Lost or Stolen Passport in Morocco

The sequence matters: first, spend 20 minutes searching thoroughly — riads often hold passports for registration and forget to return them. If it is genuinely gone, go directly to the nearest tourist police or Police Nationale station and file a "déclaration de perte ou de vol." Take the stamped report to your embassy. Every subsequent step — emergency travel document, insurance claim, replacement at home — depends on that police report being filed promptly. Do not leave Morocco without it; attempting to fly without any travel document is almost always refused at check-in.

The British Embassy is at 28 Avenue S.A.R. Sidi Mohammed, Souissi, Rabat. There is also a British Consulate General in Casablanca at Etage 20, Tour Zénith, Bd de la Grande Ceinture, which handles consular services. For emergencies outside office hours, call +212 537 633 333 — this line connects to duty staff 24 hours a day. If you are in Marrakech, staff may in exceptional circumstances arrange an out-of-office appointment; call first and explain your flight situation.

Processing times vary by nationality and the individual embassy's workload. British ETDs are typically issued within one to two working days once the application is complete; in urgent cases (a flight the following morning), the emergency duty officer can sometimes expedite to same-day. American Emergency Passports take one to three days under normal circumstances and may be same-day in genuine emergencies. Canadian, Irish, and Australian documents generally take two to four days. Always call the moment you have the police report — turnaround is faster if the embassy knows your flight date.

Yes, without exception. No embassy in Morocco will issue an emergency travel document without a signed and stamped police report (déclaration de perte ou de vol). The report establishes the date, location, and circumstances of the loss or theft, which is required both for the consular process and for any insurance claim. Getting the report typically takes 30 to 60 minutes at a police station. Officers in tourist areas are familiar with the process and can often produce the document in French and sometimes basic English. Keep multiple copies.

In most cases yes, but the route matters. Air crossings (Marrakech, Casablanca, Fes, Rabat airports) are the most reliable — airlines will accept an ETD with the police report attached, though check with your carrier 24 hours before departure. Ferry crossings to Spain (Tarifa, Algeciras) from Tangier Med are generally accepted for EU and British ETD holders. Land borders at Ceuta and Melilla have stricter checks. US and Canadian ETDs are valid for air travel; always confirm the Schengen entry rules at your point of entry, as some EU border officers request additional documentation.

For the immediate police report, go in person to the Police Touristique office near Djemaa el-Fna on Rue Sidi Mimoun, or dial 19 (national police) or 15 (gendarmerie) from any Moroccan phone. For British nationals, call the embassy emergency line on +212 537 633 333 at any hour. For Americans, call +212 537 637 200. Most travel insurance policies also have a 24-hour emergency line — find that number in your policy documents before you travel, as searching for it mid-crisis wastes time. Having a photo of your passport bio page on a secure cloud service dramatically speeds up the ETD application.

The police report itself is free. Embassy fees for an emergency travel document vary: British ETDs cost approximately £100 (paid in MAD equivalent at the consular rate on the day); American Emergency Passports cost around $130; Canadian emergency documents are approximately CAD 160. On top of that, budget for two passport photos (20–30 MAD at any print shop), possible additional transport to the embassy city, and, if your original flight is missed, a flight change fee or new ticket. Travel insurance with "loss of documents" cover should reimburse most of these costs — save every receipt.