You will find here the necessary forms and processes required to report a lost passport. Please pay particular attention to the reporting passport loss in Singapore information.

In this section:

• Overview
• Finding a lost passport
• Returning passports of deceased persons
• Reporting passport loss in Singapore

 

Overview

If your passport is lost or stolen abroad

You should report the loss or theft of your UK passport to the local police and get a police report as soon as possible.

You must then inform the nearest British embassy, consulate or high commission and apply for a replacement passport. To do this, you need to:

• complete the lost or theft of the passport notification form LS01
• complete the correct passport application form and provide the required documents, including 2 identical passport photographs that meet the required standards
  
• take both forms, along with the police report, to our local offices.

Remember that you will need to pay the correct fee for your passport. There may also be a call out fee for issuing a temporary or emergency passport outside of office hours.

Download form LS01
Read rules for passport photos and download the IPS Guide to taking a good photo for your passport Please note that when you are making an applications for a British passport overseas, the background of the passport photograph required can be white. The photographs also do not have to be printed on plain white photographic paper. This differs from IPS requirements, but otherwise the information in the link is correct.

If your passport is lost or stolen in the UK

If your passport is lost or stolen while you are in the UK, you should contact the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) by phoning their Passport Adviceline for guidance.

What to do if you find a passport that has been reported lost or stolen

If you find a passport that has been reported lost or stolen, you must take it to the nearest British embassy, consulate or high commission as soon as possible.

If you are in the UK, you should take the passport to the nearest Identity and Passport Service office.

Once you report your passport as lost or stolen, it is electronically cancelled. You will not be able to use it as a proof of identity, nationality, or for any other legal purpose. You must not use it as a means of identification as this may be detected as a potentially fraudulent act.

You will also not be able to use it for travel. Doing so may cause the passport to be impounded by the Borders and Immigration Authority at UK ports or airports. If travelling overseas, you could face deportation or arrest.

List of British embassies, consulates and high commissions
Identity and Passport Service (IPS) UK offices

Returning the passports of deceased persons

It is important to cancel the passport of a deceased person so that it cannot be used illegally.

If you are abroad

You must return the passport with a copy of the death certificate to the nearest British embassy, consulate or high commission by completing the form below.

The form allows you to choose for us to send the passport back to you or dispose of it. If you do not choose an option, we will dispose of the passport.

When we receive the form, we will immediately cancel the passport.

‘What to do with a passport when the passport holder has died’ form (PDF, 55KB)

If you are in the UK

You should return the passport to the nearest passport office. There are details of passport offices in the UK on the Immigration and Passport Service website.

Report the loss or theft of your passport in Singapore

You must report the loss or theft of your British passport as soon as possible to the local police and to the Consular Section at the British High Commission.

When you make the report to the High Commission, you will also need to fill in and sign a lost or stolen declaration form LS01 (see above). The form is also available in Consular Section. All cases of theft must also be reported to the local police, as the crime reference details must be inserted in the relevant section of the LS01 form. 

The High Commission will record the loss or theft of your passport and forward the information to the Identity and Passport Service. We will then cancel your passport to reduce the risk or someone else using your identity. We will issue you with replacement travel documents so you can travel back to the UK.

In addition, we recommend that you apply for a replacement passport as soon as possible because in many countries it is a legal requirement to carry identity with you at all times. You can apply to us for a replacement passport as long as you are a British national.

Submit your form to the British High Commission between 08:30-12:30, Monday-Friday, excluding High Commission Holidays.

Collections can be made from 15:00-16:00.