I lost my passport — what do I do?
Last updated: 2026-07-12 · Educational content; not legal advice.
Short answer
Report the loss and apply for a replacement at the DFA. For a lost VALID passport you generally submit a notarized Affidavit of Loss and a police report, and you are treated as a new applicant (bring your PSA birth certificate and a valid ID). The DFA applies a clearing/verification period before releasing the replacement — commonly described as around 15 working days — and a penalty fee may apply for a lost valid passport. Because the exact period and fee change, confirm the current requirements on the DFA site rather than paying a fixer.
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Frequently asked
What documents do I need for a lost valid passport?
Generally a notarized Affidavit of Loss and a police report, plus the documents of a new applicant — your PSA birth certificate and a valid ID. A confirmed DFA appointment is still required. Check the DFA's current lost-passport checklist.
Why is there a waiting period?
For a lost valid passport, the DFA runs a clearing/verification step (to guard against fraudulent use of the lost document) before releasing the replacement — often described as roughly 15 working days. Treat the exact period as something to confirm with the DFA.
Is there a penalty for losing a valid passport?
A penalty fee commonly applies for a lost valid passport, on top of the regular processing fee. The exact amount is set by the DFA and can change — verify on the DFA site instead of relying on a fixer.
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How to get and fix your government papers without a fixer — a PSA birth, marriage, or death certificate and a CENOMAR (order via PSA Serbilis / PSAHelpline), correcting a misspelled name or wrong first name administratively under RA 9048 and a wrong day/month of birth or sex under RA 10172 (no court needed; the birth YEAR still needs a Rule 108 court petition), late registration of an unregistered birth, the PhilSys national ID and its acceptance as valid proof of identity under RA 11055, applying for or renewing a passport at the DFA and its 10-year adult validity under RA 10928 (amending RA 8239), what to do when you lose your passport, getting an NBI clearance and resolving a 'hit', police and barangay clearances, registering to vote and transferring or reactivating your registration with COMELEC (RA 8189, mandatory biometrics under RA 10367), the cedula / Community Tax Certificate under the Local Government Code (RA 7160), and your anti-red-tape rights against fixers and undue extra requirements under RA 11032 (Ease of Doing Business Act) and RA 9485.