If you lose a foreign passport in Singapore, ICA says to report it immediately at a police station, neighbourhood police centre or police post. Then contact your embassy, high commission or consular office to apply for a replacement travel document. Check your Singapore Visit Pass expiry and tell your airline or other transport operator if you may need to change the journey. ICA guidance on loss of a foreign passport
If you are on a valid Short-Term Visit Pass, ICA says you can depart Singapore with a temporary or replacement travel document and a copy of the police report. If you cannot obtain a document before the pass expires, seek ICA’s assistance. Separately, check whether the airline, destination and any transit country will accept the document for your actual itinerary. ICA foreign passport and Visit Pass guidance
- Make the police report and keep a copy.
- Call your country’s consular office for the required replacement procedure.
- Check the last date you may remain in Singapore.
- Verify that the proposed travel document works for every leg.
- If you recover the passport, update its reported status and check with the issuer before using it.
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Report the loss and record the details
ICA directs people who lose a foreign passport in Singapore to report it immediately to the police. Tell them where you last had it, when you noticed it was missing and whether it may have been stolen. Keep a copy of the report and its reference. You may need it for the consular application and to depart with a replacement document. ICA reporting instructions
Write down what you can verify
If you have a secure copy of the passport or an itinerary that records its details, keep it ready for the authorities or consular office. A copy can help identify the document but does not replace it for travel. Save flight numbers, hotel details and a reliable contact. If you believe the passport was left at an airport, attraction or vehicle, contact the relevant lost-property service alongside the reporting and replacement steps.
If more than one traveller is affected
Check each person’s document and Visit Pass. If a child’s passport is missing, ask the consular office what it needs from parents or guardians. Keep each report and application reference matched to the correct traveller. When speaking with an airline, distinguish the people who still have valid travel documents from those awaiting replacements.
| Task | Who handles it | What to keep |
|---|---|---|
| Report the loss | Singapore Police Force | Copy and reference of police report |
| Replace the document | Your consular office | Application instructions and expected date |
| Check permission to stay | ICA | Visit Pass expiry and any instructions |
| Verify the itinerary | Transport operator and relevant border authorities | Acceptance for the proposed travel document and route |
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Contact your consular office about the replacement
Use the official website of the embassy, high commission or consular office that represents the country that issued your passport. Singapore MFA directory of foreign representatives Check whether there is an appointment, an out-of-hours procedure or a different office that handles emergency travel documents. Explain the travel date and the expiry of your permission to stay in Singapore. Ask which documents, photographs, proof of citizenship or payment the office requires. ICA replacement travel document guidance
Ask what the new document can be used for
A temporary or emergency travel document may have different validity or journey conditions from a standard passport. Ask your consular office what it expects to issue and whether it has itinerary restrictions. Then check with your airline or other transport operator and the relevant authorities for your destination and connections. If the route has to change, ask about options before committing to a replacement booking.
If you are due to travel today
Contact the operator through its official channel, explain that your passport is missing and ask about its change rules. Keep the police report and consular appointment details available. Ask what documents it would need before travel can resume. Do not assume an airline can use a passport image or police report as the travel document. Use the time you have to handle the police, consular and immigration steps.
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Check your Visit Pass before making a new travel plan
Use ICA’s e-Pass Enquiry portal to check the expiry date if you hold a Short-Term Visit Pass. ICA says that when the Visit Pass has not expired, you do not need to report to ICA simply to depart with a temporary or replacement travel document and a copy of the police report. If you cannot secure that document before expiry, contact ICA or visit its services centre for assistance with the Visit Pass. Follow the guidance that applies to your status. ICA e-Pass Enquiry ICA loss of foreign passport guidance
Keep the immigration and booking dates separate
A confirmed flight after the original date does not change the Visit Pass on its own. A consular appointment also does not establish how long you may stay. Record the expiry and expected document date next to each other. If the dates are close or the document is delayed, seek ICA’s guidance promptly. ICA contact information
Long-term pass holders follow separate procedures. ICA lists options for updating the replacement document for its pass holders and directs Ministry of Manpower pass holders to MOM. Check the official steps for your pass if you live, work or study in Singapore. ICA guidance by pass type
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If the passport turns up after the report
ICA says a Short-Term Visit Pass holder with a valid pass can depart with the found travel document after making a police report to update its status. Check with the issuing authority as well, particularly if you already applied for a replacement or it recorded the original as lost. Confirm that the document is usable before travelling. Tell the airline about changes to your document or booking where necessary. ICA instructions for a recovered foreign passport
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Put the next three dates in one note
Write the current flight date, the consular appointment or expected document date and the Visit Pass expiry. Add the police report number and airline booking reference. This lets each office understand the deadline that matters to its part of the process. Update the note whenever you receive new information and share it only with the people and agencies who need it.
When a connecting country is involved
Ask whether the replacement document covers the proposed journey and what the carrier requires for the connection. If your existing booking has a transit stop, do not assume it can be used exactly as before. Verify the itinerary and immigration requirements with the relevant authorities before paying for a change.
When only one member of a family is affected
Decide whether the group should stay together or whether someone can travel separately. For a child, check the consular and airline requirements for who must accompany them and provide documents. Keep the booking and permission-to-stay details available for each person so that one decision does not accidentally create another missed deadline.
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Frequently asked questions
Does this guide apply to a lost Singapore passport?
This guide covers a passport issued by another country and lost in Singapore. For a Singapore passport, use ICA’s instructions for that document. ICA passport services
Can I fly with the police report and a passport photo?
Use the travel document required for your journey. ICA’s short-term visitor guidance describes using a temporary or replacement travel document together with a copy of the police report when the Visit Pass is valid. Check the operator and route separately. ICA foreign passport guidance
What if my departure will be after my Visit Pass expires?
If you cannot obtain a temporary or replacement document before the pass expires, seek ICA assistance and follow its instructions. Keep the relevant dates, report and consular details ready. ICA contact page
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Foreign passport loss checklist to save
- Police report made and copy retained.
- Consular office contacted and document requirements checked.
- Visit Pass expiry verified and ICA contacted if needed.
- Transport booking and all transit or destination checks updated.
- Passport status updated if recovered.