Lost your travel passport – what to do? Your comprehensive guide
Losing your travel passport can quickly put a damper on your holiday mood and cause significant inconvenience. Whether your passport has been lost, stolen or accidentally left at home, it is important to act quickly and systematically to minimise the consequences and not jeopardise your travel plans. This guide will help you understand what steps to take if you have lost your passport, who to contact, and how to effectively report the loss.
1. Keep calm
Before you panic, take a moment to collect yourself. A clear head will help you to proceed systematically and not miss any important steps.
2. Search for the passport
Think about when and where you last had your passport with you. Go through the following steps:
Search your household: search systematically in all possible areas such as drawers, bags, luggage or your hotel room.
Call previous accommodation: contact hotels or accommodation where you have stayed recently to check whether the passport was left there.
Check recent whereabouts: Check recent locations, such as cafes, restaurants or public transport.
3. File a report with the authorities
If the passport cannot be found, you are legally obliged to file a report.
Loss report: Report the loss to the relevant authorities. This is necessary to prevent misuse and is particularly important if the passport has been stolen.
Criminal complaint in the event of theft: If your passport has been stolen, you must also file a criminal complaint with the police. This is necessary for the insurance company and to issue a replacement document.
Important: Anyone who finds their passport that has been reported lost must notify the authorities. Failure to comply with the reporting requirement may result in a fine.
4. Applying for replacement documents
Whether a replacement document is an option and, if so, which one depends on your particular situation.
4.1. Loss before travelling in Germany
If you lose your passport at home, you can take the following steps:
File a report of loss and apply at the Citizens Office: File a report of loss and apply for a new passport directly at your local Citizens Office.
The office will forward the report of loss directly to the police, Interpol and the Schengen Information System.
Application options:
Regular passport: If there is enough time before departure, you can apply for a regular passport.
Express passport: If you are short of time, the express procedure is a good option.
Provisional passport: As a short-term solution, you can apply for a provisional passport.
4.2. Six weeks or less before departure: Apply for a new passport
Competent authority: Passport office (citizen centre) in your registered municipality.
Required documents:
- Notification of loss
- Valid ID card or birth certificate
- One recent biometric photograph measuring 45x35 mm (some municipalities require two photographs)
Processing time: Usually four to six weeks
Cost: Between €37.50 and €82 (depending on the number of pages and the age of the applicant)
4.3. Up to three working days before departure: apply for an express passport
Responsible office: Passport office (citizen's office) in your registered municipality.
Required documents:
Valid identity card
A current biometric photograph in the size 45x35 mm
Processing time: Three working days
Cost: between €65.50 and €114
4.4. Less than three days until departure: Apply for a temporary passport
Competent authority: Passport office (Bürgerbüro) in your registered municipality.
Required documents:
Valid ID card
A current biometric photo measuring 45x35 mm
- Your birth certificate (if you do not have an ID card)
- Proof of immediate travel, such as a flight ticket or travel contract
Processing time: Issued immediately
Cost: €26
5. Lost or forgotten passport at the airport
If you are already at the airport and realise that you have forgotten your passport, proceed as follows:
Go to the Federal Police station: Every major airport has a Federal Police station.
Travel document as a replacement passport: The officers can issue you with a so-called travel document, which serves as a replacement passport.
Prerequisites: You must be able to identify yourself with an ID card or driving licence, for example.
Recognition by other countries: Some countries only recognise the travel document in combination with a valid ID card. Check which countries accept the travel document on the website of the Federal Police.
Processing time: Issued immediately
Cost: €8
6. Loss during the trip abroad
If your passport is lost or stolen while you are abroad, proceed as follows:
Report the loss or theft to the local police: Obtain a certificate of the theft or loss.
Contact the German Embassy or Consulate: Get information about leaving the country and have a temporary passport or travel document issued.
Benefit: You can significantly speed up the process by providing a copy of your documents.
Processing time: Varies, but usually the following business day at the earliest.
Cost: Between €13 and €21.
7. Losing travel documents within the EU
If you are travelling within the EU and lose your passport or ID:
No replacement document required: Airlines often accept a police report as proof.
Contact your airline: Find out if a police report is sufficient to start your journey.
8. Place a search ad
Use suchen.expert to help you search for your lost passport. Include the following information:
8.1 Type of loss: passport lost or stolen
8.2 Place and date of loss: the exact place and time when the passport was lost
8.3 Description: details of the passport (e.g. country of issue, passport number, special features)
8.4 Photo: If possible, a picture of your passport
8.5 Contact information: Your phone number and email address
8.6 Important: Don't forget to clearly indicate the place of your loss in order to narrow down the search.
9. Preventive measures to avoid future losses
To avoid future losses, follow these tips:
Secure storage: Keep your passport in a fixed, secure location, e.g. in a locked cupboard or safe.
Digital copies: Take photos of important documents and store them securely in the cloud or on your smartphone.
Separate copies: Carry copies of important documents separately from the original so that you can react quickly in the event of loss.
- Tracking technologies: Use GPS trackers or special storage options that can track the location of your documents.
- Regular checks: Regularly check that your passport is in its fixed place.
10. Conclusion
Losing your passport is a stressful and potentially costly situation, but it can be managed with a systematic and quick approach. Keep calm, report the loss immediately to the relevant authorities and your airline or train company, and use platforms such as suchen.expert to place an advert and support the search. You can avoid future losses and increase your security by taking preventive measures.
The information displayed comes from publicly available sources and was last updated on 24/12/24. All retrievable content and explanations are non-binding and do not constitute legal advice. The Suchen Expert platform does not guarantee and is not liable for the accuracy or completeness of the published information.
