Travel Q&A: Lost Passport
Question: "I live in the UK, and in two weeks time I'm due to go on holiday to Canada - but I've just realized I've lost my passport. I definitely can't find it, and I don't have the time to wait three weeks to send off for a new one through the post. Is there any way I can get a new passport, or am I just not going to be able to go on holiday?"
Answer:
You'll be glad to know that you can receive a passport with a one-day turnaround, so you will still be able to go on holiday. However, it's quite a time consuming process and you will probably need to set an entire day aside to do it.
First, you need to contact your nearest passport office (run a search engine query to find it). You will then need to make an appointment; depending on their availability, this is usually within 72 hours if you stress the matter is urgent.
When you attend the appointment, you need to take with you all the usual identification for obtaining a passport. If you have your old passport number, take that, along with your birth certificate / driving license and a utility bill in your name showing your current address. You will also need a passport-sized photograph.
These documents will be verified when you attend the appointment, and you will then need to wait for your passport to be printed. This takes up to four hours, so set time aside.
The fee for this service is almost double the usual passport cost, but it does mean you will be able to go on holiday.