Lost, Stolen or Expired Passport in Bangladesh (2026) – Step-by-Step Legal Guide

The moment you realise your passport is lost or stolen, acting quickly and correctly is essential. Here is the priority order of actions you must take:

Acting quickly matters for several reasons:

• Prevent misuse: A lost passport can be used for identity fraud, illegal border crossings, or other criminal activities. Reporting it promptly cancels the passport in the DIP's system and alerts border control authorities.
• Legal protection: If someone uses your lost passport for criminal purposes before you reported it lost, you could face questions from authorities. A timely GD filing protects you by establishing the date you reported the loss.
• Application requirement: The GD number is a mandatory document in the DIP replacement passport application. Without it, your application will not be processed.
• Embassy requirements: If you are abroad and need an emergency travel document, the host country's immigration authority may also want proof that you reported the loss to local police.

The General Diary (GD / সাধারণ ডায়েরি) is an entry in the official police station diary recording a non-criminal incident or complaint. For a lost passport, you file a GD — not necessarily an FIR — unless you are certain the passport was stolen (in which case, filing an FIR for theft under Section 379 of the Penal Code 1860 is appropriate).

How to File a GD for Lost Passport

1. Visit the nearest police station (থানা) — ideally the one covering the area where you last had your passport, or the area where you discovered it was missing.
2. Speak to the duty officer (OD) and state that you wish to file a GD for a lost passport.
3. Provide the following information:
   • Your full name, father's name, mother's name
   • Your present address and permanent address
   • National ID number
   • Lost passport number (if you remember it or have a photocopy)
   • Approximate date and place where the passport was last seen / lost
   • Circumstances of loss (left in bag, fell from pocket, etc.)
4. The GD entry is written in the station diary and you are given a GD number with the date and name of the OD who recorded it.
5. Obtain a certified copy of the GD entry — this is the document you will submit to DIP. Most police stations issue the GD copy immediately; in some busy stations it may take a few hours.

If the loss occurred in another district (e.g., you were travelling), file the GD at the police station of the area where the loss occurred, or at your local police station with a note explaining the circumstances. Both are acceptable for DIP purposes.

Is Filing a GD Mandatory?

Yes, for replacement passport applications after loss or theft, a GD copy (or FIR copy) is a mandatory required document specified by the DIP. Applications without a GD will be rejected.

After filing the GD, the next critical step is to formally report the lost/stolen passport to the Department of Immigration and Passports (DIP) so that the passport can be cancelled in the national database. This prevents the lost passport from being used fraudulently at border crossings or for visa applications.

How to Report a Lost Passport to DIP

Currently, you can report a lost/stolen passport to DIP through the following channels:

• Online portal: DIP maintains an online application system at www.epassport.gov.bd. You can report the lost passport and simultaneously apply for a replacement through the online portal. Select 'Lost/Stolen Passport' as the reason for application.
• In person at DIP Agargaon: Visit the DIP head office at Agargaon, Dhaka. Inform the information desk that you wish to report a lost passport and apply for a replacement.
• Regional Passport Offices: DIP has regional offices in most divisional cities (Chattogram, Rajshahi, Khulna, Sylhet, Barishal, Mymensingh, Rangpur). You can report and apply at the regional office closest to you.

Once you report the lost passport, DIP will mark it as cancelled in the national passport database and the border management system (BIMS — Border Information Management System). After cancellation, the old passport number is deactivated — no one can use it to cross an official border checkpoint in Bangladesh or obtain a visa.

Important: Even if you later find the lost passport after reporting it, the old passport is cancelled and cannot be used again. You must complete the replacement process and use the new passport.

Bangladesh has been transitioning from Machine Readable Passports (MRP) to the new biometric e-Passport (electronic passport) system. As of 2026, here is the current position:

If you are applying for a replacement passport in 2026 (after loss, theft, expiry, or damage), you will receive an e-Passport regardless of whether your previous passport was an MRP or e-Passport. The e-Passport requires a biometric enrollment appointment at a DIP office where your fingerprints and facial photograph are digitally captured and stored in the passport chip.

The following documents are currently required by the Department of Immigration and Passports (DIP) for a replacement passport application after loss or theft:

• Online Application Form: Completed online application form from epassport.gov.bd, with the application tracking number / payment receipt number printed
• GD Copy / FIR Copy: Certified copy of the General Diary entry (or FIR if theft) from the police station — this is mandatory
• National Identity Card (NID): Original National ID card and photocopy. For persons who do not yet have an NID (e.g., minors), birth certificate is accepted.
• Birth Certificate: If the NID is not available or if there is a date of birth discrepancy
• Photographs: Recent passport-sized photographs (current standard: 2 copies, white background, 35mm x 45mm) — taken within the last 6 months
• Old Passport Copy (if available): A photocopy of the biographical data page of the lost passport, if you have one. This helps DIP verify your previous passport details and speeds up processing.
• Payment Receipt: Treasury Challan or online payment receipt confirming payment of applicable passport fees
• Additional documents for specific situations:
  • If the applicant is a government employee: NOC from the employer
  • If the applicant is a minor: Parents' NID copies and birth certificate
  • If the name has changed since last passport: Marriage certificate or court-certified name change document
  • If the address has changed: Bank statement or utility bill showing new address

Important note for damaged passports: If your passport is damaged (not lost/stolen), you must surrender the damaged passport at DIP. The procedure is similar to lost passport replacement but without the GD requirement. Instead, an explanation of how the damage occurred is required.

The current fee structure for passport replacement in Bangladesh (as of 2026) is as follows. Note that fees are subject to revision by the Ministry of Home Affairs — always check the latest fee schedule on epassport.gov.bd before applying.

Fees are payable online through the epassport.gov.bd portal via mobile banking (bKash, Nagad, Rocket) or bank debit/credit card, or via Treasury Challan at designated Sonali Bank branches.

Note on actual processing times: The advertised processing times are the official targets. In practice, DIP Agargaon (Dhaka's main office) often experiences higher workloads, and actual delivery may take longer than official timelines. Regular status tracking via the SMS-based tracking service or the epassport.gov.bd portal is recommended.

The following flowchart describes the complete passport replacement process at the Department of Immigration and Passports (DIP) in Bangladesh:

DIP Head Office address: Department of Immigration and Passports, E/8 (Block D), Agargaon Civic Centre, Agargaon, Dhaka-1207. Open Sunday to Thursday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Closed on government holidays.

If you need to travel urgently — for medical treatment, family emergency, or unavoidable business — and cannot wait for the standard passport replacement process, you can apply for an Emergency Travel Certificate (ETC / জরুরী ভ্রমণ সনদ) from the DIP.

Key features of the Emergency Travel Certificate:

• Single journey document: Valid for one trip only — either outbound from Bangladesh or inbound return to Bangladesh
• Short validity: Usually valid for 30 days or for the duration of the specific travel, whichever is shorter
• Not accepted everywhere: Not all countries accept an ETC as a travel document. Verify with the destination country's embassy before applying for the ETC
• Current fee: Approximately Tk 500 — significantly cheaper than a full passport
• Processing time: Typically 1-3 working days if all documents are in order
• Documents required: GD copy, NID, evidence of urgency (medical documents, airline ticket, employment proof), 2 photographs, completed application form

For Bangladeshis abroad: If you are in a foreign country and your passport is lost or stolen, the nearest Bangladesh Embassy or High Commission will issue a Travel Document (TD) — functionally similar to an ETC — to enable you to return to Bangladesh. You must provide your GD/local police complaint, proof of citizenship (NID copy, old passport copy, or other evidence), and photographs.

If you lose your passport while travelling abroad, the procedure is somewhat different from losing it within Bangladesh:

1. Report to local police immediately: File a police report (equivalent of a GD) with the police of the country where the passport was lost. Keep a copy — you will need it for the embassy and for DIP when you return.
2. Contact the Bangladesh Embassy / High Commission: Visit or call the nearest Bangladesh diplomatic mission. They can issue an Emergency Travel Document (Travel Document) to enable your return to Bangladesh. Provide: police report, NID copy (email to yourself in advance for exactly this situation), photographs, and a written statement about the circumstances of the loss.
3. Inform DIP online: If possible, log into epassport.gov.bd and report the lost passport. This cancels the passport in the national database immediately.
4. Apply for new passport upon return: Once back in Bangladesh, follow the standard lost passport replacement procedure (GD at local police station, then DIP application).

Prevention tip: Before travelling internationally, always:

• Photocopy all biographical pages of your passport and email the copies to yourself
• Note your passport number in a separate notebook or phone
• Keep a digital scan of your passport on secure cloud storage
• Keep your NID card stored separately from your passport (so if the passport is stolen, you still have NID proof of identity)

Bangladesh law treats passport fraud and misuse very seriously. The following offences and their penalties are prescribed under the Passports Ordinance 1973 and the Penal Code 1860:

If someone is found using your reported lost passport: Contact the DIP and Bangladesh Police immediately with the GD number proving you reported the loss. The DIP can notify border authorities and the person using your cancelled passport will be detained and prosecuted. Your timely GD filing protects you from being associated with any criminal use of the passport.

A common and serious problem faced by Bangladeshi workers — both domestically and internationally — is having their passport confiscated and held by their employer. This is an issue of significant national importance given Bangladesh's large overseas labour force.

Is it legal for an employer to hold a worker's passport?

No. Under Bangladesh law and international human rights norms, passport confiscation by an employer is illegal. Specifically:

• Under the Passports Ordinance 1973: A passport is the exclusive property of the Government of Bangladesh, issued for the personal use of the bearer. An employer has no legal right to hold, retain, or confiscate it.
• Under the Overseas Employment and Migrants Act 2013: Recruiting agents and employers who confiscate passports of Bangladeshi migrant workers can face criminal liability including cancellation of their recruitment licence and prosecution.
• Under the Bangladesh Labour Act 2006: Domestic employers who confiscate employees' passports can be reported to the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE).

What to Do if Your Employer is Holding Your Passport

• Formally demand your passport in writing (a letter or WhatsApp message that creates a record)
• If refused: report to the nearest police station and file a GD
• For domestic situations: report to DIFE (www.dife.gov.bd) or the Ministry of Labour and Employment
• For overseas situations (migrant worker): contact the Bangladesh Embassy in the host country; they have a mandate to assist Bangladeshi workers and can intervene with the employer
• The Bangladesh Embassy can issue a Travel Document to enable your return to Bangladesh even without your physical passport, upon evidence of your citizenship
• Consult a lawyer — employer passport retention can be challenged through the courts and criminal complaints

The following table addresses the most common passport-related problems encountered by Bangladeshi citizens and the practical steps to resolve them:

Professional Legal Assistance: For complex passport cases — employer confiscation, fraudulent applications, criminal charges related to passport misuse, or overseas passport emergencies — it is advisable to consult a lawyer immediately. Advocate Md. Shah Alam, practising from his chamber in Uttara, Dhaka, can assist with all passport-related legal matters, including filing complaints against employers who confiscate passports, defending clients facing passport fraud allegations, and navigating complex DIP procedures.

Consult Our Criminal Lawyer for Passport Legal Issues

The single most important first step is to file a General Diary (GD) at the nearest police station within 24 hours of discovering your passport is lost or stolen. The GD entry is a mandatory required document for your DIP replacement application. It also legally protects you from being associated with any criminal use of your lost passport after the date of reporting. After filing the GD, report the loss online at epassport.gov.bd so DIP can cancel the passport in the national database.

Currently, the fee for an e-Passport replacement is: Tk 3,000 (48-page, 5-year validity, regular processing); Tk 5,000 (48-page, 10-year validity, regular processing); Tk 5,000 (64-page, 5-year validity, regular processing); Tk 7,000 (64-page, 10-year validity, regular processing). Urgent processing (7-10 working days instead of 21) costs approximately double the regular fee. These fees are subject to change — always check epassport.gov.bd for current rates before applying.

If you have an urgent travel need while your replacement passport is being processed, you can apply for an Emergency Travel Certificate (ETC) from DIP. The ETC is valid for a single journey and costs approximately Tk 500. It is typically processed within 1-3 working days. However, not all countries accept an ETC — check with the destination country's embassy before applying for this option. Alternatively, request urgent processing of your full e-Passport application by paying the higher urgent fee.

No, it is illegal for any employer to confiscate and hold a worker's passport in Bangladesh. A passport is the personal property of the bearer (issued in their name by the government) and cannot be retained by any third party, including employers. This applies to both domestic employers and overseas employers of Bangladeshi migrant workers. If your employer is holding your passport, you should demand it in writing, file a complaint with the police (GD), and report to the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) or the Bangladesh Embassy if you are abroad. Legal action can be taken against employers who illegally retain passports.

Your visa (stamped in the lost/cancelled passport) does not automatically transfer to your new passport. You have two options: (1) If you find the old cancelled passport, keep it alongside your new passport — many countries allow you to travel on the new passport while presenting the old cancelled passport with the valid visa (check specific country rules). (2) Contact the embassy of the country that issued the visa and request a visa transfer or re-endorsement to your new passport. Most countries allow this, especially for multiple-entry visas with remaining validity, but some require you to apply for a new visa. Always check the specific country's rules well before your travel date.

No. A GD (General Diary) is only required for lost or stolen passports. For a passport that has simply expired (or is about to expire), you apply for a standard renewal — not a replacement. The renewal process requires the same online application at epassport.gov.bd, payment of applicable fees, and an in-person biometric enrollment appointment at DIP. You must submit your old (expired) passport at the DIP office when collecting your new passport. The fees for renewal are the same as the standard new application rates.