Have you lost or had your personal items stolen?
It's traumatic to be robbed or mugged. Especially when travelling overseas, away from your support network. It can happen to anyone, anywhere, anytime. Even if you've taken steps to reduce your risks. Read more about what to do if you've been robbed or mugged: https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/while-youre-away/crime/robbed-mugged.
Contact the Embassy or the Consulate-General as soon as you have noticed the loss or theft of your Australian passport. The Australian Embassy and Consulate-General do not accept any lost property and will return all items to sender (except passports). All passports sent to the Embassy or Consulate-General by a Third Party must cancelled in accordance with the Australian Passport Act and the holder will be notified accordingly.
Reporting a theft to the Police in Germany
You are expected to report the loss/theft in the city where it occurred. If you have been unable to report the loss/theft at the time, or you have only noticed it once you have left the city, you can report it in your current location. Big train stations or airports usually have a border police station (Bundespolizei). Border police officers are often able to speak English.
Most State police forces also offer online reporting of some crimes. However, only a few websites are in English and the range of crimes you can report varies. The website of the Berlin Police has a link to the online police websites in other federal states and is in English. The Berlin Police online tool allows you to report the loss or theft of your passport and other personal belongings: https://www.internetwache-polizei-berlin.de/.
We recommend that you visit a police station in person to report any crime other than the loss of your personal belongings.
Lost Passport
The Australian Embassy in Berlin or the Consulate-General in Frankfurt can issue an Emergency Passport within two business days. You are required to attend a personal interview for lodgement. For information on the Emergency Passport, please see: https://germany.embassy.gov.au/beln/passport_applications.html or contact us: https://germany.embassy.gov.au/beln/contact-us.html
If you have lost your passport in an airport, train, or public transport you should contact the relevant authorities to see if the passport has been handed in.
Lost and Found Offices contact details
Berlin: https://www.visitberlin.de/en/lost-and-found-offices
Munich: https://www.muenchen.de/int/en/traffic/public-transport/service/lost-found.html
Frankfurt: https://frankfurt.de/service-und-rathaus/verwaltung/aemter-und-institutionen/ordnungsamt/fundbuero
https://www.frankfurt-airport.com/en/contacts/allgemein/fraport-lost-and-found.html
Cologne: https://www.cologne-bonn-airport.com/en/flights/baggage-tracing-lost-found.html
Cologne Lost and Found: +49 (221) 221 26 313
Hamburg: https://www.hamburg.de/online-fundbuero/
Germany-wide:
Deutsche Bahn: https://www.bahn.com/en/view/home/info/lost-luggage.shtml
Updated/reviewed 18 March 2021