If you lose your passport in Dubai, report it to Dubai Police first, then go to your embassy for an emergency travel document, then ask GDRFA about the exit permit you need to leave. The police certificate can be requested in the Dubai Police app for AED 50 plus AED 20 in fees, according to Gulf News. This guide gives the four steps in order, the documents each one asks for, the costs we could confirm, and what we could not confirm for tourists.
By SB Excursions · Published 3 November 2026 · Updated 3 November 2026
While you are in Dubai: Dubai Marina Shared Yacht Tour — From $32 per person, 1 hour.
What do I do first if I lose my passport in Dubai?
Report it to Dubai Police to get a lost certificate. Gulf News describes the app route: Services, then Lost Certificate, for AED 50 plus AED 20 in fees and AED 100 more at a Smart Police Station. If the passport was stolen, call 999. Then contact your embassy for an emergency travel document.
This guide also answers:
- How long does it take to replace a lost passport in Dubai?
- Do I need an exit permit if I lost my passport as a tourist?
- Where is the GDRFA office in Dubai?
The four steps, in order
#1
Step 1: Dubai Police certificate
Gulf News describes the Dubai Police app route: open Services, then Lost Certificate, enter your passport details and pay by card. The certificate and receipt arrive by email. The service costs AED 50 plus AED 20 in fees, and AED 100 more if you file in person. If the passport was stolen, call 999 for a crime in progress.
#2
Step 2: Your embassy or consulate
Only your own country can replace your passport. The Belgian embassy in Abu Dhabi, for example, tells tourists to contact it by email or phone, after which it gives an appointment and asks for the original police report, proof of identity, application forms and photos. Other embassies set their own rules, so check yours first. u.ae lists embassy contact details.
#3
Step 3: Exit permit from GDRFA
An earlier Gulf News guide to exit permits lists the documents as the embassy travel document, the police report, a copy of the travel ticket and two photos. It says a visa issued in Dubai goes to GDRFA or an Amer centre. That guide was written for residents, so ask GDRFA on 8005111 whether your tourist case is the same.
#4
Step 4: The airport
Bring the emergency travel document, the exit permit, the police certificate and your ticket, and allow extra time at check-in. Ask your airline in advance whether it accepts your type of emergency document, because airlines apply their own checks. The Belgian embassy says its temporary passport is for leaving the UAE only, not for coming back in.
Lost passport in Dubai: the short answer
Work through four steps in this order: police certificate, embassy, exit permit, airport. You cannot skip a step, because each one uses the paper from the one before. Start the same day. Allow several days before you can fly, and keep your return flight flexible if the airline allows it.
Two warnings first. We could not find an official page from Dubai Police, GDRFA or the federal immigration authority that sets out every step for a tourist, so some of what follows comes from Gulf News guides written for residents and from embassy guidance. Use it as a guide, and confirm each step with the office that issues the paper. And if your passport was stolen, not only lost, tell the police that, and call 999 if the thief is still near.
| Step | Who | What they ask for | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Report | Dubai Police (app, website, Smart Police Station) | Passport details or a copy, date and place of loss | Lost certificate, sent by email |
| 2. New document | Your embassy or consulate | Police report, proof of identity, photos, forms | Emergency travel document or new passport |
| 3. Exit permit | GDRFA Dubai (visa issued in Dubai) | Travel document, police report, ticket copy, two photos | Permission to leave the UAE |
| 4. Fly | Airline and airport | Emergency document, exit permit, ticket | Departure |
Fees and documents change. Check each one with the office before you go.
Step 1: Report the loss to Dubai Police
Gulf News describes three ways to get the police lost certificate: the Dubai Police app, the Dubai Police website and a Smart Police Station. The Belgian embassy's guidance for tourists in Dubai says to go to the nearest police station or report online on the Dubai Police website.
In the app, according to a Gulf News guide updated in January 2026, you open Services, scroll to Lost Certificate and choose the type of item. Visitors enter a passport number, date of birth, nationality and email. You then enter the date, time and place of the loss, pay by card, and keep the transaction number. The certificate and the receipt are sent to your email. An earlier Gulf News guide to passports describes uploading a scanned or photocopied passport and says that if you have no copy you can contact your embassy for one. That is why a photo of your passport page on your phone is worth taking before you travel.
The fees in the January guide are AED 50 for the service and AED 20 in knowledge and innovation fees, plus AED 100 more if you apply at a Smart Police Station. Fees change, so check them in the app. On timing, an earlier Gulf News guide says the certificate is emailed within 24 hours, while the Belgian embassy says the police attestation can take up to three working days. Plan for the longer figure.
Some guides for residents describe an extra step in Dubai: getting the police report endorsed by the courts, the public prosecution and GDRFA. The app route described by Gulf News does not mention it. Ask your embassy which version it wants before you queue anywhere. Our guide to emergency numbers and the tourist police in Dubai lists the police lines, including 901 for questions about filing a report.
Step 2: Your embassy and the emergency travel document
Only your own government can replace your passport. u.ae has a page for finding the contact details of your embassy or consulate in the UAE. Call or email before you travel to it, because an embassy may work by appointment, as the Belgian embassy does.
The Belgian embassy's page is a useful example of what a tourist can expect. It says the embassy can issue a temporary passport for the journey home, and asks for the original police report, proof of identity, application forms and two passport photos. It adds that this temporary passport can only be used to leave the UAE as a tourist, and that the UAE does not allow entry with it. Older guides say some embassies also want the Arabic police report translated into your language. Your embassy will tell you what it needs and what it charges; we found no figures to quote.
Meanwhile, take photos of anything that proves your identity: your national ID card, a driving licence, an old passport, a ticket or a hotel booking with your name. They help the embassy, and they help your insurer. If you have travel insurance, call it too, because some policies pay towards replacing a passport. See travel insurance for Dubai for what to look for.
Step 3: The exit permit from GDRFA
Your entry stamp and visa record were linked to the lost passport, so you need permission to leave. An earlier Gulf News guide to exit permits lists the documents as the passport or travel document from your embassy, the police lost report, a copy of the travel ticket and two photos. It says that if your visa was issued in Dubai you apply at a GDRFA service centre or an Amer centre, and that visas from other emirates go through the federal authority, ICP, online.
We must be clear about what we do not know. That guide was written for people living in the UAE, and we found no official page that sets out the exit permit for a tourist. The fees it listed were a GDRFA service fee of AED 200 plus small add-ons, and ICP fees of AED 100, AED 100 and AED 50 online. These may have changed. So ask before you go.
GDRFA Dubai gives these contacts on its website: toll-free 8005111, +971 4 313 9999 from abroad, and a live chat called Amer Chat that it says is open 24/7. Its head office is in Al Jaffliya, next to Bur Dubai Police Station and opposite the Jaffliya Metro station. For how to get there, see the Dubai Metro guide. Take the police certificate, the embassy document and your ticket.
Step 4: The airport, tickets and tours
Because the exit permit documents include a copy of your ticket, you need a booking. Choose a flexible fare if you can, since the date depends on the steps above. On the day, bring the emergency document, the exit permit, the police certificate, any ID photos and your ticket, and arrive earlier than usual. Our Dubai airport terminals guide shows which terminal your airline uses and how to get there.
If you have tours booked with us, tell us as soon as you know. Our shared 1-hour yacht tour needs an original passport or Emirates ID at boarding, because of a Coast Guard requirement, so a lost passport affects the booking. Message us on WhatsApp with your plans and we will look at the options.
Protect your passport before it happens
A few minutes of preparation make the worst case much easier:
- Take a clear photo of the passport photo page and of your entry stamp, and save it in your phone and your email.
- Keep the passport in the hotel safe when you do not need it, and carry the photo copy.
- Know the numbers: 999 for police and the Dubai Police app. Our Dubai rules guide covers other things worth knowing.
- Save your embassy's phone number and email before you land.
- Check that your travel insurance covers passport replacement.
FAQ
What do I do first if I lose my passport in Dubai?
Report it to Dubai Police to get a lost certificate. Gulf News describes the app route: Services, then Lost Certificate, for AED 50 plus AED 20 in fees and AED 100 more at a Smart Police Station. If the passport was stolen, call 999. Then contact your embassy for an emergency travel document.
How long does it take to replace a lost passport in Dubai?
The steps run one after another, so plan for several days. An earlier Gulf News guide says the police certificate is emailed within 24 hours, while the Belgian embassy says the police attestation can take up to three working days. Then you need an embassy appointment and an exit permit. Keep your flight flexible.
Can I fly home with an emergency travel document?
Usually that is what it is for, but check with your embassy and airline. The Belgian embassy says its temporary passport can only be used to leave the UAE as a tourist, not to enter it. You will also need to deal with the exit permit, so ask GDRFA whether your case needs one.
Do I need an exit permit if I lost my passport as a tourist?
A Gulf News guide to exit permits lists it as the step after the embassy travel document, but that guide is for residents and we found no official tourist page. Ask GDRFA Dubai on 8005111 or by Amer Chat, which it says is open 24/7, and ask your embassy as well.
Where is the GDRFA office in Dubai?
GDRFA Dubai gives its head office as Al Jaffliya, next to Bur Dubai Police Station and opposite the Jaffliya Metro station. Its toll-free number is 8005111 and +971 4 313 9999 from abroad. A visa issued in Dubai is handled by a GDRFA service centre or an Amer centre.
Can I report a lost passport online in Dubai?
Yes. Gulf News describes the Dubai Police app, the Dubai Police website and Smart Police Stations as the options. The Belgian embassy says tourists can go to the nearest police station or report online on the Dubai Police website. Keep a photo of the passport page, because the form asks for its details.
Will travel insurance cover a lost passport?
Some policies pay towards the cost of replacing a passport and the extra days you must stay, but this depends on the policy and the limits. Read yours before you travel, keep the police certificate and receipts, and call the insurer's 24-hour line as soon as you can.
Recommended Dubai tours for this guide
Dubai Marina Shared Yacht Tour
It is the most stylish way to see the skyline without paying for a private charter: a premium yacht with spacious decks and 5-star hospitality, a red carpet at the pier and the crew helping with photos against JBR and Ain Dubai. Full pre-payment secures your slot — the hourly departures sell out — and the yacht leaves strictly on time.
- Duration
- 1 hour
- Area
- Dubai Marina
- Format
- Shared 1-hour sightseeing cruise
- Best for
- families, couples and anyone who wants the Marina skyline from the water without a private charter
From $32 per person Full prepayment
View tour
Old Dubai Walking Tour
It is the Dubai that is walked rather than driven: the Creek where the city began as a trading port, the restored wind-tower quarter and the souks that still trade spices and gold. A local guide tells the story along the way. The $35 walk includes the abra, Arabic coffee or tea, dates and water; the $55 option adds street-food tastings.
- Duration
- 3-4 hours
- Area
- Old Dubai: Bur Dubai and Deira
- Format
- Shared group walk
- Best for
- first-time visitors, food lovers and anyone who wants the old trading side of Dubai on foot
From $35 per person Full prepayment
View tour
Full-Day Desert Safari in Dubai
It is the slow-travel version of the classic safari: more time on the dunes, sunset without the crowds and a full evening programme at a premium camp with air-conditioned tents, unlimited drinks and a large BBQ buffet with vegetarian and gluten-free options. Everything is arranged from the hotel door — a licensed English-speaking driver, the 4x4, the camp and the shows.
- Duration
- 7 hours
- Area
- Lahbab Desert, Dubai
- Format
- Full-day desert safari
- Best for
- families, couples and first-time desert visitors who want the full evening programme
From $45 per person No prepayment
View tour