Nepal mandates Interpol reporting of lost passports within 24 hours
Synopsis
Nepal has formalised a 24-hour rule for reporting lost, stolen, or cancelled passports to Interpol's global SLTD database — a procedural shift that closes a long-standing gap in the country's travel document security framework and targets misuse risks including trafficking and illegal migration.
Key Takeaways
Nepal has made it mandatory to report lost, stolen, or cancelled passports to Interpol within 24 hours of notification, effective 17 September 2026 .
Details must be updated in Interpol's Stolen and Lost Travel Documents (SLTD) database, accessible to law enforcement in 196 countries .
The Department of Passports will designate officials and coordinate with the Interpol National Central Bureau (NCB) of Nepal Police in Kathmandu .
Passport holders abroad must report losses to the nearest Nepali diplomatic mission , which is required to immediately forward details to the Department of Passports.
Cases involving terrorism, human trafficking, organised crime , or illegal international travel must be prioritised and forwarded without delay.
The Nepal government has made it mandatory to report details of lost, stolen, or cancelled Nepali passports to Interpol within 24 hours of being notified by the concerned person. The new rule, formalised through a procedure introduced on Wednesday, 17 September 2026, requires that such details be updated in Interpol's Stolen and Lost Travel Documents (SLTD) database — a globally shared registry designed to prevent the misuse of travel documents.
The New Procedure
Under the 'Procedure on Updating Details of Lost, Stolen and Cancelled Passports with Interpol, 2026', Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stipulated that the information submitted must include the type of passport or travel document, passport number, date of issue, expiry date, the date on which it was lost, stolen or cancelled, and the possible location of the loss or theft.
The Department of Passports will designate officials responsible for handling such cases and establish a formal coordination mechanism. The department will also maintain records of lost and stolen passports and coordinate directly with the Interpol National Central Bureau (NCB) of Nepal Police in Kathmandu.
How the Reporting Process Works
If a passport is lost or stolen, the holder — or their authorised representative — must notify the Department of Passports in writing. For Nepali citizens abroad, the report must be filed with the nearest Nepali diplomatic mission, either in person or through a representative.
Upon receiving the report, the Department of Passports is required to search for the passport number in its system, verify the applicant's identity, and ascertain the document's actual status. The passport must then be marked as 'lost' or 'stolen' in the system, with controls applied to prevent further use, before the details are forwarded to the designated Interpol liaison.
Nepali diplomatic missions abroad are similarly obligated to verify the passport details upon receiving a loss report and immediately forward the information to the Department of Passports, while also informing the concerned person that the document can no longer be used.
Priority Cases and Security Considerations
The procedure places specific emphasis on high-risk situations. Information involving an immediate risk of terrorism, organised crime, human trafficking, illegal international travel, or other forms of misuse must be prioritised and forwarded without delay, according to the ministry.
The International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) is the world's largest international police body, connecting law enforcement agencies across 196 member countries. Access to the SLTD database allows border agencies globally to flag fraudulently used travel documents in real time.
Why This Matters
The provision aims to institutionalise the timely sharing of information among relevant agencies and ensure that details of lost or stolen Nepali passports are made available internationally to help prevent their potential misuse, the ministry stated. Notably, Nepal has faced scrutiny in the past over the use of its passports in cross-border trafficking and irregular migration networks — making this procedural tightening a meaningful step toward closing a documented vulnerability.
With the new framework in place, Nepal's passport security architecture moves closer to international standards already followed by many countries in the region, and the onus of timely action now rests squarely on designated officials within a defined 24-hour window.
Point of View
Not a transformative security leap — but its value lies in formalising what was previously ad hoc. Nepal's passports have appeared in trafficking and irregular migration cases, and the absence of a structured Interpol reporting channel was a documented gap that bad actors could exploit. The real test will be implementation: whether the Department of Passports has the staffing and system infrastructure to meet the 24-hour window consistently, and whether diplomatic missions abroad are adequately resourced to process reports in real time. A rule on paper is only as strong as the bureaucracy that executes it.
NationPress
17 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Nepal's new passport reporting rule with Interpol?
Nepal has made it mandatory for lost, stolen, or cancelled Nepali passports to be reported to Interpol's Stolen and Lost Travel Documents (SLTD) database within 24 hours of the Department of Passports being notified. The rule was introduced on 17 September 2026 under a formal procedure by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
What information must be submitted when reporting a lost Nepali passport?
The required details include the type of passport or travel document, passport number, date of issue, expiry date, the date it was lost or stolen, and the possible location of the loss or theft. This information is then forwarded to the Interpol National Central Bureau of Nepal Police.
What should a Nepali citizen do if their passport is lost abroad?
A Nepali citizen whose passport is lost or stolen while abroad must notify the nearest Nepali diplomatic mission, either in person or through an authorised representative. The mission is then required to verify the details and immediately forward the information to Nepal's Department of Passports, while informing the holder that the document can no longer be used.
Which cases are treated as a priority under the new procedure?
Cases involving an immediate risk of terrorism, organised crime, human trafficking, illegal international travel, or other serious misuse must be prioritised and forwarded to Interpol without delay, according to the procedure.
Why has Nepal introduced this Interpol reporting procedure?
The procedure aims to institutionalise timely information-sharing among relevant agencies and ensure that details of lost or stolen Nepali passports are available internationally to prevent misuse. Nepal has faced concerns over the use of its passports in trafficking and irregular migration, making this a significant step toward closing a documented security gap.
