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What to do if…
you are asked for passport details to reissue a ticket and your passport is not accessible

Produced and maintained by PanicStation.org Published: Last reviewed: Editorial policy UK guide

Short answer

Pause and verify the request using an official contact route you choose. If it is genuine, ask what exact passport details are needed and whether they can hold, pause, or note the reissue until you can access your passport.

Do not do these things

  • Don’t send a photo or scan of your passport through a random email thread, WhatsApp, text message, or social media message just because it feels urgent.
  • Don’t use links from unexpected messages; use the airline or agent’s official website or app route where available.
  • Don’t share more than the verified airline or agent says is needed, such as a full passport image if only typed passport fields are required.
  • Don’t guess, alter, or approximate passport details to meet a deadline.
  • Don’t assume a caller is genuine because they know your name, route, booking reference, or flight details.
  • Don’t make a second booking in panic while you are still checking whether the request is genuine, because it may create duplicate charges or make the reissue harder.

What to do now

  1. Verify who is asking before sharing anything.
    Use a contact route you find yourself, such as the airline or agent’s official website, app, the number on your booking confirmation, or contact details inside your account. Do not use the number or link in the message until you have checked it. Ask them to confirm:

    • your booking reference
    • the passenger name and route they are discussing
    • what exact passport fields they need
    • whether the request is for Advance Passenger Information, passenger matching, or another reissue requirement

  2. Ask for the minimum data and safest route.
    Say: “My passport is not accessible right now. What exact fields do you need, and can I provide them through your official app, account, or secure form?”
    If they ask for an image, ask what must be visible and whether anything can be hidden without the upload being rejected. Only rely on that answer if it comes through the verified airline or agent route.

  3. Buy time in a controlled way.
    Ask whether they can hold, pause, or note the reissue while you get access to the passport. Ask them to confirm:

    • the real deadline
    • what happens if you miss it
    • whether the fare, seat, or ticket can change while you wait
    • where they will send any written confirmation

  4. Check whether you already hold the details safely.
    Look only in places you control, such as:

    • the traveller details section of your airline or agent account
    • a password manager or encrypted notes vault you personally use
    • travel paperwork you created or saved yourself
    • a previous official booking confirmation that you can verify came from the airline or agent
      If you find the details, still provide them only through a verified route.

  5. If the request feels suspicious, stop sharing information.
    Warning signs include pressure such as “final chance”, requests for bank logins, payment card photos, selfie videos, a passport scan when typed details would do, mismatched domains, shortened links, or refusal to use official channels.

  6. Report suspicious contact without forwarding passport data.
    For a suspicious email, forward it to report@phishing.gov.uk. For a suspicious text, forward it to 7726. If you think you have lost money, been hacked, or given sensitive details to a scammer, use the official UK fraud reporting route for your part of the UK. Keep screenshots and sender details for your own records, but do not forward passport images around.

What can wait

  • You do not need to decide now whether to change airline, switch agent, start a complaint, or pursue a refund.
  • You do not need to send a full passport scan “just in case”.
  • You do not need to solve every travel-document issue at once. For now, focus on verifying the request, finding the exact required fields, and using a safe route.

Important reassurance

Travel deadlines can make a request feel urgent, and scammers use that pressure. Taking a few minutes to verify the source and limit what you share is a sensible protective step.

Scope note

These are first steps for handling a passport-details request during a ticket reissue when the passport is not immediately accessible. If your passport is lost, stolen, damaged, expired, or you are abroad and cannot travel, you may need official passport, airline, consular, or specialist help.

Important note

This is general information, not legal, financial, travel, data protection, or professional advice. Airline and agent processes vary, and some international routes may require Advance Passenger Information before travel. Use verified official contact routes and provide only the minimum information needed through a secure channel.

Additional Resources

Closely connected guides that may be useful during the same situation or its immediate aftermath.

About this guide

This guide was produced and is maintained by PanicStation.org using its published editorial process. Official and specialist sources are checked where relevant, and AI-assisted tools may be used for drafting, organisation, and consistency checks. The site operator remains responsible for publication, revision, and removal decisions.

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