Lost Document Affidavit (UAE)

A Lost Document Affidavit in the United Arab Emirates is a formal written statement, attested before the Notary Public, by which an individual solemnly declares that a specific official document — such as a passport, Emirates ID card, UAE driving licence, tenancy contract, trade licence, or academic certificate — has been lost, mislaid, or otherwise come out of their possession without their intent. The affidavit is used to support applications for replacement documents, to satisfy banking and institutional requirements, and to protect the declarant against claims arising from the possible fraudulent use of the lost document by a third party.

The document is governed by the general laws of the UAE, including the UAE Civil Code (Federal Law No. 5 of 1985), which underpins the validity of sworn declarations as formal legal instruments, and the UAE Penal Code (Federal Law No. 3 of 1987, as amended), which makes a knowingly false declaration a punishable offence. The affidavit gains its legal effect from attestation by the Notary Public, who verifies the declarant's identity using a valid identity document, witnesses the signature, and affixes an official seal.

The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) — the body responsible for Emirates ID and residency in the UAE — requires a lost document affidavit (or an equivalent police report) as a supporting document when processing an application for a replacement Emirates ID card. The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in Dubai and the equivalent traffic authorities in Abu Dhabi (Abu Dhabi Police) and other emirates require a lost document affidavit or police report when a driving licence has been lost. Banks regulated by the Central Bank of the UAE require a sworn statement of loss before reissuing a chequebook, bank card, or financial instrument to prevent fraudulent reuse of the missing items.

Beyond replacement document applications, the Lost Document Affidavit serves an important risk-management purpose. By formally declaring the loss and specifying when and where it occurred, the declarant creates a dated record that can be produced if the lost document is later used fraudulently. This is particularly important for passports, Emirates ID cards, and cheque books — documents that carry authentication power and can be exploited by identity thieves. The UAE Cybercrime Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021) and the UAE Identity Theft provisions of the Penal Code protect individuals against the misuse of their identity documents, and a notarised affidavit recording the loss provides important supporting evidence in any resulting police or court proceedings.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs legalisation and certified translation are required when the Lost Document Affidavit is to be used in another country — for example, to satisfy a foreign embassy that a UAE-resident traveller's passport has been reported lost before a new travel document is issued. The Ministry of Justice maintains a list of licensed translators for this purpose.

A Lost Document Affidavit in the United Arab Emirates is needed whenever an official document goes missing and the declarant must prove the loss to a government body, bank, institution, or foreign authority to obtain a replacement or to protect themselves from liability.

Lost Emirates ID card applications before the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) require a police report and often an accompanying affidavit confirming the circumstances of the loss. Without this documentation, the ICP may not process the replacement application, leaving the resident without the primary identification document required for government services, banking, and employment.

Lost passport applications — whether the passport is a UAE national passport or a foreign passport held by a UAE resident — require a police report from the relevant emirate's police and in many cases a notarised affidavit to be submitted to the embassy or consulate of the country of nationality. Embassies of countries including India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Bangladesh, and Egypt, each of which has a large community in the UAE, commonly require a notarised affidavit of loss alongside the police report before issuing an Emergency Travel Certificate or a replacement passport.

Lost driving licence applications before the RTA in Dubai, Abu Dhabi Police, or the Sharjah Roads and Transport Authority require a police report of the loss and supporting documentation. A notarised affidavit strengthens the application by providing a sworn statement of the circumstances.

Lost trade licences and commercial documents issued by the Department of Economic Development or a free-zone registrar require a formal declaration before a replacement is issued, to prevent fraudulent use of the original licence to authorise transactions.

Lost bank documents — chequebooks, bank cards, corporate authorisation letters — require immediate reporting to the issuing bank regulated by the Central Bank of the UAE and, where a formal undertaking is needed, a notarised affidavit as part of the bank's anti-fraud procedures.

Lost academic certificates and professional qualifications are typically replaced by the issuing institution on receipt of a statutory declaration or affidavit confirming the loss, a requirement common in applications before the UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) and the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development for professional licensing and visa processing.

A Lost Document Affidavit valid for submission to UAE government authorities, banks, and foreign embassies must contain specific elements. The forms-legal.com UAE Lost Document Affidavit template is designed to satisfy the requirements of the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP), the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), the Dubai Police, Abu Dhabi Police, and the relevant banks.

Declarant identification: the declarant's full legal name as it appears on their remaining identity document, Emirates ID number or passport number, nationality, and UAE residential address. The Notary Public verifies these details against the original identity document at attestation.

Lost document details: the type of document lost (passport, Emirates ID, driving licence, tenancy contract, academic certificate, trade licence, bank document, or other), the document's reference or number where known, and the issuing authority or country. The more precise this information, the better: the issuing authority — for example, the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) for an Emirates ID, or the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) for a driving licence — needs to know exactly which document is being replaced.

Circumstances of loss: a clear factual account of when, where, and how the document was lost. The affidavit should state the approximate date and location of the last time the declarant had possession of the document, and the circumstances in which it went missing. A vague or implausible account of loss will invite scepticism from authorities. Where the loss was the result of theft, a police report number should be included to cross-reference the criminal complaint.

Police report number: where the declarant has filed a police report, the report number should appear in the affidavit. Dubai Police, Abu Dhabi Police, and Sharjah Police each have procedures for reporting lost documents, and many replacement document applications require a police report as a supporting document.

Steps taken to recover: a brief record of the search efforts — contacting the venue's lost property, notifying the relevant authority, and confirming that the document has not been recovered. This evidences that the loss is genuine rather than a misrepresentation.

Purpose of the affidavit: a clear statement of the purpose for which the affidavit is being made — to apply for a replacement Emirates ID from the ICP, to support a passport replacement application at the relevant embassy, or to submit to a bank for reissuance of a financial instrument.

Undertaking to surrender the document: a promise to surrender the original document if it is found in the future, preventing dual use of the lost and the replacement document.

Solemn declaration of truth and notarial attestation block: a statement that the contents are true, acknowledgment that a false statement is an offence under the UAE Penal Code, and space for the Notary Public's seal and signature.

Completing a Lost Document Affidavit for submission to UAE authorities requires accuracy and, where the circumstances permit, supporting documentation such as a police report.

Step one: identify yourself as the declarant. Enter your full legal name exactly as it appears on your remaining valid identity document — a second passport, a trade licence, an employer letter, or any document the Notary Public will accept to verify your identity in the absence of the lost item. Enter your Emirates ID number or passport number, nationality, and UAE residential address.

Step two: describe the lost document precisely. Select the type of document from the template's options. Enter the document's reference number or other identifier if you remember it — the passport number, the Emirates ID card number, the licence plate associated with a lost vehicle registration card, or the cheque series numbers of a lost chequebook. State the issuing authority: the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) for an Emirates ID, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) for a driving licence, or the country of issuance for a foreign passport.

Step three: set the affidavit date in DD/MM/YYYY format.

Step four: describe the circumstances of loss. State when — approximate date and time — and where you last had possession of the document, and how you believe it went missing. For example: 'The document was in my wallet, which I left on a table in the food court of Dubai Mall on approximately 10/03/2026 at 15:00. When I returned, the wallet was gone.' Factual precision helps the Notary Public and the authority processing the replacement application.

Step five: enter the police report number if you have filed a report with Dubai Police, Abu Dhabi Police, or the relevant emirate authority. A police report strengthens the affidavit significantly and is required for most passport and Emirates ID replacement applications.

Step six: describe the steps you have taken to recover the document — checking lost property at the venue, contacting the relevant authority, and confirming that the document has not been found.

Step seven: state the purpose — which authority or institution will receive the affidavit and for what specific purpose.

Step eight: attend the Notary Public. Bring the original signed draft and your alternative identity document. Sign in the notary's presence. The notary will verify your identity, witness the signature, and affix the official seal. For use abroad, the affidavit must be legalised through the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

A Lost Document Affidavit in the United Arab Emirates takes its legal effect from attestation before the Notary Public and from the general law governing sworn declarations, including the UAE Civil Code (Federal Law No. 5 of 1985) and the UAE Penal Code (Federal Law No. 3 of 1987, as amended).

Notarisation is the essential formal requirement. The Notary Public verifies the declarant's identity against an original identity document, satisfies themselves that the declarant signs voluntarily and understands the contents, witnesses the signature, and affixes an official seal. An unattested affidavit carries little weight before the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP), the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), banks regulated by the Central Bank of the UAE, or foreign embassies.

Truthfulness is a legal and criminal obligation. The declarant solemnly affirms the truth of the contents, and a knowingly false declaration is a punishable offence under the UAE Penal Code. Declaring a document lost when it is not — for example, to obtain a duplicate — constitutes fraud and may result in criminal prosecution under Articles 399 to 408 of the Penal Code, which cover fraud and forgery.

Most UAE government authorities require a police report alongside the affidavit for replacement of identity documents. Dubai Police, Abu Dhabi Police, Sharjah Police, and the police services in the remaining emirates each have a lost property report procedure. Online reporting is available for some categories of loss through the Dubai Police app and the ICP portal.

For replacement of a UAE driving licence, the RTA Dubai and the Abu Dhabi Police traffic department require both a police report and a notarised affidavit or equivalent declaration before issuing a duplicate. For replacement of a cheque book or bank card, the issuing bank regulated by the Central Bank of the UAE will typically require a signed declaration, and in some cases a notarised affidavit, as part of its internal fraud prevention process.

For use abroad, the affidavit must be legalised through the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and, where required by the destination country, apostilled or further legalised, then translated into the relevant language by a translator licensed by the UAE Ministry of Justice.

Errors in a Lost Document Affidavit in the United Arab Emirates frequently cause authorities to reject the application or delay the replacement process.

The first mistake is providing a vague account of the circumstances of loss. An affidavit that states only 'I lost my passport' without specifying the approximate date, the location, and the circumstances will be treated with scepticism by the ICP, the RTA, a bank, or a foreign embassy. The Notary Public may also decline to attest an affidavit that lacks sufficient factual detail. The account of loss should be as specific as the declarant can make it.

The second mistake is failing to obtain a police report before attending the Notary Public. Most UAE replacement document applications require a police report in addition to the affidavit, and an affidavit submitted without a police report number may be returned as incomplete. Where the declarant cannot file a report because the loss was in a foreign country, the affidavit should explain this and state the equivalent foreign authority report where available.

The third mistake is attending the Notary Public without an alternative identity document. The declarant must prove their identity to the notary in the absence of the lost item. If only the lost document was available for identity purposes — for example, the declarant's only identity document was the lost Emirates ID — the declarant should contact the ICP for emergency identification procedures before attending the notary.

The fourth mistake is describing the lost document incorrectly. A wrong document number or issuing authority may cause the replacement application to be rejected as inconsistent with the issuing body's records. Where the declarant cannot remember the exact number, the affidavit should note 'number not recalled' rather than guessing.

The fifth mistake is failing to include the undertaking to surrender the document if found. The ICP, RTA, and banks require this undertaking to prevent dual use of the original and the replacement. Without it, the affidavit may not satisfy the replacement application's requirements.

The sixth mistake is forgetting to have the affidavit legalised when it is for use abroad. A notarised affidavit without Ministry of Foreign Affairs legalisation is unlikely to be accepted by a foreign embassy or authority, requiring the declarant to repeat the notarisation and legalisation process.