An "emergency passport" in UK parlance is the Emergency Travel Document (ETD), issued at UK embassies and consulates abroad when a British citizen's passport is lost, stolen, or damaged during travel. The fee is £100 in 2026, and the ETD is valid only for a single specified journey. This guide explains when an ETD is the right route, how to apply at a UK consulate, what documents and photos are needed, and why an ETD is the only option for getting home after a passport loss overseas. It is informational only. Verify all current rules with GOV.UK and the relevant UK embassy before applying.
TL;DR: The 60-Second Answer
- The UK Emergency Travel Document (ETD) is issued only at UK embassies and consulates abroad.- The 2026 fee is £100, payable in local currency at the consulate.
- An ETD is valid for one specified journey only, not for ongoing travel.
- An ETD is not a passport. It does not replace a passport and cannot be used after the named journey ends.
- No third-party expediter or private service can issue an ETD. Only the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office can.
Last reviewed: May 2026 · Sourced from GOV.UK
What an Emergency Travel Document Is and Is Not
An Emergency Travel Document is a single-use travel paper issued by UK embassies, high commissions, and consulates to British citizens abroad whose passport is unavailable. The most common scenarios are loss, theft, damage, or destruction of the passport during overseas travel. The ETD is issued by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office under consular powers, not by HM Passport Office.
An ETD is not a passport. It is a one-trip document that names a specific itinerary, with departure point, transit countries, and final destination listed on the face of the document. It cannot be used for any travel outside that itinerary. Once the named journey is complete, the ETD has no further function.
The ETD is recognised by most countries' border authorities for the purpose of entry transit and exit en route to the issuing British citizen's home country or onward destination. It is not recognised by all countries for tourist entry. Some destinations require a full passport regardless and will not admit a traveller on an ETD alone, even for transit.
The 2026 fee is £100, payable in local currency at the issuing consulate using the prevailing exchange rate. The fee is non-refundable once the ETD is issued.
When to Apply for an ETD
An ETD is the right route when a British citizen abroad has lost their passport, had it stolen, or damaged it beyond use, and needs to travel before a full replacement passport can be issued. A full replacement British passport for an overseas applicant typically takes four to six weeks, which is rarely compatible with onward travel plans.
An ETD is also issued in cases of urgent compassionate need: a family bereavement requiring immediate return to the UK, a serious medical situation requiring travel home, or an evacuation from a crisis zone where the consulate is processing departures.
An ETD is not the route for a British citizen in the UK who needs an urgent passport. That route is HMPO's 1-Day Premium service at £200, available at Customer Service Centres in London, Liverpool, Newport, Peterborough, Durham, Glasgow, and Belfast. The ETD is purely an overseas consular service.
An ETD is not generally available where the journey ahead is leisure travel rather than a return to the UK or an onward destination. Consulates will assess each case individually, but tourism continuation through an ETD is unusual.
How to Apply for an ETD at a UK Consulate
The application starts online at the GOV.UK Emergency Travel Document service. The applicant completes the form with details of the lost or stolen passport, the journey to be made, and supporting documents available. The form generates a reference number used at the consulate appointment.
The appointment is booked at the nearest UK embassy, high commission, or consulate. The GOV.UK Contact an Embassy service lists current locations and contact details by country. Wait times for appointments vary by post: major embassies (Paris, Madrid, Berlin, Washington, Sydney) typically offer same-day or next-day appointments for genuine emergencies. Smaller consulates may require travel to a regional post.
The applicant attends in person with: a photograph meeting standard passport rules, supporting identity documents (any expired British passport, driving licence, or birth certificate available), travel tickets or itinerary showing the named journey, the £100 fee, and a police report if the passport was lost or stolen.
The ETD is typically printed at the consulate the same day or the following day. The applicant collects the document in person, signs it, and uses it for the named journey only.
Photo and Document Requirements
The photograph for an ETD must meet standard UK passport photo specifications: plain background, neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open, no glasses, head facing the camera. Most major cities have photo booths or photography shops that produce passport-style photos for £5 to £15.
Supporting identity documents help speed up the application. Useful documents include: a recent expired British passport, a UK driving licence, a UK birth certificate, a marriage certificate, or any other government-issued photo identity. Digital copies (photographs of documents on a phone) are accepted as supplementary evidence at most consulates.
A police report is required where the passport has been stolen. Many countries make the police report available the same day. Some require the report to be collected at the police station after a stated processing period. The consulate will advise on whether the police report can be retrieved before or after the ETD appointment.
Travel tickets or an itinerary showing the named journey must be presented. The ETD will name the departure point, any transit countries, and the final destination. The document cannot be used for travel outside this stated itinerary.
Cost, Validity, and the Single-Journey Rule
The ETD fee in 2026 is £100, payable in local currency at the consulate. Payment is taken at the time of the appointment, before the document is printed. The fee is the same regardless of the country of issue or the complexity of the itinerary.
The single-journey rule is strict. The ETD is valid for the journey named on the face of the document. Once the traveller reaches the stated final destination, the ETD is spent. Border authorities at the destination will normally retain the ETD on entry, or it can be surrendered to the issuing authority on return to the UK.
For travellers who want to continue overseas travel after returning to the UK, a full British passport must be applied for through HMPO's standard route on arrival home. The ETD does not become a full passport over time, and there is no extension mechanism.
For travellers who anticipate further overseas travel before the journey home, an ETD will name multiple transit countries on the face of the document, but the final destination still ends the document's validity. A long onward trip is not compatible with an ETD.
Why No Private Service Can Issue an ETD
Emergency Travel Documents are issued under the consular function of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. They are a statutory function of UK diplomatic missions abroad. No private company, expediter, or third-party travel service can issue or facilitate an ETD beyond providing general information.
Some private travel services market themselves as "emergency passport" providers. They are not government-backed and cannot produce a travel document recognised by border authorities. Their actual service in an emergency is typically to help the traveller find the nearest UK consulate and book an appointment, which the traveller can do directly through the GOV.UK Contact an Embassy service for no fee.
In a genuine overseas passport emergency, the correct sequence is: report the loss to local police, find the nearest UK embassy or consulate through GOV.UK, start the online ETD application, book the consular appointment, attend with the required documents and photograph, pay the £100 fee, and collect the ETD. Going direct to the consulate is the only route. Private intermediaries cannot accelerate the process or improve the outcome.
Editorial Disclaimer
Content on this page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute regulated immigration, legal or financial advice. Kael Tripton Ltd is not authorised by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) and does not provide regulated immigration advice. Rules, fees and processing times change without notice. Verify current information directly with GOV.UK, HM Passport Office, the Foreign Office, or an OISC-registered adviser before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
How quickly can I get an Emergency Travel Document?
Major UK embassies typically offer same-day or next-day appointments for genuine emergencies. The ETD itself is usually printed at the consulate the same day as the appointment or the following day. Smaller consulates may require an extra day. The full timeline from passport loss to ETD in hand is usually 24 to 72 hours, depending on appointment availability and police report timing. Crisis evacuations and mass-impact events can be faster as consulates set up dedicated processing.
Can I use an ETD to continue my holiday after losing my passport?
Usually no. The ETD names a specific journey and final destination on its face. Continuing leisure travel after a passport loss is not typically the use case the ETD covers. Most consulates will assess the journey ahead and issue the ETD for return to the UK or onward travel to a specific destination, not for open-ended tourism. For full continuation of overseas travel after a passport loss, a complete replacement passport (typically four to six weeks) is the only practical route.
Does the ETD cost more than a normal passport?
The ETD fee in 2026 is £100, more than the standard online UK passport renewal fee of £53.50 but less than HMPO's 1-Day Premium fee of £200. The fee is payable in local currency at the consulate. It is a single fee covering issuance only. Replacement of the full passport must be done separately, through HMPO on return to the UK, with the standard fee applying.
Do I need a police report to get an ETD?
Yes, if the passport was lost or stolen. The police report establishes the circumstances of the loss and is a record for the consulate. Police reports can usually be obtained the same day in major cities. In some countries, the report requires a few days to be issued. The consulate will advise on local timing. For a damaged passport (water damage, accidental destruction), no police report is needed, but the damaged passport itself must be presented at the appointment.
Can children get an Emergency Travel Document?
Yes. Children's ETDs follow the same process and the same £100 fee. Both parents with parental responsibility must consent to the application, and at least one parent must attend the consular appointment with the child. The child's photograph must meet HMPO photo rules adapted for the child's age. Supporting documents include the child's birth certificate where available and any expired British passport. Single-parent consent requires a court order or evidence that only one parent holds parental responsibility.
What if I cannot reach a UK consulate in the country I am in?
The GOV.UK Contact an Embassy service lists the nearest UK diplomatic mission for every country, including missions that cover non-resident countries. Where there is no UK mission in-country, a Commonwealth consulate or another country's consulate acting on behalf of the UK may handle the ETD application. Travel to the nearest UK mission is sometimes necessary. UK embassies in major cities have systems to process ETDs for travellers from across the region.
How we verified this
Fees, validity rules, and the application process described above were taken from the GOV.UK Emergency Travel Document service, the GOV.UK Foreign Travel Advice pages, and the GOV.UK Contact an Embassy directory, all reviewed in May 2026. Consular functions cited reference the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office structure published on GOV.UK.
Primary Sources
- GOV.UK Emergency Travel Document: the FCDO consular ETD service
- GOV.UK Foreign Travel Advice: country-specific consular guidance
- GOV.UK Contact an embassy abroad: directory of UK diplomatic missions
- GOV.UK Passport fees: 2026 fee schedule including ETD
- Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on GOV.UK
