HM Passport Office
Issues and renews UK passports and runs the General Register Office for England and Wales.
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Report a lost or stolen British passport
Cancel a lost or stolen passport as soon as possible so nobody else can use it, then apply for a replacement. If you are abroad and need to travel urgently, there is an emergency travel document.
Official links
| Official source | Applies to |
|---|---|
| GOV.UK: cancel a lost or stolen passport www.gov.uk/report-a-lost-or-stolen-passport | Whole UK |
| GOV.UK: replace a lost, stolen or damaged adult passport www.gov.uk/renew-adult-passport/replace | Whole UK |
| GOV.UK: replace a lost or stolen child passport www.gov.uk/get-a-child-passport/replace-a-lost-stolen-or-damaged-child-passport | Whole UK |
| GOV.UK: travel urgently from abroad without a UK passport www.gov.uk/travel-urgently-from-abroad-without-uk-passport | Whole UK |
Who handles it
Step by step
- Cancel the passport online straight away. You can do it for someone else if they cannot do it themselves.
- Apply for a replacement online (adults and children have separate routes).
- Ask someone to confirm your identity online when HM Passport Office contacts them; you may also have a video interview.
- If you are abroad and need to travel urgently, apply for an emergency travel document instead: the passport is cancelled as part of that application.
What you need
- A phone number to use the cancellation service.
- A photo or photocopy of the lost passport, if you have one, to help answer the questions.
- A digital photo for the replacement passport.
Common mistakes
- Waiting before cancelling: the longer a lost passport stays valid, the higher the risk someone uses it or your identity.
- Applying for a replacement before cancelling: a lost or stolen passport must be cancelled first.