Official-source guide
Lost or stolen Sri Lankan passport
- At home
- Report to the head office or a regional office 2
- Normal fee
- LKR10,000 in the current online-application instructions 2
- Abroad
- Contact the nearest Sri Lankan mission 1
- Return document
- A temporary or non-machine-readable passport may be issued for one-way return 1
If you are at home
Make a police report. The Department's online instructions say a person whose valid passport is lost must report to the Department head office or a regional office before making the replacement application 2.
Take your national identity card, birth certificate, police report, and any copy or details of the missing passport. Use the Department's appointment and application route for the replacement 1,2.
If you are abroad
Report the loss to local police and contact the nearest Sri Lankan embassy, high commission, or consulate. The mission will identify whether you qualify for a full replacement or a return document 1.
Keep the police report and bring evidence of Sri Lankan nationality and identity, passport photos, and travel details requested by the mission. Requirements and local-currency fees can vary by mission 1.
Emergency travel document
Sri Lankan missions may issue a temporary passport or non-machine-readable passport to a citizen who needs to return to Sri Lanka and cannot wait for a normal passport. It is normally for one-way travel to Sri Lanka 1.
Ask the mission whether transit countries and the airline will accept the document before booking. The mission decides the document and evidence required for the itinerary.
Replacement fees and forms
The Department's current online-application instructions list LKR10,000 for a normal passport application 2. Official materials currently show different urgent-service figures, so confirm the urgent amount with the Department before paying.
A passport that was valid when lost may attract the loss penalty stated by the Department. The exact total depends on the case and service selected, so use the payment notice generated for the application 1,2.
If you find your passport later
Do not travel on a passport after reporting it lost. Give the recovered booklet to the Department or the Sri Lankan mission handling the report and continue with the replacement or return-document instructions 2.
Common questions
Do I need a police report?
Yes. Official instructions require a police report for a lost passport 1,2.
What is the normal application fee?
The current online instructions list LKR10,000 2. Confirm any urgent fee before paying.
Can I get a document just to return home?
A Sri Lankan mission may issue a temporary or non-machine-readable passport for one-way return 1.
Can I use the old passport if I find it?
No. Do not travel on it after reporting it lost 2.
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
- Sri Lanka Department of Immigration and Emigration: lost passport and travel document guidance
- Sri Lanka Department of Immigration and Emigration: online travel document instructions
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