Lost or Stolen Passport in Nepal

Losing your passport in Nepal is stressful but entirely recoverable, and a clear sequence gets you back on track fast. The plan is the same whether it was lost or stolen: file a police report, contact your embassy for an emergency travel document, and visit Nepali Immigration to sort the exit formalities, because your visa was inside the missing passport. Stay calm, work the steps in order, and carrying copies in advance makes the whole process far quicker.

Step 1: File a police report

Go to the Tourist Police or your nearest police station as soon as you realise the passport is gone and obtain a written, stamped report. If it was stolen, follow the same crowd-aware habits in theft and pickpockets in Nepal to avoid a repeat. This report is the cornerstone of everything that follows — both your embassy and Immigration will require it. Save Nepal emergency numbers so you can reach the Tourist Police without delay.

Step 2: Contact your embassy

Call or visit your country's embassy or consulate in Kathmandu. Most issue an emergency travel document or temporary passport rather than a full replacement, typically requiring:

• The police report
• Passport-sized photos
• Proof of identity and citizenship (copies help enormously)
• A fee

Processing times vary by nationality, so phone ahead, book an appointment if needed, and ask exactly what they need. Embassies in Kathmandu are used to this and can usually turn it around quickly when you arrive prepared.

Step 3: Sort Immigration and your exit

Because your Nepal visa was in the lost passport, you cannot simply fly out on the new document. Visit the Department of Immigration in Kathmandu with your police report and emergency travel document to record the loss and complete the paperwork that lets you depart legally. Allow a buffer of a day or two before your flight; do not leave this to the airport. The rules around entry and stay are explained in our Nepal visa guide.

Prepare before it happens

A little preparation turns a crisis into a chore:

• Carry copies. Photocopies and digital scans of your passport, visa and insurance, stored in the cloud and kept apart from the originals.
• Note your embassy. Save its address and emergency number before you travel.
• Secure the original. Keep your passport in a money belt or hotel safe, carrying only a copy day-to-day.

Keep perspective

Passport loss is uncommon, and Nepal's Tourist Police and the embassies in Kathmandu handle these cases routinely — Nepal remains a safe, welcoming country where serious incidents are rare. Work the three steps in order, lean on your copies, and you will be travelling again with minimal fuss. For the full set of safety scenarios, see our Nepal scams and personal safety collection.