Passport; notification of loss and recovery

If your German passport cannot be found or has been lost, you must report the loss. If you find the document again later, you must also report this.

If you lose your passport or temporary passport, you are obliged to inform the passport authority of your (residential) municipality immediately.

The passport authority must also be notified if it is found again. As a new document is/was usually issued, this is essential. It is also recommended that you apply for a new passport to prevent problems when using it.

If a criminal offense is involved, contact the local police station (see "Reporting a criminal offense to the police" under "Related topics").

If a report is not made to the passport authority or not made in time, an administrative offense is committed which can be punished with a fine.

Despite a report on the recovery of the passport, foreign authorities may not recognize a passport reported as recovered for use in their country or may confiscate it. It is therefore recommended that you apply for a new passport if your passport is lost or stolen.