It doesn’t take much to lose a passport in Thailand: a pocket that opens on a motorbike taxi, a hotel safe you forgot to empty, a bag that disappears on a night out. Replacing it takes three stops: the Thai police, your embassy and Thai Immigration.
This guide shows you each stop in order, what to bring and what happens there, ending with your visa moved across to the new passport.
There are booking details for the US, UK, German and Australian embassies, and the cost of an emergency passport compared with a full one. The last steps are the ones people forget, because your 90-day report and your Thai bank account both still have your old passport number.
Got a flight in the next few days? There’s a section for that near the end.
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Contents
Key Takeaways
- Get a Thai police report first. Most embassies won’t replace your passport without one.
- Call the Tourist Police on 1155 if you need help. They speak English.
- A passport you’ve reported lost can’t be used again, even if you find it.
- If you live here and aren’t flying soon, get a full passport, not an emergency one.
- Your visa doesn’t move to the new passport by itself. You have to take the new passport to Thai Immigration.
- Your first 90-day report after the change has to be done in person.
The Steps in Order
Only the first two steps are urgent. Do them today and take the rest at a normal pace.
- Get a police report.
- Book an appointment at your embassy.
- Get your new passport.
- Take the new passport to Thai Immigration to move your visa.
- Do your next 90-day report in person, and update your bank.
If you were robbed or hurt, look after yourself first. Our emergencies guide has the numbers you need.
Step 1: Get a Police Report
Before you report anything, have one more proper look. Call your hotel, your taxi app or the last place you ate. Once you report a passport lost, it’s cancelled for good, even if it turns up the next day.
Go to the police station nearest to where you lost the passport. The Australian Embassy asks for a report from that station, and the US Embassy accepts it too, so it’s the safe choice whatever your nationality.
Officers at a local station may not speak much English. If you have a Thai-speaking friend, bring them. If you don’t, call the Tourist Police on 1155 and they’ll help.
Leave with the original report in your hand, and take a photo of it straight away. Your embassy will want it, and you’ll need it again at Immigration.
Tip: Search your email and phone for a photo or scan of your passport’s photo page. Embassies find it useful. If you’re reading this before anything has gone wrong, take that photo today.
Step 2: Book Your Embassy Appointment
Book as soon as you have the police report. Embassies work by appointment, and if you have a flight coming up, getting an early slot matters more than anything else.
If your embassy isn’t listed below, the process is usually similar, so check its website.
United States
Book at the US Embassy in Bangkok or the Consulate in Chiang Mai. If you’re flying within two weeks, don’t wait for a normal slot. Use the embassy’s contact form and attach your flight booking.
Bring these:
- Form DS-11, filled in but not signed
- Form DS-64, which reports the passport lost or stolen
- The original police report
- A copy of your old passport, if you have one, plus another photo ID
- Two passport photos
- Proof you paid the fee online, and a THB100 Thailand Post envelope for sending the passport back
United Kingdom
The British Embassy in Bangkok only sees people by appointment. You contact it through the UK government’s online form or its emergency phone line. The UK pages don’t list a Thai police report as a must, but we’d get one anyway, because Immigration will want it later.
Germany
Book through the German Embassy’s online system, or apply at the honorary consul in Phuket. Bring the police report, two passport photos, the application form and the loss form. Bring any other ID you have too, such as a German ID card or driving licence, because it speeds things up.
If you can’t get an appointment in time, you can walk in at 08:30 on a weekday with your flight ticket. Expect a long wait.
Australia
The Australian Embassy in Bangkok and the Consulate in Phuket both handle lost passports. You need the police report and an appointment, and you apply in person.
Step 3: Emergency Passport or Full Passport?
Most embassies offer two options. An emergency passport is quick but only good for a short trip. A full passport takes a few weeks but lasts for years.
If you live in Thailand and don’t need to fly soon, get the full passport. It’s slower, but you only go through this once. Get the emergency one only if you really need to leave.
Emergency passports have limits, and they vary by country. A British one usually covers one trip. A German one usually only gets you back to Germany. A US one may not be accepted everywhere. So check that it works for where you’re going.
Waiting times vary a lot by country:
- An Australian emergency passport can take up to two working days.
- A full US passport can take 4 to 6 weeks, and it can’t be rushed.
- A German passport for travel beyond Germany usually takes 3 to 5 extra working days.
If you’re American and took an emergency passport to get home, you can swap it for a full one by mail for free within a year.
What It Costs
These are the embassy fees when we checked. Fees change, so check your embassy’s page before you go.
| Embassy | Document | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Replacement adult passport | US$165, paid online before the appointment |
| United Kingdom | Emergency travel document | £125 |
| Germany | Travel document back to Germany only | €57, plus €36 for the letter Thai Immigration needs |
| Germany | Temporary passport, valid 1 year | €75 if you’re deregistered from Germany, €101 if not |
| Australia | Emergency passport | Not listed on its passport page |
Step 4: Move Your Visa to the New Passport
Your new passport has no Thai visa or stamps in it, so take it to Thai Immigration to have them moved across.
Bring the new passport, the police report and the old passport if you still have it. Germans should also ask their embassy for a certificate for Thai Immigration at the appointment, which saves a second trip. The US Embassy no longer gives out a letter like this.
The US Embassy says any immigration office can do the transfer. The German Embassy names two in Bangkok:
- Immigration Division 1 at the Government Complex on Chaengwattana Road Soi 7, Laksi. Phone 02-141 9889.
- The immigration office on the 18th floor of Chamchuri Square, Phayathai Road, Pathumwan. Phone 02-209-1100.
Offices are usually open Monday to Friday, 08:30 to 12:00 and 13:00 to 16:30. Call before you go to check they handle your type of visa, and go in the morning in case they send you somewhere else.
If you had an extension of stay or a re-entry permit, ask for those to be moved too. If you have to leave Thailand before it’s sorted, read our re-entry permit guide first.
Tip: LTR visa holders follow a different process, because the LTR sticker can’t be moved to a new passport. Email [email protected] or call 02 209 1109 before you go anywhere.
Step 5: Your 90-Day Report and Your Bank
Your next 90-day report can’t be done online, because the online system doesn’t work after a passport change. Go to your local immigration office in person, or send someone with a letter from you. After that first one, you can file online again. Our 90-day reporting guide explains how.
Then go to your bank with the new passport and the police report, and ask them to update your details. Each bank has its own rules, but we wouldn’t put this off. You don’t want to find out your details don’t match when you need your money. If your account does get frozen, our guide on why Thai bank accounts get suspended can help.
While you’re at it, give your new passport number to your landlord, your employer and your phone company.
If You Have a Flight Coming Up
Tell your embassy your flight date as soon as you contact them, and ask what they can give you in time. Don’t buy a new ticket until they confirm. The Australian Embassy says this outright.
If you must book something, choose a ticket you can change or refund. Also check your emergency passport covers your route, because some only get you home.
If your Thai visa is about to run out while you wait, go to Immigration before it ends and explain. Read our overstay guide so you know what’s at stake.
Lost it at the airport? The steps are the same. Call the Tourist Police on 1155 for help with the police report, book the earliest embassy slot you can, and tell your airline.
And if your old passport turns up later, don’t travel on it. You can be refused entry, even though it’s really yours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use my old passport if I find it?
No. Once you’ve reported it, it’s cancelled. You can be refused entry if you travel on it.
Do I need a police report if I just lost it?
Yes. The US and Australian embassies ask for one whether it was lost or stolen.
How long does a new passport take?
It depends on your country. An emergency passport can take a couple of days. A full US passport can take 4 to 6 weeks.
Do I need a new Thai visa?
You shouldn’t. Your existing visa and stamps are moved to the new passport. Check with Immigration, because your visa type can change what they ask for.
Can I do my 90-day report online with a new passport?
Not the first one. Go in person, or send someone with a letter from you. After that, you can file online again.
Sources Cited
- US Embassy Bangkok, adult lost or stolen passport replacement: police report, forms, documents, entry refusal on a reported passport.
- US Embassy Bangkok, ACS service fees: US$165 replacement fee.
- US Embassy Bangkok, passports: 4 to 6 weeks processing, limited-validity emergency passport.
- US Embassy Bangkok, replacing an emergency limited validity passport: free swap within one year.
- US Embassy Bangkok, transfer Thai visa and entry/exit stamps: any immigration office, no linkage letters.
- British Embassy Bangkok (GOV.UK): emergency travel document, appointment-only access.
- GOV.UK, emergency travel document: eligibility and validity.
- GOV.UK, consular services fees: £125 emergency travel document fee.
- GOV.UK, Thailand entry requirements: entry denied on a passport reported lost or stolen.
- Australian Embassy Thailand, passports: emergency passports, police report, appointments, timing.
- German Embassy Bangkok, Passverlust: documents, walk-in, certificate for Immigration, immigration offices and hours.
- German Embassy Bangkok, passport fees from 8 February 2026: travel document and temporary passport fees.
- Immigration Bureau: online 90-day report not available after a passport change.
- Board of Investment, transferring an LTR visa to a new passport: LTR sticker rule and contacts.
