

On timelines, be realistic: a lost passport reissue can take longer than a routine one because of the extra verification, and no one can promise a fixed date. If you are confident handling the police report and the affidavit yourself and your documents are consistent, you can file the reissue directly on the portal without help. Where we earn our fee is assembling a clean police report and affidavit, reconciling any document mismatch, and filing a complete lost/damaged reissue the first time — especially if travel is looming. We are a facilitation service, not a government body: we cannot file the police report for you and we never guarantee an outcome or date.