Lost or stolen German passport (Reisepass)
- Legal duty
- Report the loss to the passport authority without delay (§ 15 PassG) 2
- Where
- Passport authority at your main residence, or the police 4
- Passport, age 24 and over
- €70, valid 10 years 1
- Passport, under 24
- €37.50, valid 6 years 1
- Applying abroad
- Extra €31 1
- Emergency document abroad
- Reiseausweis als Passersatz, at most one month 1
Report the loss
Under § 15 of the Passport Act (Passgesetz), a passport holder must report the loss of the passport, and its recovery, to the passport authority without delay 2.
In Berlin, the federal service portal says you report it in person to the passport authority with an identity document such as a Personalausweis. It says you must file a theft report with the police as well 3.
Heidelberg's service page says you can report the loss in writing or in person at the passport authority of your residence or at the police. A certificate of loss is issued on request, usually at once 4.
Replace it in Germany
You apply for a new passport in person. If you apply later, bring the certificate of loss with you 4. You can apply for a replacement at the same time as you report the loss 3.
If you need to travel before the new passport is ready, you can apply for a provisional passport (vorläufiger Reisepass). It is valid for at most one year, and you hand it back when you collect the new passport. Heidelberg charges €26 for it 4.
- The base fee doubles outside office hours or at a passport authority that is not responsible for you 4.
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Passport, age 24 and over (10 years) | €70 |
| Passport, under 24 (6 years) | €37.50 |
| Surcharge for applying at a German mission abroad | €31 |
| Express surcharge (Heidelberg) | €32 |
| 48 pages in place of 32 (Heidelberg) | €22 extra |
If you are abroad
German embassies, consulates general and some honorary consuls issue a travel document in place of a passport (Reiseausweis als Passersatz) to get you back into Germany. It is issued for the journey home, through transit countries if needed, for at most one month. If you are staying longer or travelling on, missions can issue a provisional passport 1.
You need a police loss report as proof. Copies of the lost documents help. Authorities in Germany cannot be reached on weekends and public holidays for checks, so the document may only be issued on the next working day 1.
Some countries ask for your entry stamp before you can leave. If you lost your passport there, you may need an exit visa from that country, which can delay your trip 1.
What happens to the old passport
The passport authority tells the police at once so the passport can be stored in the INPOL search system and the Schengen Information System (SIS) 4.
If you find the passport, report it. The entry is deleted and only then can you use the passport again. Foreign authorities may still refuse or seize a passport that was reported lost, so the city of Heidelberg advises applying for a new document 4.
Common questions
Do I have to report a lost German passport?
Yes. § 15 of the Passport Act requires you to report the loss to the passport authority without delay 2.
How much is a new German passport?
€70 from age 24 and €37.50 under 24. Applying at a mission abroad adds €31 1.
Do I need a police report abroad?
Yes. German missions need a police loss report to issue a Reiseausweis als Passersatz 1.
Can I use my German passport if I find it again?
Only after you report the recovery and the search entry is deleted. Foreign authorities may still refuse it 4.
Rules and fees change. Check the official site linked above before you apply or pay. Spotted an error? Email [email protected] with the official link.
Sources
- Auswärtiges Amt: Reisepässe und Personalausweise
- Federal Ministry of Justice, gesetze-im-internet.de: § 15 Passgesetz, Pflichten des Inhabers
- Verwaltungsportal des Bundes (Berlin): Reisepass, Verlust melden
- Stadt Heidelberg (service-bw): Reisepass, Ersatz wegen Verlust beantragen
Related
- Lost or stolen Irish passport
How to report a lost or stolen Irish passport, the €75 Passport Online fee, Garda reports and help from an Irish embassy abroad.
- What happens to a passport once you report it lost or stolen
Why a reported passport is cancelled for good, how Interpol's Stolen and Lost Travel Documents database works, and what happens if you find it later.
- Emergency travel documents and emergency passports
What an emergency travel document is, how it differs from an emergency passport, and the rules in the UK, US, Australia, New Zealand, Germany and the EU.
- Lost your passport abroad: first steps
What to do first when your passport is lost or stolen abroad, from official advice by the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Germany.