May 11, 2026, 3:12 pm | Read time: 5 minutes
If you realize at the airport that you’ve forgotten your passport, the first thought is often: I can’t fly now. But is that really true? TRAVELBOOK shows what options are available if you’ve forgotten your passport.
Many travelers stand more or less patiently in a line that moves slowly. It’s a good time to gather your documents. The ticket is on the smartphone, only the passport is missing. But where is it? Anyone who has ever thought or actually experienced that the passport wasn’t where it was supposed to be can probably relate to the moment of shock that feels like a hot flash through the body. But what to do if the passport really can’t be found because it was forgotten or lost at home or in the hotel? First, stay calm (if possible). Then it’s best to go back and get the passport (or have it brought to you). If not: There are options that allow you to fly (depending on the destination country).
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ID Card for Travel Within the EU
The best case scenario, if you realize at the airport that you’ve forgotten your passport, is this: You are traveling within Europe and have a valid ID card. That’s sufficient for flights within the EU, so you don’t necessarily need the passport. If you provided passport details instead of ID card details when booking the flight, you can usually change the information at the airport.
An important exception: Although technically Europe, the United Kingdom is not part of the EU and prohibits Germans from entering with an ID card.
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Temporary Passport from the Federal Police
So what can you do if you don’t have an ID card or don’t want to travel within the European Union? “German citizens who do not have a valid passport or ID card can apply for a temporary travel document for a limited period abroad from the Federal Police,” according to the Federal Police website. To obtain this, you must “prove the urgency and there must be no security concerns.”
The temporary travel documents from the Federal Police are valid for up to one month and cost between 8 and 16 euros. However, you can only get these replacement documents if regular travel documents cannot arrive in time, such as when the flight is imminent. You can prove this with the flight ticket or a corresponding booking confirmation.
For other EU citizens and Swiss nationals, “the Federal Police can issue an emergency travel document for a trip abroad or for re-entry,” writes the Federal Police. However, this only applies “to avoid undue hardship or for reasons of special public interest, provided that the issuance of a travel document by their own foreign representation or a foreign authority is not expected in time.”
Difficulties with Temporary Travel Documents
This seemingly simple option to replace a forgotten passport for the upcoming vacation has a catch: “Identity and nationality must be proven by presenting official documents–generally with an expired passport or temporary travel document. A copy is not sufficient,” writes the Federal Police. So if you are at the airport completely without identification documents, expired or valid, you still won’t get any further.
Moreover, the acceptance of temporary travel documents depends on the airline and destination country, as not all allow entry and exit. If you want to replace your forgotten passport with a temporary travel document from the Federal Police, you should clarify this in advance. According to the Federal Police, “all member states of the European Union, the European Economic Area, and Switzerland” generally recognize the travel document as a temporary passport “as proof of the holder’s right to free movement without restriction.” Together with an expired passport or ID card, Ireland, Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, and Switzerland are also said to recognize the replacement document. Cyprus allows entry but not exit with it.
If you find out abroad that you’ve forgotten your passport, for example, at the hotel and can’t go back to get it, you can also have temporary travel documents issued there. This is done through the German representation on site and can sometimes be a bit time-consuming.
Temporary and Express Passport
If you have a bit more time and realize that the passport wasn’t forgotten but lost, there are two more options. You can apply for a new, regular passport through the express procedure. Instead of the usual weeks in the standard procedure, you usually have the new passport in your hands within a few business days with the express procedure. Check with the authority to ensure the passport arrives in time before the flight.
If you don’t have a week to spare but enough time to make an appointment with the passport authority, you can also apply for a temporary passport. According to the Interior Ministry, this is “issued and handed over immediately.” The ministry also states: “The citizen’s office may require suitable proof from you for the necessity of issuance, such as flight tickets or other travel documents.” The validity period will be adjusted to the purpose of the trip, as long as it does not exceed one year. The temporary passport cannot be extended.
However, with the temporary passport, it must be clarified in advance whether you are allowed to enter the destination country with it. Within Europe, this is usually not a problem. In other countries, it is not or only partially accepted. For example, entry into the U.S. is possible, but only in conjunction with a visa. ESTA is no longer possible with it.
If you’ve lost your passport or ID card, you are required to report this to the passport authority. The same applies to theft. You should also report it to the police.