How to apply for a lost or duplicate passport — complete 2026 guide

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issues about 1.3 crore passports a year. Of these, around 3-4 lakh are duplicate / re-issue applications for lost/stolen passports. Police re-verification is the #1 pinch-point — RTI is the most reliable lever because the law requires PIOs to reply in 30 days regardless of internal file movement.

The Indian passport is a sovereign travel document issued under the Passport Act, 1967 and the Passports Rules, 1980. The relevant legal anchors:

• §5 of the Act — empowers the Passport Authority to issue, refuse, or cancel a passport.
• §6 — grounds on which a passport may be refused (national security, criminal proceedings pending, undischarged bankrupt, sentence of more than 2 years, etc.).
• Rule 9 of the 1980 Rules — application for a duplicate passport requires the prescribed form, a sworn affidavit, and (for lost passports) an FIR.
• Rule 12 — re-issue of a passport (different from a fresh issue).
• MEA Passport Manual (latest revision 2024) — operating SOPs for Passport Seva Kendras (PSKs), Regional Passport Offices (RPOs), and embassies abroad.

You need this guide if:

• Your passport is lost (you can't find it; possibly stolen).
• Your passport is stolen (theft is established / FIR has been filed for theft).
• Your passport is damaged (water damage, torn pages, biometric chip dead, photo defaced) — note: damaged passports do not need an FIR; just apply for re-issue with reason “Damaged”.

Fresh applications (you've never had a passport) are different — see How to apply for a fresh Indian passport (separate guide on RTI Wiki).

This is the non-negotiable first step for a lost or stolen passport. The Passport Manual + Rule 9 require an FIR copy at the application stage.

• Go to the nearest police station — does not have to be the PS where you lost it.
• Insist on an FIR, not just an NCR (Non-Cognisable Report) or “lost article report”. Theft of property is a cognisable offence under §303 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (replacing IPC §379), and the Supreme Court ruling in Lalita Kumari v State of UP (2013) mandates FIR registration for cognisable offences.
• If the SHO refuses, escalate immediately: ACP / DCP, then a written complaint to SP under §173(4) of the BNSS, 2023.
• Get a certified copy of the FIR (free of cost). Do NOT lose it.
• If you only get an NCR, the PSK may accept it for lost (not stolen); but Tatkal almost always requires an FIR.

Annexure-F is a sworn affidavit declaring how the passport was lost, where, when, and what efforts were made to recover it.

• Format is on https://portal2.passportindia.gov.in → Annexures → Annexure-F.
• Print on plain A4 (no stamp paper required), fill in by hand or type.
• Sign + get notarised by a Notary Public (₹100-300).
• Attach a passport-size photograph.

• Go to https://passportindia.gov.in → “Register Now” (if first-time user) or “Existing User Login”.
• Click “Apply for Fresh Passport / Re-issue of Passport” → choose “Re-issue”.
• Reason for re-issue → “Lost Passport” or “Damaged Passport” or “Stolen Passport”.
• Booklet type: 36 pages or 60 pages (60 pages costs ₹500 extra; choose if you travel a lot).
• Validity: 10 years (5 years for minors).
• Tatkal or Normal — Tatkal pays ₹2,000 extra and (in theory) gets your passport in 1-3 working days; in practice, lost-passport Tatkals are often slowed by police re-verification.
• Fill all personal details — they pre-fill from your old passport record once you enter old passport number.

• Upload:
  1. FIR (mandatory for lost/stolen).
  2. Annexure-F notarised.
  3. PoI (Aadhaar / Voter ID / PAN / Driving Licence).
  4. PoA (Aadhaar / electricity bill / rent agreement / bank passbook).
  5. Date of birth proof (Aadhaar / Birth certificate / SSC marksheet / old passport copy).
  6. Old passport copy — strongly helpful but not mandatory if not available.
  7. 4 recent photographs (45 mm × 35 mm, white background) — for in-person upload at PSK.
• Pay the fee online (NetBanking / UPI / Card / SBI Bank Challan).

• Book the appointment through the same portal — pick a Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) in the city, or a Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK) in smaller districts.
• Tatkal applications get priority slots, often within 3-5 days.
• Print the appointment receipt — carry on the day.

• Reach 15 minutes before slot time. Carry all originals + one photocopy of each.
• Three counters in sequence:
  1. Counter A (token / scrutiny) — biometrics + photograph + scrutiny of documents.
  2. Counter B (verification) — APO (Assistant Passport Officer) reviews + grants in-principle approval.
  3. Counter C (granting) — final approval; you receive a printed acknowledgement with your File Number.
• Average time inside PSK: 90 minutes (Tatkal usually faster).

This is the most opaque part. Even though you're re-applying with an FIR, the local Special Branch / LIU (Local Intelligence Unit) of police will re-verify your address, identity, and ensure no fresh adverse information.

• The local PS Constable / SI will visit your declared address — be available, or the file gets stalled.
• Keep the FIR copy + ID ready.
• For Tatkal applicants who already had post-passport verification earlier (i.e., police clearance was completed for the lost passport), re-verification may be waived — push for this.
• Track at https://portal2.passportindia.gov.in → “Track Application Status” using the File Number.

• Once police report is “Clear” (positive), the passport is printed at the India Security Press, Nashik, and dispatched by Speed Post to your registered address.
• Track via Speed Post tracking number visible on the portal.
• Total typical timeline: Tatkal 7-15 days (with smooth police verification), Normal 30-45 days.
• The new booklet may carry the same passport number (if old was within 10 years and recently issued) or a fresh number.

If your passport is lost while abroad:

• File a local police report (FIR equivalent) in the country you're in — police station, gendarmerie, or hotel/airport security. Get a stamped copy.
• Visit the nearest Indian Embassy / Consulate / High Commission — list at https://www.mea.gov.in → “Indian Missions Abroad”.
• Three options at the embassy:
  1. Emergency Certificate (EC) — single-journey document for return to India only, issued in 1-3 working days for ~US$15-30. Most common when you need to fly home urgently.
  2. Duplicate Passport — full re-issue at the embassy, usually 4-6 weeks (because police verification is done in India).
  3. Tatkal Duplicate — limited availability, only if you held a normal passport with police-verified status, ~10-15 days.
• Documents at embassy: lost-passport affidavit, local police report, copy of old passport (if any), local proof of identity (driver's licence / national ID), photographs.
• Fee varies by country — published on each mission's website.

+---------------------------------+----------------------------------------+
| Fresh / Re-issue passport, 36   | ₹1,500 (normal); ₹3,500 (Tatkal)       |
| pages, 10-year validity         |                                        |
+---------------------------------+----------------------------------------+
| Fresh / Re-issue passport, 60   | ₹2,000 (normal); ₹4,000 (Tatkal)       |
| pages, 10-year validity         |                                        |
+---------------------------------+----------------------------------------+
| Re-issue for LOST or DAMAGED    | ₹3,000 (normal, 36p) / ₹3,500 (60p);   |
| (separate higher slab)          | ₹4,500 (Tatkal, 36p) / ₹5,000 (60p)    |
+---------------------------------+----------------------------------------+
| Minor (under 18), 36 pages,     | ₹1,000 (normal); ₹3,000 (Tatkal)       |
| 5-year validity                 |                                        |
+---------------------------------+----------------------------------------+
| Penalty for travelling on a     | ₹5,000 (in addition to re-issue fee)   |
| lost passport / not reporting   |                                        |
+---------------------------------+----------------------------------------+
| Emergency Certificate (abroad)  | ~US$15-30 country-dependent            |
+---------------------------------+----------------------------------------+
| Annexure-F notarisation         | ₹100-300                               |
+---------------------------------+----------------------------------------+
| FIR copy (within India)         | FREE (mandatory under BNSS §173)       |
+---------------------------------+----------------------------------------+
| Timeline — Tatkal               | 7-15 working days (smooth case)        |
+---------------------------------+----------------------------------------+
| Timeline — Normal               | 30-45 days; can stretch to 60-90 days  |
+---------------------------------+----------------------------------------+
| RTI to PIO RPO / Police Special | ₹10 by IPO. BPL = free with self-      |
| Branch                          | declaration                            |
+---------------------------------+----------------------------------------+

• FIR not registered — police PS reluctant to register theft of passport, citing “you misplaced it”. Quote Lalita Kumari and §173 BNSS, escalate to SHO/ACP. Without an FIR, lost-passport application is rejected.
• Old passport details not retrievable — if you lost the entire booklet, you may not remember the passport number. Use the “Know Your Passport Number” service on passportindia.gov.in (uses Aadhaar + DOB + name).
• Police re-verification stalled — the most common pinch point (see Sandeep's story). Special Branch / LIU is short-staffed; files lie unsigned. RTI breaks the deadlock.
• Address proof mismatch with FIR address — if you filed FIR in Bengaluru but applied with a Mumbai address, expect re-verification at both.
• “Investigation pending” — when the FIR is for theft and the case is still under investigation, the Police Verification Report (PVR) may say “Adverse” by default. Push for a clarificatory note from IO that you are the complainant, not the accused.
• Tatkal denied citing “criminal case pending” — sometimes the FIR you filed (for theft of your own passport) is wrongly tagged. Get a written clarification from the IO.
• Old passport found — if you find it after applying, you must surrender it at the PSK and inform the RPO. Travelling on a recovered “lost” passport that has been re-issued is a serious offence under §12 of the Passport Act (3 years imprisonment).
• Penal entry on file — if you've travelled on a lost passport before reporting it, a ₹5,000 penalty + warning entry is added; clearance only after payment.

• 1800-258-1800 (toll-free, 8 am – 10 pm).
• Quote your File Number + ARN. They can read out the latest status from the back-end.
• Email: feedback@passportindia.gov.in

• https://madad.gov.in — register grievance against an Indian Mission abroad regarding passport / EC delay.
• SLA 30 days; routes to the head of mission.

• Each PSK reports to a Regional Passport Officer. 38 RPOs across India.
• Walk in to the RPO with your File Number, ID, and a short written grievance.
• The RPO can override a PSK delay or push the police LIU.

• https://pgportal.gov.in → Ministry of External Affairs → Consular, Passport & Visa.
• Routes to a Joint Secretary; gets faster traction than PSK helpline for chronic delays.

The Ministry of External Affairs (which runs the Passport Seva Programme) and State Police Departments (which run police verification) are both public authorities under §2(h) of the RTI Act, 2005. PIOs are appointed at every RPO and at every Police Commissionerate / SP office.

RTI helps here when:

• Your file shows “Pending Police Verification” for more than 21 days without movement. RTI to PIO of the relevant Police Special Branch / LIU → “date of receipt of verification request, current status, name and rank of dealing officer”.
• Police verification is complete per the local PS but the PSK still says “awaiting” — RTI to PIO RPO → “date of receipt of PVR, dispatch tracking, current status”.
• Your application is rejected without reason — RTI to PIO RPO → “specific grounds for rejection of File No. XXXX, with reference to the relevant section/rule”.
• A bribe was solicited — RTI for the official fee schedule + complaint mechanism + audit log.
• Tatkal denied with a vague “criminal case pending” — RTI to RPO + Police PIO for the exact case reference.
• Your passport was dispatched per portal but never delivered — RTI to PIO India Post for the Speed Post tracking + delivery PoD (proof of delivery).

For a copy-ready template, see: RTI for stuck passport application — full template.

RTI does NOT help here when:

• You applied last week and want today's status — wait the published SLA window (Tatkal 3-7 days, Normal 30-45 days) before invoking RTI.
• You disagree with a Section 6 refusal (e.g., adverse intelligence input) — RTI cannot override; file a writ petition or appeal.
• You want the content of the police verification report itself — often partially exempt under §8(1)(g) (safety of source) or §8(1)(j) (third-party privacy). You can still get the outcome (Clear / Adverse) and the dispatch trail.
• You want the embassy abroad to “issue faster” — that's a discretionary administrative ask; raise via MADAD or CPGRAMS instead.
• You want the police to investigate the theft itself — that's an FIR-investigation matter under BNSS, not RTI.

Q. The police are refusing to file FIR for a lost passport. What now?
Quote Lalita Kumari v State of UP (2013) 2 SCC 1 — FIR for cognisable offence is mandatory. Theft of any property, including a passport, is cognisable. Escalate to SHO → ACP → DCP. If still refused, file a complaint under §173(4) BNSS to the SP, or directly to the Magistrate under §175(3) BNSS (replacing the old §156(3) CrPC).

Q. Can I get a Tatkal passport for a lost one?
Yes — if you can produce a valid FIR + Annexure-F + your personal details match the old passport record. But police re-verification is mandatory in lost-passport Tatkals, and the 1-3 day printed-passport SLA is rarely met; expect 7-15 days realistically.

Q. My damaged passport's chip is dead. Do I need an FIR?
No. Damaged passports go through the “Damaged Passport” re-issue route — no FIR needed. Surrender the old booklet at the PSK on the appointment day.

Q. Will the new passport carry the same number?
Usually no — lost passports get a fresh number to prevent any future misuse of the old one. Damaged passport re-issues sometimes carry the same number if recent.

Q. What if I'm abroad and need to fly home urgently?
Get an Emergency Certificate (EC) from the nearest Indian mission. It's a single-journey return-to-India document. Apply for the duplicate passport once you're back home.

Q. What's the penalty for travelling on a lost passport?
₹5,000 + penalty entry on your file under the Passport Act §12. If misuse is suspected (wilful suppression, fraud), criminal charges including up to 3 years imprisonment.

Q. The police verification officer asked for ₹2,000. Should I pay?
No. Police verification is free. Refuse, ask the officer's name and number, and complain to the SHO and SP — also via CPGRAMS and an RTI for the audit trail. UP, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have prosecuted constables for passport-verification bribes in 2023-24.

Q. The PSK staff insist on a “VIP letter” or “agent”. Should I use one?
No. Passport Seva is a self-service portal. Agents typically charge ₹2,000-5,000 for what you can do in 30 minutes online. Refuse the suggestion; if the PSK staff insist, file a CPGRAMS complaint + RTI for the audit log.

Q. I'm a senior citizen — any concession?
Yes. Senior citizens (60+), minors below 8, and physically challenged applicants get fee concession of ₹1,000 for normal-issue passports (not for Tatkal). Carry age proof at PSK.

• RTI for stuck passport application — copy-ready template
• How to enrol for a new Aadhaar — 2026 guide
• How to apply for an International Driving Permit — 2026
• RTI in 12 simple steps — for first-time filers
• All Indian government helplines — one master directory
• RTI forms + state-wise fee chart

Last reviewed: 26 April 2026 by RTI Wiki editorial team. Passport fees and Tatkal SLAs are revised periodically by MEA — verify the current schedule on passportindia.gov.in or write to admin@bighelpers.in if you spot a stale figure.