Health and safety

Lost passport in India: what to do

Report the loss to the police and the local FRRO, get a new passport or emergency travel document from your embassy, then apply for an exit permit on indianfrro.gov.in. Each step needs a paper from the one before, so the order matters, and the flight is best booked once the permit is in hand.

The short version

Losing a passport in India is unpleasant but well mapped out. The Bureau of Immigration describes the whole route in three sentences: report the loss promptly to the nearest police station and to the local Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO or FRO); get a new travel document from your embassy or consulate; then apply for the visa service you need on the e-FRRO portal, indianfrro.gov.in. For someone leaving India, that service is usually an exit permit, because your Indian visa and entry stamp stayed in the lost passport.

The order matters: each step needs a document from the one before. The police report goes to the embassy and the FRRO, the embassy document goes to the FRRO, and the exit permit is what immigration checks at the airport.

👣 Step by step

Check it's really gone, then decide: lost or stolen
Call the hotel, the last taxi or restaurant, the train or airline. If the passport was stolen, that is a crime and you need an FIR (First Information Report). If it was lost, police issue a lost report or loss certificate instead. Both are accepted for the next steps.
Report to the police
For a theft, go to any police station: under the new criminal procedure (BNSS) a Zero FIR can be filed regardless of where the crime happened, and the copy of the FIR is free. You can also report by electronic means, but you'll need to sign the report within three days. For a simple loss, some states have online lost reports: Delhi Police issues a digitally signed Lost Report with an LR number at once; Mumbai and Maharashtra police have their own lost-and-found forms. Elsewhere, go to the police station. Ask for a stamped copy.
Inform the FRRO/FRO
The Bureau of Immigration asks you to report the loss to the jurisdictional FRRO/FRO too. The list of offices, their areas and contacts is on boi.gov.in; check which one covers the place where you are.
Go to your embassy or consulate
Issuing passports and travel documents to citizens is a core consular function. Depending on your country, you'll get a new passport or an emergency travel document for the trip home. Ask also for a letter giving the details of the lost passport and the new document: the FRRO asks for it. Requirements, fees and timing are set by your country, so check its embassy website.
Apply on e-FRRO
With the new document in hand, apply on indianfrro.gov.in for the service you need, usually an exit permit. Documents are uploaded online; the application won't go through without them. The office may still contact you or ask you to come in.
Book the flight after the permit
Timing depends on your embassy and the FRRO. A refundable or changeable ticket is the safer choice until the permit is issued. At departure, show the new document and the exit permit.

Documents for an exit permit after a lost passport

The list from the Ministry of Home Affairs guidance on FRRO services. It dates from 2014, so check the current list on e-FRRO when you apply.

Photo	A recent photo of the applicant in the format the portal asks for.
New passport or emergency travel document	Issued by your country's mission, with a copy.
Police report	Lost certificate or FIR about the lost or stolen passport.
Embassy letter	With the particulars of the lost passport and the new one.
Proof of residence in India	Form C from your hotel or guesthouse (they register foreign guests), or a rental agreement or landlord's bill with their ID if you stay privately.
Travel ticket	Your onward or return booking.
Registration certificate	Only if you were registered with an FRRO (long-term visas); a no-objection letter from that FRRO may be needed.

Watch your visa dates

Paperwork takes time, and your visa keeps running. If you can't leave before it expires for a justifiable reason, apply for the right visa service on e-FRRO while the visa is still valid. If nothing is granted in time, you are expected to leave; staying on is treated as wilful overstay under the law.

If you're staying in India

If you are registered with an FRRO and get a new passport while in India, the Bureau of Immigration asks you to apply for the Change of Passport service on e-FRRO within 14 days. Whether your existing visa can carry over to the new passport depends on the visa type; ask the FRRO.

✅ Before the trip: make the worst case easier

Ten minutes at home cut days off the process.

Photos of your passport, visa and entry stamp — In cloud storage and offline on the phone.
Your e-Visa or ETA PDF — Save the confirmation email and the document.
A second photo ID — A driving licence or national ID card helps the embassy confirm who you are.
Spare passport photos — Two or three, in case the embassy or the FRRO asks.
Your embassy's address and emergency phone — From your foreign ministry's website.
Passport in the hotel safe on ordinary days — Carry a copy; take the original for trains, flights and check-ins.

❓ Questions people ask

Can I fly home with just the police report?

No. You need a travel document from your embassy and, as a rule, an exit permit from the FRRO, because the visa was in the lost passport.

Do I need an FIR or is a lost report enough?

The FRRO accepts a police report in either form: a lost certificate or an FIR. If the passport was stolen, file an FIR.

Can I report the loss online?

In some places, yes. Delhi Police issues a signed Lost Report online at once; Mumbai and Maharashtra police have online lost-and-found forms. Online lost reports are not for thefts or other crimes.

How long does it all take?

There is no single official time frame: it depends on your embassy and the FRRO. Don't buy a non-refundable ticket until the exit permit is issued.

Does the police station have to take my report?

Under the new criminal laws, an FIR for a crime can be filed at any police station regardless of jurisdiction (Zero FIR), and the copy is free.

Where do I get Form C?

From the hotel or guesthouse where you stay: they register foreign guests with the authorities. Ask reception for a copy.

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