What To Do If You Lose Your Passport Overseas

I have heard many stories from my friends when they were losing their bags while traveling. The worst nightmare was when your passport was inside your losing bag. I never thought I would be caught in this kind of situation until I faced it as one of my journeys. I realized that losing your bag and passport could be so stressful especially if you have no idea how to deal with it.

Let me get it straight first, I considered myself not-so diligent and organized traveler as I travel mostly without an itinerary. Yet, I tried my best to keep a watchful eye on my belongings especially my passport at all times when overseas. Despite this, I am somehow so clumsy to always manage everything.

The Story begins

Last year, Bwamtrip had a private group in Europe. One of the travelers lost her bag and her passport inside the bag while having breakfast at the hotel. I tried my best to guide her sister to manage everything while I was still on my way to Europe. I imagined how sad and stressful the person was while listening to the story. She was crying and being confused about how to deal with a heartbreaking moment. Still, I had no idea about her feeling though I experienced many lost back in the days. Until I lost my own bag in the same year, in Europe also.

I was enjoying my dinner when I realized my wifi did not connect. So I tried to check the portable wifi inside my bag. Soon I realized my bag wasn’t in the place where I put. I would never forget that sick, prickling heat of panic washed over me as I searched the restaurant over and over again. I was trying to ask everyone in the restaurant, waiters, all the people. Pleading with everyone in every chair hoping that my bag would be somehow found. It wasn’t. I was imagined with the overwhelming task of getting into the embassy which could end up in canceling the flight that will come in less than 24 hours.

“Where is my bag?” “Did you see my bag?” “The blue bag!” “Oh my God, my bag, all things are inside the bag, my laptop, my works, my ID, my cards, Oh my God! Oh my God!” I kept repeating those words while going back and forth inside the restaurant.

What To Do If it happens to you

My memories suddenly recalled one of Bwamtrip travelers when she cried out loud at the time of loss. Suffering the loss of a passport in a foreign country can be a curse. But, by preparing for this worst-case scenario, you can make this travel disaster much more anticipated.

Before you leave home

Make copies of everything

Take color copies of EVERYTHING with you when you travel. Your passport, all visas in your passport, your national ID even your driver’s license. Store them somewhere separated into your actual passport. Don’t forget to email a digital copy to yourself and someone you trust at home. Trust me! It’s much easier to get your passport replaced when you have access to all your passport details. It helps prove your identity when applying for your emergency passport.

Store important documents in any of the drive that you can easily access, but don’t forget to check if it’s secured.

Take passport photos with you

So finally, our travelers headed to The Indonesian Embassy in Den Haag after being told to report to the police station and go to the embassy. In the embassy, they were being told some of the important matters about passport loss. One of which was always having passport photos with you.

Why you need new passport photos

If you lose your passport, you’ll need to supply new passport photos for your emergency passport application. Why you always need it with you because passport photo dimensions can differ in different countries depending on each regulation. That’s why it’s always good to pack a set of passport photos before you leave so there are the correct dimensions for your country. Get them done at your country before you leave for your trip, as there are strict guidelines on what can be accepted as a passport photo, and low-quality photos or ‘selfies’ won’t do the trick. Arriving at the embassy and already being equipped with passport photos will help the process of replacing a passport run effectively.

Look up where your nearest embassy is before you travel

As I told you above, they were heading to the nearest embassy from their place. As they were in Amsterdam , that’s why they were heading to Den Haag.

This is also important, you or the person who lost the passport have to visit an embassy or consulate of your country in person in order to obtain an emergency passport, so find out where the closest one will be on your travels before you leave. Most embassies and consulates are located in major cities, so it’s good to have an idea of where you need to go rather than search for the information in a panic-driven state. The other important note is most embassies and consulates are closed on weekends and holidays. However, there is usually a 24-hour phone number you can call, so it’s worth saving that number in your phone before you leave.

Tell your bank you’re going overseas

I guided a group of people that couldn’t use any of their bank cards. Neither the ATM or a credit card because they don’t have any PIN for their credit card. Though some places do not need a pin for the card, mostly in Europe especially the machine would ask for a pin to authorize the transaction.

You should do this anyway when you travel overseas so that your financial institution doesn’t blame your overseas transactions as fraudulent and then cancel your cards. This is obviously not ideal when you need to pay the emergency passport fee and any other expenses that crop up while trying to replace a lost or stolen passport.

Activated your card either the ATM or credit card for the international transaction and do not forget to ask for the PIN. PIN IS SO IMPORTANT! Remember to let your bank know you’re going overseas so you don’t end up with card cancellation and take copies of any important identity documents along with your passport.

Tell your phone provider you’re traveling

If you are using your phone provider when you’re going overseas, as with your bank, make sure to let your provider knows that you’re going overseas. It’s a good idea so that your phone provider won’t disconnect your service, assuming it had been stolen.

You had better download an app like Skype, Line or other Messenger to contact people at home using WiFi, which is usually available in guesthouses and hotels. You’ll save yourself the shock of coming home to a huge phone bill. As for me, I would prefer to always rent a portable wifi a few days before my leaving.

Purchase travel insurance

In the first year of my travel journey, I had never bought any travel insurance because I thought it was useless until one day I got sick while in overseas and need to go to the hospital. I realized if only I have travel insurance that day, I wouldn’t have bothered to pay a lot of money for the hospital fee. But, wait? Do you think travel insurance is only for the hospital fee? No No No!

Travel insurance is one of those things you hope you don’t need, but when you do, friends, are you glad you have it? Do your research before you leave to find a comprehensive travel insurer, as the cost of an emergency passport, emergency visa, delayed and/or canceled flights and new itinerary (if you need to travel to find an embassy) can add up very quickly. Most policies should cover some of the cost of altered travel plans, extra accommodation and passport fees at the very least, but always check the small print and shop around for the policy that best suits you. And of course the hospital fee.

While you’re overseas

When I realized I had lost my bag and the passport, I noticed that there was a CCTV in the restaurant, so I tried to convince the waiters to let me take a look at the CCTV which was impossible since I didn’t have that authority to do that. There was no one able to speak good English, so I wasn’t sure if they really understood what I was asking until a man came and helped me to translate.

He advised me to go to the police station and make a report, so the police would check the CCTV. And yes, that was the right thing to do. You are required by law to report the loss or theft of your passport, so this is the first thing you need to do.

Report a lost or stolen passport

File a police report if your passport is stolen. Call your country’s consulate or embassy to lodge a report. You’ll be asked for your passport number, which is why it’s important to have photocopies of everything.

If your passport is stolen, you need a police report to claim travel insurance. (this case, travel insurance is needed). Procedures vary depending on which country you visit. This can sometimes take a lengthy process, so weigh up your options. If your flight is imminent and you simply don’t have time to spend half a day applying for a police report, you could skip it and go straight to the embassy, but check with your insurance provider to determine your best course of action, as it is often recommended that you file a report to local police.

Find your nearest embassy or consulate

After you file a police report, you will need to obtain an emergency passport which you’ll need to visit your country’s embassy. You’ll need to bring along some forms of identification, like a copy of your passport or other ID, driving license or your country national ID. It depends on which country you’re visiting as to how long the emergency passport application process will take, but it’s often possible to have an emergency passport issued within 24 hours.

Remember, most consulates and embassies are closed on weekends and holidays and will not be able to issue an emergency passport unless they deem the situation related to issuance (and not because you have a flight in a few hours). This may mean that you need to adjust your travel plans accordingly if you lose a passport on a weekend, or can’t get to your embassy the whole week. If you’ve been a victim of a crime, it’s important to let the consular officers you deal with notice.

Replace your visa

If you’re traveling with a visa, your country’s embassy or consulate cannot replace this for you. You will need to visit the embassy of the country you’re visiting and enquire about replacing an emergency exit visa. You will need your emergency passport for this, so it’s important to replace that first before trying to get an emergency visa.

Delay your travels if needs be

Sometimes this is inevitable. You can’t simply cross any international borders without a valid passport. We just need to accept the situation. There’s nothing you can do to speed up the process and delay your travels until you have replaced all the necessary documents. Your job will still be there, your house will still be standing. So try not to stress too much and let things happen pass, and you’ll get through it. You gotta nail it. Let’s just book another night while waiting for the process.

When you get home

If you find your passport

Miracle does happen. If it turns out that your passport was safely hiding in your luggage all along, that’s one of the miracles. Unfortunately, you have to put it away someplace where you’re not going to be confused by. The passport has already been canceled because you had filed a report of stolen passport and got the emergency passport. Therefore the old one is permanently invalid, so you can no longer use this passport for travel. If you make an attempt to do so puts you in hefty fines.

Apply for a new passport

Since you can’t use the old one because you’ve got an emergency passport. The passport designed to get you home quickly and thus has a very limited life. So if you plan to travel overseas again in the near future, you’ll need to apply for a brand new passport when you get home. Remember to not use the emergency passport for a long period because of a very limited life. Apply for a new passport.

Laugh: It’s all part of the travel experience

I was still in my panic attack for losing my bag. I went to the front of the restaurant to wait for the police car that usually passed by every couple of minutes. Everybody was in hectic as they were following me to the front gate and wait along beside me. Then someone approached me, “Did you lose your bag?”

“Yes, I did” I replied while keep facing to the road trying to keep alert with the police car

“I’m the police,” He showed me his police badge while introducing who he was. “Follow me,” He asked me to follow him.

He brought me to the coffee shop next to the restaurant. Afterward, we went in, he introduced his colleagues who were also the police. Little do I know, he showed me a blue bag on the table. With all contents taken out, and I was so shocked, “THAT’S MY BAG!” Out of surprise I almost cried for what I saw after a nerve panic.

“We need to check it first. Can you take a seat while we’re checking if it’s yours?” The other police tried to explain the situation.

Smile and be grateful

I, then remembered that I have one ATM inside my pocket. I took it out and gave it to him. “You can check the name in this card with the name card in that bag, that’s my name”.I couldn’t stop myself from smiling because I was so grateful for what just happened.

The rest you might able to guess, I got my bag back. The police explained that they captured a guy who was running while holding a bag. They were suspicious it might be a stolen bag.

“You’re lucky! I don’t know who you are, but you’re lucky. None ever made their stuff back, like full in the bag when the bag is missing here. You should be careful and always aware of your stuff.”

I left for the airport the next day and home again sound and safely. It really was a welcome relief for the very first time after many travels I had! One less thing to worry about…

The Musings

It’s not a lucky thing. God still loves me in a way I probably couldn’t imagine. It’s a miracle.

Things go wrong in a way we never thought it would happen to us. Shit happens. While it’s stressful at the time you will get through it and end up with the fact that you can overcome whatever travel mishaps get in your way in the future. Probably in other aspects of life too. You’ll also have a great travel story to share with people. Be blessed and always be grateful.