Lost and stolen passports

You apply for a replacement passport the same way you apply for a new passport. You won’t be eligible for passport renewal.

There are 3 ways to do this. You can either:

• complete the online form in our application portal(Opens in a new tab/window)
• fill in a blank paper form from a participating post office(Opens in a new tab/window)
• contact your Australian embassy or consulate(Opens in a new tab/window) if you're travelling or living overseas.

We'll ask you to give us the full details of the loss or theft.  

If your passport was stolen, we recommend you report any theft to police and keep a copy of the report.

If your passport is stolen overseas, you should report the theft to local police, and to Australian police once you return to Australia.

When you apply to replace your passport, you’ll need to tell us as much as you can about what happened, provide any police report, or provide the police report number.

If you’re concerned that your identity has been compromised or misused, you can contact IDCARE(Opens in a new tab/window) for advice and support. 

There are penalties if your passport keeps getting lost or stolen.  

If your passport is lost or stolen twice in 5 years, your next adult passport will only be valid for 5 years instead of the standard 10 years. You’ll still have to pay the fee for a 10-year passport.

If your passport is lost or stolen 3 or more times in 5 years, your next passport will only be valid for a maximum of 2 years, or we may not issue you a passport at all. You’ll still have to pay the fee for a 10-year passport.

If your most recent passport was issued with two years’ or less validity, and you can’t present it when you apply for your next passport, then we’ll count it as having been lost or stolen, even if it has expired and you haven’t reported it as lost or stolen. 

If you prove that your passport was lost or stolen due to exceptional circumstances beyond your control, we won’t count it against you.

You’ll need to provide full details of the loss or theft. Tell us as much as you can and include any supporting documentation, such as police reports.

If you find your passport and show it to us, we may not count the loss or theft against you. You’ll have to tell us what happened by completing a B11 form.