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Lost Your Irish Passport? Don’t Panic

Posted on September 25, 2025

Losing your passport can be a stressful experience, especially if you plan to travel soon. If you’re an Irish citizen and you’ve lost your passport, don’t worry – there are steps to get a new one and continue with your travel plans. 

In this blog post, we’ll explain what you should do if you’ve lost your Irish passport, answer some common questions about lost passports, and offer tips for preventing passport loss in the future.

What to do if you’ve lost your Irish passport

If you’ve lost your Irish passport, you should report it to the authorities first. This ensures your old passport is cancelled and cannot be used by anyone else. In Ireland, you can report the loss to the Gardaí.

If you’re abroad, you should contact the local police and the Irish embassy or the nearest Irish Embassy or Consulate. They will cancel your passport and advise you on the next steps. You’ll need to fill out a form to report the loss and get a reference number, which you’ll need when applying for a new passport. It is also wise to report any theft to the local police and get a police report, which can be useful for travel insurance claims.

police

Once you’ve reported the loss, you can apply for a new passport. The Irish Department of Foreign Affairs offers an online passport application system. This streamlined process allows you to report your passport as lost or stolen directly within the application. To complete your application, you’ll need to provide personal information, upload a digital photo, and pay the applicable fee.

The system also enables you to track the progress of your application and receive updates via email or text message. It is the quickest and easiest way to apply for a new passport. 

Additionally, you can also apply through the post via An Post or in-person with the Passport Office’s counter service (available at offices in Dublin and Cork). 

Irish Passport

If you need your new passport urgently, you can contact the Passport Service directly to apply for an emergency passport. This service is available to Irish citizens who do not hold or have lost their passports and urgently need to travel. As the name suggests, this service is strictly for emergencies only – such as the death of an immediate family member abroad or for urgent medical care.

Cost to Replace/Renew Your Passport

The current fee for a standard 10-year adult passport is €75 online, while the paper application fee is €80 plus a booking fee. Turnaround times for online applications are also much faster, typically taking a few weeks, whereas paper applications can take two months or longer.

Application via Passport Online Service

AdultCost
Standard 10-Year Passport €75
Large 66-Page, 10-Year Passport €105
Passport Card €35
Standard Passport + Passport Card €100
Large Passport + Card€130
An additional €15 postage fee applies to residents outside of Ireland.
ChildCost
Standard 5-Year Passport (for Under 18s)€20
Large 66-Page, 5-Year Passport (for Under 18s)€50
Passport Card€35
Standard 5-Year Passport + Passport Card (for Under 18s)€45
Large 66-Page, 5-Year Passport + Passport Card (for Under 18s)€75
For child applications, there is an additional €5 postal fee (per application) to offset the cost of returning documents to the applicant.

Application via AnPost

AdultCost
Standard 10-Year Passport €80
Large 66-Page, 10-Year Passport €110
Standard 5-Year Passport (for Under 18s)€30
Large 66-Page, 5-Year Passport (for Under 18s)€55
An additional administrative fee of €9.50 for a single application, or €16 for up to four applications applies to passport applications made via AnPost.

What If I Need to Travel Urgently?

If you are abroad and need to return to Ireland urgently due to an emergency, such as a family bereavement, you can apply for an Emergency Travel Document. This is not a full passport; it is a single-use document that will allow you to complete your journey home. You must apply for this in person at the Irish Embassy or Consulate in the country you are in.

Tips for Preventing Passport Loss

Here are some tips for preventing the loss of your Irish passport:

  1. Keep your passport safe and secure: When you’re not travelling, store your passport in a secure location such as a home safe, safety deposit box, or locked cabinet.
  2. Make copies of your passport: Make a photocopy of your passport and store it in a separate location from your passport. Also, consider scanning a copy of your passport and storing it on your phone or computer.
  3. Keep your passport with you when travelling: Always keep it with you and never leave it unattended in public places or in your hotel room.
  4. Use a passport cover: A passport cover can help protect your passport from damage and make it more difficult for someone to steal or tamper.
  5. Be aware of your surroundings: When travelling, be mindful of your surroundings and watch for any suspicious behaviour or individuals.
  6. Report a lost or stolen passport immediately: If it is lost or stolen, report it to the Irish embassy or consulate in your country as soon as possible.
  7. Renew your passport before it expires: To avoid any issues with an expired passport, make sure to renew it before it expires.

Losing your passport can be a stressful and costly experience. These preventative steps can help protect your passport and make your travels go more smoothly. If you’re travelling or planning a holiday abroad, choose KennCo Insurance for comprehensive travel protection. Get a quote today!

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Lost Irish Passport FAQs

Here are some of the most common questions people have when they lose their Irish passport:

Affordable Travel Insurance You Can Rely On

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