How to Replace a Lost, Stolen or Damaged Irish Passport 2024

The Irish passport is an important identification document for traveling abroad. The small booklet must be preserved well. A damaged passport, such as with torn pages, missing pages, unauthorized marks/alterations, or stains, cannot be used for travel. Worse still, there are times when it is accidentally misplaced or stolen. In this case, a replacement passport in Ireland is necessary. This passage will discuss what to do if you lose your passport.

What Happens If My Irish Passport is Lost or Stolen

Irish citizens must present a valid passport to enter and leave another country. The document is also required to check in at a hotel, take public transportation, rent a car, etc. in a foreign country. Therefore, if your Irish passport is lost or stolen, your travel plan might be disrupted.

Additionally, losing a passport will lead to identity theft. Someone else might use your passport and commit identity fraud, such as opening bank accounts, applying for loans, or even committing crimes. Therefore, it is necessary to report it lost/stolen to related authorities as soon as possible

If you frequently have your passport lost or stolen, you might get a new one with shorter validity after replacement, like 2-3 years while a standard one is valid for up to 10 years.

What to do If I Lost my Irish Passport in Ireland

When you cannot find your passport for a while, the first thing is to keep calm and find out whether it is misplaced. Carefully search the place where you usually put it away, such as clothing pockets, suitcases, bags, cabinets, and drawers. Once you confirm that it is lost or stolen, please start the report and replacement. Supposing that it happens inside Ireland, things are easier. Here are the solutions.

• Remind Passport Office

The Irish passport office is located in Dublin and Cork. For passport queries, please contact the Customer Service Hub at +353 1 671 1633 or through WebChat service between 9:00 am and 4:30 pm from Monday to Friday.

• Report Loss or Theft to Garda Síochána

Garda Síochána is the Ireland’s National Police and Security Service. You can declare the theft online or at the local Garda Station. The officer will ask for your name, date of birth, contact information, address, and when and where the passport is lost/stolen. Finally, a police report will be generated which is one of the required documents to replace a lost/stolen passport.

• Apply New Passport

After notifying the Passport Office and reporting the loss or theft, you should get a new replacement passport in Ireland online, by post, or in person. If you are in urgent need of an Irish passport to travel abroad, you can request an Urgent Appointment Service or apply for Emergency travel documents.

What to do If I Lost my Irish Passport Abroad

Losing your passport or having it stolen is depressing, especially when you are in a strange place. Here is what to do if you lose your passport outside Ireland.

• Police Report

Please go to the nearest police station and make a police report within 24 hours. The police will issue a statement explaining your conditions. The police report is required in some passport service centers so as to gain a new travel document or passport.

• Contact the Irish Embassy or Consulate

Contact the nearest Irish embassy or consulate and notify the officer that your passport is lost or stolen. The consular office will provide an emergency travel document for you to return home and you should get a replace the lost passport in Ireland. Some might allow you to replace the lost Irish passport abroad.

If there is no Irish commission in the country where you are, turn to an embassy or consulate of another EU country and request an EU Emergency Travel Document (ETD) to go back to Ireland.

How to Apply for a Replacement Passport

It is necessary to apply for a replacement when the existing passport is lost, stolen, or damaged. The application method differs depending on whether you are inside or outside Ireland. You should prepare the required documents listed below no matter which channel you choose.

• A recent passport photo.
• Proof of identity, such as driver’s licence, residence permit, etc.
• Proof of citizenship, such as birth certificate.
• A police report (required for stolen or lost Irish passport).
• The most recent passport (required for damaged Irish passport)

Replacement Passport Online

It is the fastest and most convenient way to get a new passport. Applicants can apply at any time and anywhere with a smartphone, tablet, or computer according to the steps below.

• Visit the Passport Online portal and answer several basic questions, including who you are applying for, type of application, whether your name changes, passport type, passport condition, etc.

• Read the terms and conditions and continue.
• Review the required documents and information. It is suggested to prepare them before going to the next step.
• Upload a passport photo that satisfies the official requirements. The system scans the photo and checks whether it meets the required standards. If not, failure reasons will be displayed. If yes, you can proceed.
• Provide personal details, including full name, date of birth, gender, place of birth, etc.
• Provide postal address and home address.
• Provide contact details, including email and phone number.
• Review the information that you have provided. If there is something wrong, click on the “Edit” button to correct it. If not, move on to finish the declarations and pay the replacement fees.

Replacement Passport by Post

Irish citizens in Ireland can renew or replace a passport through the Post Passport Service. The post office will deliver your application to the passport office and mail a new passport to you. Here is how it works.

• Prepare required documents for a replacement passport in Ireland, including 4 recent passport photos, an identity document, proof of citizenship (i.e. a birth certificate), and a police report (if any).
• Find the nearest post office or Garda station through a Location Finder.
• Bring the documents to the post location.
• Request a passport application form and complete it. Make sure all fields are filled accurately and sign the form at the end.
• Mail the application in a special Post Passport envelope.
• Pay the passport fees in cash or debit card and receive a payment receipt that contains a reference number to check application status.

Replacement Passport in Person

The in-person application is usually designed for those who do not have a passport and are in urgent need of a passport to travel abroad or those who are outside Ireland and have no access to Passport Online.

When you apply from outside Ireland, you should usually apply in person at the Irish embassy or consulate provided that they can issue a replacement passport.

When applying from within Ireland, you are supposed to book an appointment with the nearest Passport Office in Dublin or Cork through the contact below and attend the appointment with all required documents.

When applying from outside Ireland, you should contact the nearest Irish embassy or consulate and ask whether they issue a replacement passport. If yes, you are usually required to visit the consular office and replace the passport in person.

How to Apply for an Emergency Passport in Ireland

Emergency travel documents are alternatives to a real passport, allowing an individual to travel immediately. To apply for this document, please do as follows.

Check the Eligibility

The Emergency Travel Documents are only issued in genuine emergencies, such as:

• Death or serious of an immediate family member (i.e. spouse, parents, and children) abroad;
• Funeral of an immediate family member;
• Urgent medical treatment abroad
• Being stranded abroad due to a stolen or lost passport.

The travel document allows you to return to Ireland from a foreign country. However, it is not guaranteed to be accepted in other countries. Therefore, you should also check the entry requirements of your destination and make sure you can enter the country with this document.

Contact the Local Passport Office or Irish Embassy/Consulate

The officer will provide professional guidance on filing an application online or by paper. You also need to notify INISTravdoc@justice.ie by email that you have applied and explain the emergencies. Please note that travel for medical treatment should be proven by documentary evidence from a general practitioner (GP)/family doctor or a consultant.

Collect Emergency Travel Documents

In most cases, the application will be processed within 2 days. However, the document is not always issued in time to deal with the emergencies. You are suggested to contact the authorities to learn thoroughly about the requirements and have sufficient proof to support your application.

Cost to Replace/Renew Irish Passport

The Irish passport renewal/replacement fees depend on the passport type, application methods, and where you apply from.

How Long Does it Take to Get a Replacement Passport?

The waiting time varies according to where you apply from and how you apply. Generally, the processing time for online applications is the fastest, ranging from 10 to 20 days while paper applications take approximately 8 weeks. It might take a longer time if you choose delivery services or you are currently outside Ireland.

Create Irish Passport Photo Online

No matter when you apply online or by paper, the authority will take time to check whether your passport photo meets the official standards. Sometimes applicants have to submit the picture again and again until it is accepted, which is quite time-consuming and troublesome. With the help of AiPassportPhotos, one can learn about how to take a high-quality photo and get a 100% qualified Ireland passport photo before starting an application. It takes only a few seconds to go through the following procedures.

• Scan the image quality, face visibility, dressing, poses, and facial expressions to ensure photo compliance.
• Trim unnecessary parts and adjust the proportion of the head and shoulders.
• Replace the messy or dark-colored background.

📢Read Also: Where to Take Ireland Passport Photos Near Me

FAQ

Q: Can you get back into Ireland without a passport?

A: Yes. Irish citizens can return to Ireland without a passport.

Q: What happens if you lose your passport in another country?

A: There might be travel restrictions.

Q: Can I get an Irish passport if I don’t live in Ireland?

A: Yes, as long as you are an Irish citizen.

Conclusion

Having a lost or damaged passport will lead to a lot of trouble. What to do if I lost my passport? Please make a police report and apply for a passport replacement online, by post, or at the counter. Passport replacement might differ slightly inside and outside Ireland. What if I lost my passport and I leave tomorrow? Please request an emergency passport for Ireland. No matter where you are, always stay calm and seek help from the police, passport office, or embassy.