Life event guide · 7 steps
Take a breath. Most documents can be downloaded again or re-issued. Start with the first-hour step, then open only the documents you have lost. Your ticks stay on this device.
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Write down every document and card that was in the bag or wallet, with numbers if you have photocopies. File a report at the nearest police station, or through your state police’s online lost-article service where it exists, and keep the copy or report number. Check DigiLocker: many documents may already be there as issued documents you can show.
e-Aadhaar is as valid as the printed letter and can be downloaded free on myAadhaar with an OTP on your linked mobile. If you do not remember the number, use Retrieve Lost UID or EID. If you fear misuse, lock your biometrics on myAadhaar, and order a PVC card if you want a physical card.
Your PAN number stays the same; never apply for a second PAN, as holding two is not allowed. You can see your PAN in your Income Tax e-Filing profile, or on old tax papers. For a new card or e-PAN copy, apply for a reprint through the PAN routes listed on the Income Tax e-Filing portal. The free Instant e-PAN service is only for people who have never had a PAN.
Report the loss at the nearest police station at once; if you are abroad, also tell the nearest Indian embassy or consulate. Then apply for a re-issue on Passport Seva, choosing lost as the reason, with the police report and the Annexure F affidavit on how and where it was lost. You get a new passport with a new number; police verification is usually needed.
Check DigiLocker first: CBSE and many state boards and universities issue marksheets and certificates there, and these issued copies are valid. For a printed duplicate of a CBSE document, apply through the duplicate documents service on the CBSE website; the fee depends on how old the document is. For a state board or university, contact your board or university for its duplicate process.
Call your bank’s official number to block UPI, net banking and cards, and ask your operator to block the SIM and issue a duplicate. If money has been taken, call 1930 immediately and report on cybercrime.gov.in; the sooner you report, the better the chance of stopping the money. Then file a police report and block the handset on Sanchar Saathi (CEIR), using the duplicate SIM for the OTP.
Download the e-EPIC (digital voter card) free on the Voters’ Service Portal, or ask for a replacement card with Form 8. For a lost driving licence, apply for a duplicate on Parivahan Sarathi for the state that issued it; keep the police report handy as many RTOs ask for it.
Tick what you already have.
Not always. e-Aadhaar can be downloaded free without one. A lost passport needs a police report, and a lost phone needs one for the CEIR block. Many offices also ask for a police report or an affidavit before re-issuing a document, so filing one early saves trips.
Use Retrieve Lost UID or EID on UIDAI’s myAadhaar services with your name and the mobile or email linked to Aadhaar. Then download the e-Aadhaar free, or order a PVC card for ₹75.
Call your bank and block UPI and cards, ask your operator to block the SIM, and change passwords from another device. If money has gone, call 1930 at once and report on cybercrime.gov.in. Then block the handset on Sanchar Saathi with the police report.
No. Passport Seva says duplicate passports are not issued. You apply for a re-issue and get a new passport with a new number and fresh validity.
Last checked: . Fees and rules change, and many differ by state. Always confirm on the official site before you pay. This is general information, not legal advice.