What to do if…
your travel companion loses their passport and you need to manage bookings and plans immediately

What to do now

1. Pause and set up a 20 to 30 minute admin base. Sit somewhere safe with power and Wi-Fi, such as a hotel lobby, airport help desk area, or café. One person handles calls or chat; the other gathers documents and booking details.
2. Do a short last-known-location check. Check pockets, bags, the hotel safe, reception lost property, the last transport seat, and any locker. Stop after a few minutes unless there is a specific place still being checked by staff.
3. Start the official UK Emergency Travel Document route if travel is needed soon. Use the GOV.UK Emergency Travel Document service if your companion is a British national, is outside the UK, needs to travel within 6 weeks, and cannot renew or replace the passport from abroad before travel. If they are applying for an Emergency Travel Document, their old passport will usually be cancelled as part of that application after payment, so do not make a separate cancellation unless GOV.UK or HM Passport Office tells you to.
4. If they are not applying for an Emergency Travel Document now, cancel the missing passport separately. A lost or stolen UK passport should be cancelled as soon as possible. A photo or scan of the passport can help answer the cancellation questions.
5. If the passport was stolen, report it to local police. Ask for a written report, crime number, incident number, or a brief note of attendance if available. This can help with the passport process, insurance, and explanations to travel providers.
6. Check whether an Emergency Travel Document will work for the actual route. List the countries your companion needs to leave, enter, and transit. Check official guidance before choosing a new flight, because an Emergency Travel Document may need to name the travel route and some countries may need a visa or may not accept it.
7. Collect the minimum proof pack. Aim to gather:
   • A clear photo or scan of the lost passport, if available
   • Another photo ID, such as a driving licence or national identity card, if they have one
   • A digital passport-style photo that meets the GOV.UK rules
   • Flight numbers, travel dates, booking references, and the planned route
   • A local address, phone number, and email address where they can be reached
   • A debit or credit card for the Emergency Travel Document fee, or someone who can pay for them
8. Apply on their behalf only if needed. GOV.UK allows an Emergency Travel Document application for someone else if they are a British national, but the person may still need to attend an appointment or collect the document in person.
9. Ask the airline one precise question. Use the airline desk, phone line, or live chat and say: “The passenger has no passport today and is applying for a UK Emergency Travel Document. What do you need from us to keep this booking viable, and by when?”
10. Do not pay for a replacement flight until the ETD collection position is clearer. GOV.UK says not to book travel until the email tells you how and when the Emergency Travel Document can be collected. If travel plans change after the document route is set, your companion may need to reapply and pay again.
11. Triage the rest of the trip on one page. Use three headings: Must happen, Can move, and Can cancel. Put tonight’s accommodation, tomorrow’s flight, and any border crossing under Must happen. Put tours, internal trains, and car hire timings under Can move. Put optional activities under Can cancel.
12. Contact accommodation if check-in is a problem. Ask whether another photo ID plus the booking confirmation is acceptable, or whether the hotel needs the missing passport specifically.
13. Contact the travel insurer before spending more money where possible. Ask what evidence they need, such as a police report or incident number, proof of the Emergency Travel Document application, cancellation confirmation, receipts, and airline messages.
14. Flag any visas, permits, or eVisas linked to the lost passport. Note which upcoming border or airline check might be affected, then check the destination’s official entry guidance or the visa issuer’s official guidance once the Emergency Travel Document route is underway.