What should I do if my passport is lost or stolen in Iraq?

Question

Accepted Answer

If your passport is lost or stolen in Iraq, you cannot leave the country or pass security checkpoints without taking specific legal steps. You must report the loss to local police, publish notices in two local newspapers, obtain an emergency travel document from your embassy or consulate, and secure an exit stamp from Iraqi immigration authorities before departure.

1. Report the loss to the police. Go immediately to the nearest Iraqi police station in the district where the passport went missing. File an official loss report and obtain certified paper copies. Carry a digital or paper copy of your lost passport, entry visa, and this police report with you at all times. Security forces conduct regular identity checks at checkpoints across cities and highways, and moving without documentation creates serious risks.

2. Publish notices in two local newspapers. Under Iraqi law, you must publish the details of your lost or stolen passport in two local daily newspapers after reporting the incident to the police. Iraqi immigration officials require copies of both printed announcements before they will grant an exit stamp. Your hotel staff, local sponsor, or guide can help you draft the notice and submit it to established daily publications.

3. Contact your embassy or consulate. Apply to your country's embassy in Baghdad or consulate general in Erbil for an emergency travel document or temporary passport. Diplomatic missions in Iraq require appointments for security reasons, so do not visit without contacting them first by phone or through their online emergency service. Submit your police report, proof of nationality, passport photos, and the applicable processing fee.

4. Obtain an exit stamp from Iraqi immigration. An emergency travel document does not contain your original entry visa or arrival stamp. You cannot board an international flight or cross an international border without an official exit regularization. In Federal Iraq, take your emergency document, police report, newspaper clippings, and visa copies to the Directorate of Residency Affairs in Baghdad, located in Al-Karrada near Al-Andalus Square. In the Kurdistan Region, visit the Directorate of Residency in Erbil or Sulaymaniyah. Officials will verify your lawful entry and stamp your exit clearance. Do not attempt to travel between Federal Iraq and Kurdistan without valid travel documents.

5. Update your travel provider and insurer. Replacing a passport and obtaining an exit visa takes several working days. Contact your airline or travel provider immediately to reschedule your travel, and notify your travel insurance provider to open an assistance case.

Sources: [UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office](https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/iraq/safety-and-security), [Travel.gc.ca](https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/iraq), [British Embassy Baghdad](https://www.gov.uk/world/organisations/british-embassy-baghdad), and the [FCDO Emergency Help Guide](https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/iraq/getting-help).

Checked on 2026-10-25.