This is one of the most stressful things that can happen on a trip - but the process to resolve it is well-defined if you follow the right order of steps. Here's exactly what to do, from the first hour to getting home or continuing your trip.
Stay calm and act quickly. Nothing else in this guide can begin until you've completed Step 1 below. The single biggest mistake people make is delaying the police report while they search for the passport themselves - do both at the same time, not one after the other.
This is the mandatory first step, and everything else depends on it. Whether your passport was lost or stolen, from a hotel room, on transport, or at the airport, you need an official police report before any consulate or replacement process can begin.
If you're on a tour or transfer arranged through us, contact your guide or our on-ground team the moment this happens - even before you've finished the police report. We can help coordinate transport to the police station and consulate, adjust your itinerary if needed, and act as a local point of contact while you deal with the Indian Consulate.
Call +61 424 090 090 or email ask.us@aussiegrandtours.com.au - available for guests currently travelling with us.
India maintains a High Commission and four Consulates General across Australia. Contact whichever is nearest to where you are - they handle Emergency Certificates and passport-related consular services for Indian nationals in Australia.
15 Tench Street, Kingston ACT 2604
Phone: +61 2 6273 3999
Switchboard: 02 6225 4900
Level 1, 265 Castlereagh Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Phone: +61 2 9223 2702
General: 02 9223 9500
344 St Kilda Road, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: 03 9682 7836
Consular enquiries: 03 9682 5800
Level 6, 12 St Georges Terrace, Perth WA 6000
Phone: 08 9221 4205
Level 12, 301 Coronation Drive, Milton, Brisbane QLD 4064
Phone: 07 3858 9690
Addresses and phone numbers above are current as of publication and cross-checked against each post's own official website and Australia's DFAT protocol directory - but consular offices do relocate and update numbers periodically, as happened with the Canberra High Commission in 2026. Search "[city name] Consulate General of India" for the current official site to confirm before you go, or ask us and we'll look it up for you on the spot.
What you apply for next depends on whether you need to get home soon, or whether you have time left on your trip and want to continue travelling.
You'll apply for an Emergency Certificate (EC) - a one-way, one-time travel document that exists for exactly one purpose: getting you back to India. It is not valid for continued travel in Australia or onward to any other country, and you'll need to apply for a full passport once you're back home.
You'll apply for a full replacement passport through India's official passport services in Australia. Be realistic about timing: this typically takes around 8 weeks, and in some cases up to 4 months - for most travellers on a standard holiday, this makes a full replacement mid-trip impractical, and Path A is the more realistic option.
Gather as many of these as you can before your consulate appointment -- incomplete applications are sent back for missing documents, which costs you time you don't have.
Keep a photo of your passport's bio-data page and visa in your email, cloud storage, and with a family member back home - before you ever need it. This single habit is the difference between a stressful afternoon and a stressful week.
Airport situations move faster and need an extra step:
Don't delay the police report while you keep searching for the passport yourself - do both at once. Every hour of delay pushes your consulate appointment further back.
Don't attempt to board any flight without a valid travel document - a photocopy, a phone photo, or any other ID will not be accepted as a substitute by an airline or immigration.
Don't apply by mail or send documents through a third party - Indian consulates in Australia require in-person appointments for both Emergency Certificates and passport applications.
Don't book a firm return flight before your Emergency Certificate is actually issued - approval isn't instant, and locking in a flight date too early can leave you racing the clock.
Don't forget your Australian visa status. Your Australian visa is usually held electronically, linked to your passport number, not physically stamped - so losing the passport doesn't erase it. Still, keep a copy of your visa grant notice email handy, since you may be asked to show evidence of it.
This page is general guidance based on standard procedures at the time of writing, not legal or immigration advice. Requirements, fees, and processing times can change - always confirm current details directly with the relevant Indian Consulate/High Commission and, if relevant, Australia's Department of Home Affairs before making decisions based on timing.