If your Indian Passport is lost or damaged beyond recognition, then these are the steps you might need to take based on where you are located (Outside of India and Within India). Let us see what are the necessary steps Indian Citizens have to take in those scenarios.
Table of Contents
- Lost Indian Passport – Need to return to India urgently
- Lost Indian Passport outside India in Normal circumstances
- Damaged Indian Passport – Reissue of Passport
- Lost Indian Passport in India – Fresh Passport Online
- Duplicate Indian Passport for lost Passport
Lost Indian Passport – Need to return to India urgently
If you are currently visiting a foreign country outside India, then the loss of the passport should be immediately reported to the Indian Mission or Consulate. They will verify your details and then provide you with an emergency certificate to visit India (or a short-validity passport)
The consulate might ask you to file a police complaint and also get a copy of the Police report so that they can issue an SPV (or) an Emergency certificate.
Lost Indian Passport outside India in Normal circumstances
If you have lost your Indian Passport, the first thing you should do is to report to the nearest Indian Mission or consulate. After you file a police complaint and get a copy of it, you will be asked to apply for a re-issue of the Indian Passport under the lost category.
You can apply for a new passport through the VFS Global website for Indian Passport holders.
Damaged Indian Passport – Reissue of Passport
If your passport remains undamaged to the extent that its passport number, name, and photo are still easily readable, then you are eligible to seek a new Indian passport re-issue through the Tatkaal scheme. If your passport is damaged such that it’s unrecognizable then you won’t be eligible to apply for re-issue of your passport
Lost Indian Passport in India – Fresh Passport Online
If you have lost your passport in India, then you should file a police complaint (FIR) and then apply for the re-issue of a new passport under the lost or damaged category. You need to apply for a passport online and then go to the Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) to attend the interview and get the passport.
Duplicate Indian Passport for lost Passport
No Duplicate passports would be issued by the Government of India, only a Fresh Indian passport with a new passport number would be issued for any lost or damaged passports