Necessary Actions When the Passport is Lost Abroad

The theft or loss of a passport abroad is a very unpleasant issue, and every traveler should know about the necessary measures in case of such a matter. In times like this, being calm and prioritizing what you must do is very important and can prevent any other problems.

 

Losing the Passport in Abroad

As you know, losing your passport when you have traveled abroad is a very important issue, and it can be terrifying at first; this matter becomes more important when you intend to return to your country soon, and you cannot find your passport in your hotel, handbag or luggage; but there is no need to worry because if your passport is lost, you can take some steps to return to your country, which we will mention below.

Important Notes Before Traveling Abroad

In general, one of the important steps to take before starting a trip and even booking a flight ticket to the city and country of your choice is to make a copy of important documents such as a passport, ID card, etc.; these documents, along with their copies, should be with you during your trip, it is better to keep them in a safe place such as luggage pockets or hotel safes.

Also, in addition to making copies of your documents, you can take pictures of them with your mobile phone so that they are always available to you; note that copies and photos of documents are never of much legal value and will only help you to have some information with you. An important point in this regard is the security of your information and photos on smartphones and the possibility of being lost or stolen (even if you travel by tour to Turkey, for example, it is better to consider this possibility).

Therefore, in addition to the above two methods, it is recommended to send a copy of all the photos of your documents to your email; in this way, the possibility of encountering problems related to your documents is greatly reduced; at the same time, regardless of the fact that you should pay attention to facilities such as the existence of a safe when booking a hotel, you should keep in mind that documents such as passports should always be with you everywhere (preferably, in small bags under your shirt).

Important Note: when you rent a car in Istanbul, for example, not only the passport is one of the important documents for renting it, but you must also have it with you while driving (the Turkish police will strictly deal with passengers who do not have a passport with them).

Actions to be Taken when Passport is lost in Aboard

As mentioned earlier, the loss or theft of a passport is a very important and unpleasant matter that can cause problems for its holder; therefore, you can consider the following steps to take the necessary and timely actions:

1.       Getting a Report of the Lost Passport

In the first step, as soon as you notice that your passport is lost, you should go to the nearest police station and file a report about the loss of your passport and get a copy of it. This report will help you get a temporary passport or travel certificate from your country's embassy or consulate. Remember, when making a report at the police station, you must mention the serial number of your passport.

Because if your passport is used for illegal purposes, preparing this report will prevent suspicion against you. Also, keeping this report with you after arriving in your country is recommended, even until you find your passport or issue a new one.

2.       Going to the Embassy of Your Country

Now, you must refer to the relevant website and fill out the specific forms online to present them when you go to the embassy or consulate in your destination country; at the end of these steps, you will receive a tracking code; remember, you must go to the embassy or consulate of your country in person with the documents that we will mention below.

After reviewing the application and reporting the receipt of documents by the embassy or consulate, they will give you a temporary passport that you can only use until the end of your trip. Remember, after returning to your country, you must take action and inform the relevant authorities and organizations to get a new passport, too.

Important Note 1: Considering that the relevant procedures and organizations are different regarding the loss of a passport during aboard, it is usually possible to complete the desired form on one of the following websites, which are: the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, embassy or consulate in the destination country.

Important Note 2: You can go directly to the embassy or consulate in the country of destination before referring to the relevant website and filling out the relevant form there.

Important Note 3: At the same time, if your country does not have any official office in the city or country of your destination, you can raise the issue by phone with the nearest embassy or consulate and ask them for help.

3.       Book a Direct Flight Back to Your Country

Another necessary action you should take in this regard, regardless of when your passport is lost or how much time is left of your trip, is to get a direct return ticket to your country. The reason for this is that in indirect flights and depending on the procedure of different countries (especially during transit and temporary stop), their rules regarding traveling with a travel certificate or temporary passport are different and may cause you problems.

Important Note: Therefore, it is recommended to contact the consulate of the intermediate country to confirm and ensure the possibility of traveling with a travel document or temporary passport and, if necessary, change your return flight.

Necessary Documents to Report Lost Passport

As mentioned earlier, you must first scan the following documents and "Upload" them when submitting the application to the relevant website; these documents, which must be presented in person to the embassy or consulate of your country in your destination country, are:

• ·         The first page of the passport (the details of the holder)
• ·         The page containing the stamp of the last exit from your country
• ·         Valid ID card
• ·         Biometric 6x4 color photo
• ·         The local police report where the passport number and details of the owner of the missing passport are entered and stamped
• ·         Description of how the passport was stolen or lost with the applicant's signature

Important Note: Note that these documents can be different depending on the laws of each country and include different documents; therefore, you can request detailed information from the related websites or the embassy or consulate of your country.