Quick answer

Report the loss immediately and apply in person for a replacement through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). A lost passport is not replaced by a simple renewal: the DFA requires an appointment and generally applies the requirements for a first-time passport application.

The additional requirements depend on whether the passport was still valid:

Lost or stolen valid passport: Police Report, detailed Affidavit of Loss, and a 15-day clearing period before processing.
Lost expired passport in the Philippines: Affidavit of Loss; under the DFA’s published domestic guidance, a Police Report is no longer required.
Lost passport abroad: Contact the nearest Philippine Embassy or Consulate immediately. The post may require a local Police Report, an English translation, and other post-specific documents even if the passport was expired.

Personal appearance is normally required for identity verification and biometric capture. Replacement is not immediate, so do not assume an expedited application will eliminate the clearing period.

What to do as soon as you discover the loss

1. Report the passport to the DFA

Section 15 of the New Philippine Passport Act, Republic Act No. 11983 requires the loss or destruction of a passport to be reported immediately to the DFA or, if abroad, to a Philippine Foreign Service Post. The report must include an affidavit describing the circumstances in detail.

Record, as accurately as possible:

When and where you last saw the passport
When and where you discovered the loss
Whether it was misplaced, stolen, destroyed, or retained by another person
The passport number, issue date, and expiry date, if known
The steps you took to locate or recover it

Do not falsely report a passport as lost merely because it is inaccessible or being held by someone. A knowingly false statement in a passport application or Affidavit of Loss is a criminal offense under Republic Act No. 11983.

2. Obtain a Police Report when required

If the lost passport was still valid, report the incident to the police and secure a Police Report. Bring the original and a photocopy if required by the processing office.

A Police Report is especially important when the passport was stolen, taken during a robbery, or lost together with other identity documents. Make sure the report correctly states your name and describes the lost Philippine passport.

For an expired passport lost in the Philippines, the DFA’s official passport FAQ says a Police Report is not required. Philippine embassies and consulates may follow additional local procedures, so applicants abroad should check directly with the relevant post.

3. Prepare a detailed Affidavit of Loss

The affidavit should truthfully state:

Your full name, address, and other identifying information
The passport number and validity dates, if available
The circumstances, approximate date, and place of loss
Efforts made to locate the passport
Whether the loss was reported to the police
A request for cancellation and replacement of the lost passport

DFA requirement pages commonly describe this as a notarized Affidavit of Loss. If applying abroad, ask the embassy or consulate whether the affidavit must be notarized locally, acknowledged before a consular officer, or accompanied by a translation.

Keep copies of the affidavit and Police Report. They may also be useful when explaining the loss to an airline, employer, school, visa authority, or foreign immigration office.

Requirements for an adult applicant

Bring the originals and photocopies required by the DFA office handling the application. For most adults, the documents include:

Confirmed passport appointment
Accomplished passport application form
Personal appearance
Police Report for a lost or stolen valid passport
Notarized Affidavit of Loss
Photocopy of the lost passport’s data page, if available
Original and photocopy of a PSA-issued Certificate of Live Birth or Report of Birth, when required
Original and photocopy of an acceptable government-issued ID
PSA-issued Certificate of Marriage or Report of Marriage if a married woman will use her spouse’s surname
Other citizenship, identity, name-change, or civil-registry documents applicable to the applicant

The DFA states that applicants for all lost passports must submit the documents required of first-time applicants. However, the documents ultimately required may depend on whether DFA records can verify the lost ePassport and whether the applicant can provide a copy of its data page.

If the passport copy is unavailable, expect the DFA to require stronger proof of citizenship and identity, including the PSA civil-registry document and an acceptable ID. Additional documents may be requested when records are late-registered, unclear, inconsistent, or insufficient.

Check the DFA’s current passport requirements and acceptable IDs before the appointment. Do not rely on an ID merely because another government office accepts it: the DFA’s FAQ specifically states that TIN, PhilHealth, and Postal IDs are not accepted for passport applications under its published list.

Requirements for a minor applicant

A minor must normally appear personally with either a parent or a properly authorized adult companion. Prepare:

Confirmed appointment and accomplished application form
Personal appearance of the minor
Police Report for the lost passport, when required
Notarized Affidavit of Loss signed by the parent, legal guardian, or authorized person accompanying the child
Copy of the lost passport’s data page, if available
PSA-issued Certificate of Live Birth or Report of Birth
Valid ID or competent proof of identity of the minor, when applicable
Passport or acceptable ID of the accompanying parent or adult
Documents establishing parental authority, guardianship, or authorization

If an adult other than a parent will accompany the minor, a notarized Special Power of Attorney and copies of the parent’s identification documents are generally required. An SPA executed abroad may need consular acknowledgment or authentication.

Requirements differ for children of unmarried parents, children under guardianship, adoptees, foundlings, and cases involving disputed custody. A court order may be necessary when there are conflicting claims of custody or parental authority. Check the DFA’s minor-passport requirements for the exact category before booking.

Application process in the Philippines

Step 1: Book through the official appointment system

Schedule through passport.gov.ph. Appointment slots are free; payment of the official processing fee is separate. Avoid fixers, social-media sellers, and anyone offering to reserve or sell appointment slots.

Some applicants may qualify for DFA courtesy or special-lane accommodations, including senior citizens, persons with disabilities, pregnant applicants, solo parents, qualified overseas Filipino workers, children seven years old and below, and applicants with recognized emergency or exceptional cases. Eligibility does not necessarily remove documentary or personal-appearance requirements.

Step 2: Review names and civil-registry details

Compare the application with the PSA certificate and IDs before submission. Under Republic Act No. 11983, the details in the PSA Certificate of Live Birth or Report of Birth generally prevail when records conflict, unless a law or court order permits a different entry.

Bring the applicable annotated civil-registry records or court documents if there has been:

A corrected name, sex, birth date, or birthplace
Annulment, declaration of nullity, or recognized divorce
Reversion to a maiden name
Adoption
Naturalization, recognition, or reacquisition of Philippine citizenship

A discrepancy may delay the application or cause it to be treated as a more complex case.

Step 3: Appear at the selected DFA office

Bring the confirmed appointment, application form, original documents, and photocopies. The DFA will examine the documents and capture the applicant’s photograph, fingerprints, signature, and biographic information as applicable.

The DFA may request additional evidence, but Republic Act No. 11983 limits documentary requirements to what is needed to establish identity, Philippine citizenship, and the absence of legal travel restrictions.

Step 4: Observe the clearing period

For a passport that was still valid when lost, the DFA imposes a 15-day clearing period before processing the replacement application. This is separate from the ordinary production and release period.

Expedited processing shortens the processing stage stated by the DFA; it should not be treated as a waiver of the clearing period. The release date on the receipt or claim stub controls, and courier delivery time is additional.

Step 5: Claim or receive the new passport

Follow the release instructions issued by the processing office. Keep the official receipt and claim stub. If delivery was selected, retain the courier tracking information and promptly report any delivery problem through the indicated channel.

Fees and expected timing in the Philippines

The DFA’s published domestic fees are:

Regular processing: ₱950
Expedited processing: ₱1,200
Lost or mutilated passport penalty: ₱350
Courier, notarization, photocopying, and similar costs: separate, when applicable

Based on those published amounts, a lost-passport application generally costs ₱1,300 for regular processing or ₱1,550 for expedited processing, before optional or third-party charges. Confirm the amount displayed by the official appointment system because fees and payment arrangements may change.

The DFA currently publishes these processing periods:

Metro Manila: 12 working days for regular processing; 6 working days for expedited processing
Outside Metro Manila: 12 working days for regular processing; 7 working days for expedited processing
Philippine Foreign Service Posts: approximately 4–6 weeks

These periods do not include courier delivery or, for a lost valid passport, the preceding 15-day clearing period. Complex identity, citizenship, civil-registry, custody, or travel-restriction issues may take longer.

If the passport was lost abroad

Contact the nearest Philippine Embassy or Consulate without delay. Do not wait until the day of departure.

A foreign post will commonly ask for:

Personal appearance
Passport application form or emergency-document application
Local Police Report
Affidavit of Loss
Copy of the lost passport, if available
Proof of Philippine citizenship and identity
Passport photographs if required by the post
Proof of urgent travel, such as a confirmed itinerary
English translation of foreign-language documents, when required
Payment in the currency and manner prescribed by the post

Requirements, appointments, fees, and processing times vary by country and post. Follow the embassy or consulate’s own official instructions rather than the domestic fee schedule.

Emergency travel documents

Republic Act No. 11983 authorizes two relevant documents:

An emergency passport, valid for one year, for a Filipino who lost a passport overseas and justifiably needs to complete intended overseas travel before returning to the Philippines or the person’s overseas residence.
An Emergency Travel Certificate, valid for a period set between 30 days and six months, for a Filipino returning to the Philippines after losing a passport overseas or when a regular passport cannot be issued.

Issuance is not automatic. The consular post must evaluate the circumstances and supporting documents. An Emergency Travel Certificate is generally intended for return travel, not ordinary multi-country tourism. Ask the airline and transit-country authorities whether the proposed document will be accepted before finalizing the route.

What if the lost passport is found later?

Do not travel with it.

Republic Act No. 11983 requires a person who later finds a reported-lost passport to turn it over to the DFA. Once reported lost and recorded for cancellation, it should be treated as unusable even if it looks undamaged.

If physical turnover is not feasible, the law requires an affidavit stating where the passport is and identifying the person or entity possessing it. Contact the DFA or the Philippine post that received the loss report for surrender instructions.

Evidence worth preserving

Keep secure paper and digital copies of:

The passport data page, if previously scanned or photographed
Police Report and incident-reference number
Notarized Affidavit of Loss
DFA appointment confirmation
Application form and payment receipt
Emails or written instructions from the DFA or consular post
Airline itinerary and proof of urgent travel
Reports concerning other stolen IDs, cards, or visas
Messages or documents showing that another person is withholding the passport
Courier receipt and tracking information

Store copies separately from the originals. Do not post a full passport image publicly or send it through unsecured channels.

Common mistakes to avoid

Waiting to report the loss because the passport might still turn up
Booking travel before accounting for the 15-day clearing period and ordinary processing time
Assuming expedited service removes the clearing period
Bringing only an Affidavit of Loss when the valid passport was stolen or lost
Using inconsistent names or civil-status information across the application, PSA records, and IDs
Arriving without originals and photocopies
Treating a lost-passport case as an ordinary renewal
Using an ID that is not on the DFA’s accepted list
Paying a fixer for an appointment slot
Giving an incomplete or inaccurate account in the affidavit
Attempting to use a passport after it was reported lost
Assuming Philippine domestic requirements and fees apply at an overseas post

When help is urgent

Contact the DFA, the nearest Philippine Embassy or Consulate, and—when appropriate—the local police immediately if:

You are abroad and must return to the Philippines soon
The passport was stolen with visas, residence permits, or other identity documents
Someone is using or threatening to use your identity
An employer, recruiter, lender, or other private person is withholding the passport
A child’s passport is missing amid a custody dispute or possible unauthorized travel
You have an imminent medical, humanitarian, employment, or bereavement-related journey
You discover that the passport was used after its loss
Immigration authorities have detained you or questioned your status
Your application may be affected by a court order, hold-departure order, criminal case, or citizenship issue

A Philippine passport remains government property. Republic Act No. 11983 prohibits unauthorized confiscation, retention, or withholding of a passport. If another person has it, preserve messages and other proof, avoid confrontation that could endanger you, and seek assistance from the DFA, police, or a Philippine lawyer as appropriate.

Frequently asked questions

Can I replace a lost passport without an appointment?

The DFA’s published rule is that an appointment is required for all lost-passport applications. Applicants eligible for a courtesy or special lane should verify the applicable arrangement with the processing office.

Is a Police Report always required?

In the Philippines, it is required for a lost or stolen passport that was still valid. The DFA’s domestic FAQ says it is not required for a lost expired passport. An embassy or consulate abroad may nevertheless require a local Police Report under its post-specific procedures.

Is a photocopy of the lost passport mandatory?

Submit one if available. If no copy is available, the DFA may require additional proof of citizenship and identity and may treat the application under first-time-applicant requirements.

Does the 15-day clearing period apply to an expired passport?

The DFA’s published 15-day clearing rule specifically refers to replacement of a lost valid passport. The processing office may still need time for record verification in any lost-passport case.

Can I use expedited processing after losing my passport?

Yes, if expedited service is available at the chosen office, but it does not necessarily remove the clearing period for a lost valid passport.

Can someone apply on my behalf?

An adult applicant generally must appear personally for biometric and identity verification. A minor must also appear, accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or properly authorized adult under the applicable requirements.

What if I do not know my passport number?

State that fact truthfully in the affidavit and provide any available copy, scan, prior visa record, booking record, or other document showing the number. The DFA may require additional documents to verify identity and citizenship.

Can I use the old passport if I find it before the new one is released?

Do not use it once it has been reported lost. Notify the DFA and surrender it as required by Republic Act No. 11983.

Official references

This article provides general legal and procedural information, not legal advice. Requirements may vary with the applicant’s records, age, citizenship history, custody situation, location, and the instructions of the processing office. Official sources and procedures were checked on September 5, 2026; verify the latest requirements with the DFA or the relevant Philippine Embassy or Consulate before applying.