GUIDE: What to do if you lose your PH passport while traveling abroad

Where to go

The Department of Foreign Affairs - Office of Consular Affairs stated that Filipinos who have lost their passport may file and report the issue at the Consular Office, Foreign Service Post, and Temporary Offsite Passport Services of your choice.

You will be required to submit a Police Report in English, a Notarized Affidavit of Loss, and other necessary documents. These include a confirmed online appointment, accomplished application form, personal appearance, current ePassport with photocopy of data page, and birth certificate from the Philippine Statistics Authority.

Instructions from different agencies

Depending on your circumstances, the agency may process a replacement passport or an emergency travel document, as mandated by the New Philippine Passport Act.

To give you an idea of what the process may look like, here are a few examples of requirements from Philippine Foreign Service Posts in different countries.

Embassy in Washington, DC

With the Philippine embassy in Washington, DC, Filipinos can get a new passport through an appointment and personal appearance at the embassy.

You must first schedule an appointment online and complete your required documents. These include a printed passport application form, a photocopy of your Philippine passport data page, proof of Philippine Citizenship, an original notarized Affidavit of Loss, a police report, and a payment of $150 (P9,418).

If a passport copy is not available, you can present one original and one photocopy of the birth certificate issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority. If you need to obtain a PSA document, order online through psaserbilis.com.ph (security paper), psahelpline.ph (security paper and E-Certificate), or apostille.psahelpline.ph (E-Certificate with eApostille).

Afterwards, your passport will be mailed to you within six to eight weeks after your appointment.

If you have an urgent need to return home to the Philippines, the embassy can also issue an emergency travel document. 

To obtain it, proof of urgency is required, such as medical certificates or death certificates.

Once you get your travel document, you have 30 days from the date of issuance to travel to the Philippines. Upon arrival, you are expected to surrender the used travel document at any DFA Consular Office and apply for a new Philippine passport.

Consulate General in Los Angeles, California

The Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles has similar requirements, although it also asks applicants to submit additional documents that can help establish their identity, such as a driver's license, school records, government-issued IDs, or other acceptable Philippine records.

It lists an estimated processing time of eight to 10 weeks with a fee of $90 (P5,650).

Embassy in Japan

Meanwhile, the Philippine Consulate General in Tokyo, Japan treats lost passports as special cases and requires applicants to apply for a new passport.

Filipinos who have lost their passport must secure an online appointment and submit a special cases application form, accomplished passport application form, Affidavit of Loss, and the original and photocopy of their PSA-authenticated birth certificate.

Applicants should also provide a photocopy of their latest passport data page if available, a police report in English, two valid IDs, and a self-addressed ¥600 Letterpack. The passport fee is ¥30,000 (P11,904), which includes the penalty for a lost passport.

Embassy in Vietnam

The embassy in Vietnam urged Filipinos to immediately report the incident to the closest police station and apply for a Travel Document at the Philippine Embassy in Hanoi or Philippine Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City.

The requirements include a notarized and translated police report, among others.

After undertaking the necessary processes with the Embassy or Consulate, the tourist is still required to obtain an exit visa from Vietnam Immigration authorities to exit Vietnam and return to the Philippines. The procedures and processing times vary from locality to locality.

Embassy in Madrid

The embassy in Madrid also requires personal appearance for Filipinos who need to replace a lost or mutilated passport.

Applicants must submit a duly completed passport application form, an Affidavit of Loss or Mutilation, and payment for the passport replacement and notarization fees.

Additional requirements include a written police report with an English translation, as well as a photocopy of the lost passport. If a copy of the passport is unavailable, applicants may instead submit the original and photocopy of their PSA-issued birth certificate.

The embassy may also ask for other documents to establish the applicant's identity.

The processing fee costs €150 (P10,554).

Things to keep in mind

The important thing to remember is that if you lose your passport while abroad, your first stop should be the nearest Philippine Embassy or Consulate General. 

One helpful reminder from the PSA is to take clear photos of your passport’s data page and store them in secure digital locations. It's also best to make digital copies of other essential travel documents, like visas and IDs, and to be vigilant about your belongings in public places.

Last but not least, familiarize yourself with the contact details of the nearest Philippine embassy or consulate at your travel destination.