Lost or Stolen Passport in Barcelona: What to Do, 2026

Your bag is gone: phone, wallet, passport. It is late at night, your flight is in two days and the only words you have are "robo" and "pasaporte". You are not the first person this has happened to in Barcelona, and it is fixable, but the order matters. This guide sets out how to report the loss or theft, what to do if you lost the passport rather than had it stolen, how to get an emergency document and the phrases that help in a police station. Rules and fees change, so check each official page before you rely on a detail. It is general information, not legal advice.

What should I do first if my passport is stolen?

• If you are in danger or there was violence, call 112 from a safe place. Violent crimes cannot use the online report and are dealt with at a police station.
• Report the theft to the police, as the Spanish government's page on lost passports advises, and then contact your own country's consular authorities for a replacement or emergency document. Visiting EU nationals are told to do exactly this.
• Ask your travel insurer what it needs from you, which usually includes a copy of the police report.
• Cancel your bank cards and phone if they went with the bag.

How do I report a theft in Barcelona if I do not speak Spanish?

Start with the online report: the Generalitat's procedure for reporting a theft has an English page, costs nothing and is for thefts of documents or objects without violence where you did not see and cannot identify the thief (page last updated 7 February 2024). You fill in the form online, then you must go to the police station you chose to confirm and sign it within 72 hours, or it has no legal effect. You can book an appointment for the signing, and you can also file in person instead. Misusing it, for example reporting something that did not happen, can lead to criminal liability.

Appointments are the catch. An Ara report of 23 April 2025 said booking a Mossos appointment for a report can be hard from one day to the next, that free slots often appear at night or early morning, that central stations such as Ciutat Vella, Sants, Sarrià and Eixample have very few, and that officers suggest looking at other stations because any police building can take reports. The appointment system covers thefts and the loss of documents, an appointment is not compulsory and you will be seen without one, probably after a longer wait. The Ciutat Vella station is at Carrer Nou de la Rambla 76-78, according to a 2023 notice from the Barcelona bar association, but check which station accepts your report and when.

Bring your passport details, any photo of it, a note of what was taken and when, and a Spanish speaker or phone translation for the details. Ask for a copy of the report.

What if I lost it rather than had it stolen?

Do not report a theft that did not happen: the Generalitat page warns that false reports can carry criminal liability. If you lost the passport, you can contact the city's Lost Property Office, which is at Carrer de la Ciutat 2 in Ciutat Vella. Barcelona City Council's page of 13 August 2025 says you need an appointment, booked through the council's e-headquarters or on 010 (931 537 010 from outside the metropolitan area), that items are kept for six months and that the office holds objects and documents, about 20,000 items a year, roughly 30% of which are returned to their owners. Found items can also be handed to any City Police station. The page does not say which languages the office supports.

How do I get a new passport or an emergency travel document?

Through your own country's embassy or consulate, not the Spanish authorities. For a British passport, the UK government says an emergency travel document is for people outside the UK who need to travel within 6 weeks and cannot renew or replace the passport in time. If your lost passport was issued on or after 1 January 2006 you apply online for £125, non-refundable, with a digital passport photo, a phone number, an email address and a card, and a friend or relative can pay if your wallet is gone. The document is usually ready about two working days after you apply, but it can take weeks in some cases, and you may need an appointment at an embassy or consulate. Check that the countries you transit accept it, and do not book travel until you receive the collection email. Older pages may quote a lower fee, so use the current figure on GOV.UK. The application page does not list a police report as a requirement, but ask your insurer whether it wants one.

For other nationalities, contact your embassy or consulate in Spain directly, and ask about fees, photos and appointments, because we could not open every country's page. If you are a resident, our newcomer glossary explains the NIE and TIE you may also need to replace, and our emergency cheat sheet covers 112 and 061.

Which phrases help in a police station?

• "Me han robado el pasaporte" (My passport has been stolen).
• "He perdido mi pasaporte" (I have lost my passport).
• "Quiero poner una denuncia" (I want to file a report).
• "¿Hay alguien que hable inglés?" (Is there anyone who speaks English?).
• "Necesito una copia de la denuncia" (I need a copy of the report).

If your documents need translating for an insurer or an embassy, browse English-speaking sworn translators, and read our sworn translation guide.

Need documents translated after a theft? Browse English-speaking sworn translators by area: All of Barcelona, or by area: Eixample, Poblenou, Sarrià-Sant Gervasi, Les Corts, Diagonal Mar & Vila Olímpica, Gràcia, El Born & Barri Gòtic and Sants.