KATHMANDU: A total of 2,24,593 MRP (Machine Readable Passports) have been lost in the last 10 years.

The details of the lost passports are with the International Police Organization (Interpol). The details of such passports placed on Interpol’s network will be accessible to the member countries.

The details are posted on Interpol’s website so that no one can misuse lost or stolen passports.

“Since the issuance of MRP, as many as 224,593 passports have been either stolen or lost. We have provided the full details of such passports to the Interpol,” said Ram Kaji Khadka, Director-General of the Department of Passports under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

According to the Department, only the details of the lost passports have been sent to Interpol. The details of those who do not provide missing information and do not come to get a new passport are not attached to it.

The Department has been recording the details of the lost passports with the Interpol since the issuance of MRP in December 26, 2010.

According to the Department, an average of 22,459 passports have been lost in Nepal every year in the last 10 years. Likewise, 1,871 passports are lost every month in an average.

“We will initially send the details of the lost passports to the Interpol branch of the Nepal Police. The details then go to Interpol’s website,” he said.

Interpol, which has 194-member countries, has details of 84 million lost or stolen passports worldwide.

In the 10 years since the issuance of MRP, over 63.72 percent have been issued in Nepal. Out of those issued in the last decade, 3.52 percent have lost their passports.

According to the statistics, an average of 637,215 passports have been issued in Nepal every year in the last 10 years.

There are several reasons behind the loss of the passports – some people do not go to get a passport after applying for a visa and make a new one after losing it.

Meanwhile, some people hand-over their passports to the manpower companies for overseas employment but the manpower companies do not return the passports to them and make new passports saying that they have lost the old passports.

There is a misconception that if a country does not issue a visa to a person, another country will also follow-suit due to which apply for a new one.

People who work in Malaysia and the Gulf countries join a new company by leaving the old one apply for a new passport as the old company does not return the passport.