Can I fly with a photo or photocopy of my passport?

A photo or photocopy is not a substitute for a valid passport where one is required. It may help officials verify your identity or support a replacement application. Ask your airline about the documents accepted for your exact route rather than relying on a copy.

Do I need a passport for a domestic UK flight?

A passport is not always required for a flight wholly within the UK, but airlines set their own identification requirements. Check which alternative documents your airline accepts and any separate rules for children. Do not apply domestic-flight rules to international journeys.

What if I find my passport after reporting it lost?

If you only notified airport lost property, check whether the passport was also reported to its issuing authority. A cancelled British passport cannot be used again, even if you recover it. If its status is unclear, confirm with the issuing authority before attempting to travel.

What should I do if my child's passport is missing?

Tell the airline or arrival authorities immediately and follow the same lost-passport reporting process. A parent's passport or a child's birth certificate does not replace a passport where one is required. Replacement and emergency-document applications for children may need additional consent and evidence, so check the issuing authority's requirements before rearranging travel.

Lost Passport at the Airport: Before Departure or After Landing

Updated 4 November 2026

If you have lost your passport at the airport, tell airline or airport staff immediately. Before departure, speak to your airline; after landing, alert staff before passport control. A boarding pass or passport photograph is not a replacement travel document. Your next steps depend on where you are and which country issued your passport.

First steps: check nearby and alert the right staff

Stop somewhere safe and check your document wallet, clothing pockets and every compartment of your hand luggage. Ask travelling companions to check whether they are holding it. Think back to the last place you showed it: check-in, bag drop, security, a lounge or the boarding gate.

Tell staff your flight number, terminal, last known location and whether departure is approaching. Different teams may handle items found at security, in the terminal and on aircraft, so ask which team needs to be contacted.

If you have just left the aircraft, tell the airline's ground staff immediately and give your seat number. Do not try to reboard or return through a restricted doorway yourself. Similarly, ask security staff for help rather than walking back through a checkpoint.

A report to airport lost property does not cancel a passport. Once you establish that it is lost or stolen, follow the issuing authority's reporting process as well.

Before departure: speak to the airline before leaving

Go to your airline's check-in, service or gate desk and explain that your passport is missing. Even if you have checked in online or passed security, you still need the travel documents required for your route.

Ask the airline:

- Whether any alternative document you actually hold is acceptable for this journey, including transit points. - What happens to your booking if you cannot travel, including connecting and return flights. - Whether your checked baggage needs to be located and returned. - How to leave the departure area correctly if you are already airside.

Do not assume a passport photograph, driving licence or boarding pass will be accepted for an international flight. Equally, do not assume the flight will wait while staff search.

If departure passes, contact the airline promptly rather than simply leaving. Our guide to [what to do after missing a flight](/guides/missed-flight-at-airport-what-to-do) explains the practical questions about bookings and baggage.

After landing in the UK: tell staff before passport control

If your passport is missing on arrival, tell an airport staff member and ask to speak to Border Force. Explain whether you last had it on the aircraft or elsewhere during the journey. Do not attempt to bypass passport control or use an eGate without the required document.

Keep your boarding pass, itinerary, any other identification and a secure passport copy available. These may help officials establish your identity, but they do not replace the missing passport.

British citizens may be able to establish their identity and British citizenship through additional checks. Expect delays; admission cannot be resolved by airline staff alone. Other travellers will need Border Force to assess their identity and immigration circumstances.

If checks delay you, tell staff about checked baggage, an onward connection, children or assistance needs. Ask how your bags will be handled rather than trying to reach reclaim without permission. See our guide to [UK arrivals, passport control and baggage collection](/guides/uk-airport-arrivals-passport-control-baggage-customs) for the usual sequence.

After landing abroad or during a connection

Tell airline ground staff and the local immigration authorities before attempting to leave the arrivals or transit area. Each country has its own entry rules, and permission to enter without a passport is not automatic.

If you are connecting, contact the airline handling your next flight immediately. Staying airside does not necessarily remove the need for a passport or other travel documents. Do not leave the transit area to visit an embassy without checking whether you are permitted to enter the country.

Contact your country's embassy, high commission or consulate for guidance. British nationals can find the relevant contact details and lost-passport guidance on GOV.UK. Consular staff can explain document options, but cannot override local immigration decisions or require an airline to carry you.

If theft is suspected, ask airport police or local police how to report it. Keep any report reference, along with airport and airline case numbers.

Report the loss and understand what cancellation means

For a British passport, use the GOV.UK service titled 'Report a lost or stolen passport'. For a passport issued elsewhere, follow that country's passport authority or consular instructions. Report a confirmed loss promptly to reduce the risk of misuse.

Keep two processes separate: airport lost property may help recover the physical document, while the passport authority deals with its validity. Reporting the loss to an airline, police officer or lost-property desk does not necessarily notify the issuing authority.

Once a British passport has been cancelled, it cannot be used for travel even if it turns up later. Follow the issuing authority's instructions for a recovered document; do not try using it at check-in.

Use verified government and airport contact channels. Avoid posting a passport image, passport number or other identity details publicly when asking for help.

Arrange a replacement or emergency travel document

If you are in the UK with a lost British passport, check HM Passport Office's current replacement options and eligibility. Do not assume an airport desk can issue a new passport or that an urgent service can rescue today's departure.

If you are abroad, eligible British nationals may be able to apply for an emergency travel document through GOV.UK. It is not an instant replacement or unrestricted permission to travel. Check application requirements, the permitted journey and acceptance by every destination and transit country before booking a new route. Confirm document requirements with the airline too.

For other nationalities, ask the relevant embassy or consulate about replacement passports or emergency documents.

Also check any visa, electronic travel authorisation or digital immigration account linked to the missing passport. You may need to update details or obtain new permission before travelling with a replacement document.

Before rearranging flights or leaving the airport

Get clear instructions from the airline about your ticket and checked bags. A missed outward flight can affect later flights on the same booking, so ask about the whole itinerary. If a bag is missing separately, follow the reporting steps in our guide to [delayed or lost baggage](/guides/lost-delayed-baggage-uk-airports).

Contact your travel insurer before committing to substantial replacement travel or accommodation costs where possible. Cover depends on your policy and circumstances; keep receipts, booking records and loss-report references rather than assuming reimbursement.

Tell anyone expecting you about the delay. If you have booked Meet & Greet parking, use the contact details in your confirmation to discuss a changed vehicle collection time or an extended stay. Do not assume changes happen automatically or without additional charges.

Before returning to the airport, confirm that your replacement document, entry permissions and flight booking are all valid for the revised journey.

Frequently asked questions

Can I fly with a photo or photocopy of my passport?: A photo or photocopy is not a substitute for a valid passport where one is required. It may help officials verify your identity or support a replacement application. Ask your airline about the documents accepted for your exact route rather than relying on a copy.
Do I need a passport for a domestic UK flight?: A passport is not always required for a flight wholly within the UK, but airlines set their own identification requirements. Check which alternative documents your airline accepts and any separate rules for children. Do not apply domestic-flight rules to international journeys.
What if I find my passport after reporting it lost?: If you only notified airport lost property, check whether the passport was also reported to its issuing authority. A cancelled British passport cannot be used again, even if you recover it. If its status is unclear, confirm with the issuing authority before attempting to travel.
What should I do if my child's passport is missing?: Tell the airline or arrival authorities immediately and follow the same lost-passport reporting process. A parent's passport or a child's birth certificate does not replace a passport where one is required. Replacement and emergency-document applications for children may need additional consent and evidence, so check the issuing authority's requirements before rearranging travel.

Compare Meet & Greet parking for your dates and book online.

Compare parking prices