Confirm that your Singapore passport is missing, then report the loss to ICA immediately and select the actual country or place where you lost it. If you need to return to Singapore, apply for a Document of Identity (DOI), the emergency document for a one-way return. The nearest Singapore Overseas Mission can help if your departure is urgent or you cannot use Singpass. ICA passport loss and damage instructions MFA guide for lost passports overseas
A passport is cancelled once you report it lost. Even if the hotel or a driver finds it later, you cannot travel on it. If you are travelling with a child, check whose document is missing, who can accompany the child to the mission if needed and how the rest of the family can change its booking. ICA passport loss and damage instructions
- Report the confirmed loss to ICA and specify where it happened.
- Apply for a DOI to return to Singapore, or ask about a replacement passport if you will stay overseas.
- Confirm collection, local exit rules and airline acceptance before relying on a new itinerary.
On this page
- Report the loss and keep the two reports separate
- Choose between a DOI and a new passport
- Handle the flight and collection
- Frequently asked questions
Report the loss and keep the two reports separate
If you are somewhere safe and the passport may be in a known place, make a quick check with the hotel, venue or transport operator. Once you confirm the loss, submit the ICA report promptly. Write down where and when you last had the passport while the details are fresh. Save any confirmation you receive.
The ICA report deals with the passport itself. A local police report deals with the circumstances abroad and is a separate step. MFA advises that a person who lost a passport through a crime may report it to the local police. For the DOI procedure without Singpass, MFA instructs applicants to lodge a local police report immediately and contact the nearest Singapore Overseas Mission. MFA guide for lost passports overseas
If a student loses a passport on a school trip
Tell the accompanying teacher or trip leader promptly. Give them your name, your last confirmed location with the passport and the next scheduled departure. Ask the teacher to coordinate with your parent or guardian and the mission. Keep your group updated through the agreed contact person so your whereabouts and travel arrangements stay clear.
Choose between a DOI and a new passport
A DOI is intended for a return to Singapore. If the holiday itinerary continues through another country, contact the mission and check with the airline and relevant immigration authorities about any proposed transit. Confirm the exact route and the rules for leaving the country where you are staying. A confirmed flight booking by itself does not establish that you can board or cross a border on that document. MFA guide for lost passports overseas
With Singpass, you can apply online and collect the approved DOI at the Singapore Overseas Mission you select. MFA says the online route does not require passport photos or a local police report for the DOI application. Verification takes time, and the mission contacts you when collection is ready. MFA guide for lost passports overseas
Without access to Singpass, contact the mission after making the local police report. MFA lists the report, two recent passport-sized photos and evidence of identity and citizenship among the documents to prepare. If you are studying or working abroad and intend to stay, ask the mission about applying for a replacement passport. MFA guide for lost passports overseas
Handle the flight and collection
Tell the airline your current booking, the departure airport, any connections and the document you are arranging. If you have a group booking, ask which travellers can move independently and what happens to the onward or return segments. Give the mission the date and time of departure. Wait for instructions about collection and keep a contact number available.
A family example
A family discovers at checkout that one child’s passport is missing. An adult confirms the loss with the hotel and reports it to ICA. The family contacts the mission about returning on a DOI and asks the airline about a later route it can accept. One adult keeps the booking and case details together while the other makes arrangements for the children. Each call has a different purpose, and the family can update all parties from the same record.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use the passport if it turns up after I report the loss?
No. ICA says the reported passport cannot be used for travel and must be surrendered to ICA within 14 days if recovered. If you are still abroad, contact the mission for help with the arrangements. ICA passport loss and damage instructions
Does the airline issue the replacement travel document?
The DOI is arranged through ICA and the Singapore Overseas Mission. The airline can advise about boarding, transit and changes to the ticket. MFA guide for lost passports overseas
What if my phone was stolen too?
Tell the mission if you cannot use Singpass. Give it a safe number or email address where you can receive updates, and follow the official procedure for applicants without access to Singpass. MFA guide for lost passports overseas