Kathmandu, September 17, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Nepal government has made it mandatory to report details of lost, stolen or cancelled Nepali passports to Interpol within 24 hours of receiving notification from the concerned passport holder.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs introduced the “Procedure on Updating Details of Lost, Stolen and Cancelled Passports with Interpol, 2026” on Wednesday, requiring such information to be entered into Interpol’s Stolen and Lost Travel Documents (SLTD) database.
The measure is aimed at institutionalising timely information-sharing among relevant agencies and ensuring that details of lost or stolen Nepali passports are available internationally to help prevent their potential misuse, the ministry said.
Cases involving an immediate risk of terrorism, organised crime, human trafficking, illegal international travel or other forms of misuse will have to be prioritised and forwarded without delay.
Under the procedure, the Department of Passports will designate officials to handle such cases and establish a coordination mechanism. It will also maintain records of lost and stolen passports and coordinate with the Interpol National Central Bureau (NCB) of Nepal Police in Kathmandu.
The information submitted to Interpol must include the type of passport or travel document, passport number, date of issue, expiry date, date on which it was lost, stolen or cancelled, and the possible location where it was lost or stolen.
When a passport is lost or stolen, the holder or an authorised representative must notify the Department of Passports in writing. Nepali citizens who are abroad must report the loss or theft to the nearest Nepali diplomatic mission, either personally or through an authorised representative.
After receiving the report, the Department of Passports will search its records for the passport number and other available information, verify the identity of the applicant and the passport details, and determine the document’s actual status.
The passport will then be marked as “lost” or “stolen” in the government system, with necessary controls imposed to prevent further use. The required information will subsequently be prepared and forwarded to the designated official or the Interpol NCB in Kathmandu.
Nepali diplomatic missions abroad will similarly verify passport details after receiving reports of loss or theft and immediately forward the information to the Department of Passports. They will also inform the concerned individual that the reported passport is no longer valid for use.
Interpol, formally known as the International Criminal Police Organisation, connects law enforcement agencies across 196 member countries and facilitates international police cooperation.
FOLLOW NOW
