Hong Kong has topped the list as the country where the most British passports are lost or stolen each year.
This is according to new statistics from HM Passport Office.
The figures were obtained by a currency exchange company Manor FX and showed that in 2023 alone 4,322 British passports were reported missing in Hong Kong.
Spain and Australia followed closely with 3,271 and 2,883 lost or stolen passports reported respectively.
Mario van Poppel, the CEO of Manor FX, said: “Losing or having a passport stolen can be a major headache and throw your travel plans into chaos. And each year tens of thousands of Brits go through this ordeal while abroad.”
He also explained why some countries are hotspots for passport issues for British tourists, saying: “As well as being popular tourist destinations, Hong Kong, Spain, and Australia all have large populations of British passport holders who live there.
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“This is also true for the United States and France, which complete the top five countries where British passports are reported lost or stolen.”
In total, British travellers have reported over 60,223 lost or stolen passports internationally in the last two years, spending around £6million in total to replace them.
Manor FX obtained the data through a Freedom of Information request.
The numbers showed a slight decline from the previous year, with 28,563 incidents reported in 2023, compared to 31,660 in 2022.
If a passport is lost or stolen, travellers must report it immediately before applying for a new one.
A replacement passport costs £88.50 online or £100 for a paper application.
British tourists are also required to replace damaged passports, as the document must remain in good condition for international travel.
The statistics also revealed that other popular travel destinations such as Thailand and the Netherlands also see hundreds of lost or stolen passports each year, with 357 and 614 incidents reported in 2023 respectively.
Ireland, Germany and Greece are also high on the list, with 1,189, 687 and 408 passport issues reported in each location.
Interestingly, Hong Kong’s numbers have decreased significantly from 2022, when it saw 9,933 cases – more than double the 2023 figure.
Nonetheless, for those who are unfortunate enough to lose their passport or have it stolen Van Poppel has shared some advice.
He said: “While losing your passport abroad can put a massive dampener on your hard-earned holidays, it’s important to stay calm and obtain the necessary documents to travel.
“Emergency travel documents can be obtained in as little as two working days to allow you to return home safely.”
