Lost or Stolen Pakistan Passport Abroad
Losing your passport abroad is stressful but manageable. Follow these steps immediately to protect your identity and arrange for travel documents.
Act Immediately
A lost or stolen passport can be used for identity fraud. Report the loss to police AND to your nearest Pakistan embassy as soon as possible to have the passport cancelled in the system.
Emergency Steps
File a Police Report
Go to the nearest police station and report the loss or theft. Request a written police report or crime reference number. This document is essential for your embassy application and insurance claim. In most countries, you can also file online.
Contact the Pakistan Embassy
Call the nearest Pakistan embassy or high commission during office hours, or their emergency line if outside hours. Explain your situation and ask for an appointment. If you are in immediate danger or distress, explain the urgency.
Gather Available Documents
Collect anything that can help verify your identity: NICOP/CNIC, driving licence, photocopies of your lost passport, digital photos of your passport on your phone, travel itinerary, airline tickets, hotel bookings.
Visit the Embassy
Bring the police report, all available ID documents, two passport photographs, and money for fees. The embassy will verify your identity through NADRA records and issue either an Emergency Travel Document (1-2 days) or begin processing a replacement passport (4-6 weeks).
Cancel Cards and Notify
If your wallet was also stolen, cancel credit and debit cards immediately. Notify your travel insurance provider. If you had visas in the lost passport for other countries you plan to visit, contact those embassies about visa transfer.
Prevention Tips
- Keep digital copies (photos/scans) of your passport, NICOP, and visa pages on your phone and in cloud storage
- Carry a photocopy of your passport separately from the original
- Use hotel room safes for passport storage when not needed
- Keep your passport in a front pocket or secure money belt, never in a backpack or handbag
- Register with your nearest Pakistan embassy before travelling
- Note down the embassy emergency phone number for each country you visit
Emergency Numbers
MOFA Helpline:
+92-51-9210334
London High Commission:
+44-20-7624-0202
Washington Embassy:
+1-202-239-8010