Replace a lost, stolen or damaged passport :Cross Stitch – Travel and transport
If your passport is lost or stolen, you need to replace it before you can travel internationally. Although a damaged passport may still function and be readable, some airlines may refuse to let you travel. The Identity and Passport Service (IPS) recommends you replace damaged passports.
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.
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.
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’.
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.
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.
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.
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.