Being abroad, it is always necessary to monitor your documents carefully, otherwise you risk to create yourself a lot of problems, in particular, with the return to your homeland. But what if the loss already occurred?
It is not necessary to panic; you just need to know how to recover your passport after the loss and what actions to perform in this case.
Action Scheme
Prepare for the fact that instead the sightseeing of the country you will have to visit state institutions. Perhaps the loss occurred and not because of your imprudence, in that case, you must understand what to do if you lost your passport.
- The first institution you should contact with is the police of the country where you lost your passport. There you will need to write a statement about the loss or stealing of your document. Ask the police to provide you with a confirmation that you don’t have a passport for the current time. If the application for getting certificate is refused (in some states it may not be clear that you need it for the embassy), write the statement not about the loss of the document, but about stealing.
- The next step is going to the embassy. Just for this you may need a certificate of temporary absence of the document or the above protocol. Also, they will ask you for 2 of your photos in the format 3.5 x 4.5 cm. Further here you will need to verify your identity in any possible way. Also, the procedure will be facilitated by the photocopy of your passport. When the identification procedure for your identity is completed, you will be provided with a certificate of return that will serve as your pass to get home. Be prepared for the fact that this service is paid, depending on the case and the state in which you are located, the consular fee can be from €20 to €100. The list of documents for obtaining a certificate consists of a police certificate (protocol), an application for a certificate, a document proving your identity (original or photocopy of your passport, driver’s license, copy of passport), two photos and receipts for payment of consular fees.
- If you did everything according to the scheme, then the certificate of return will be given to you day in day. It can be issued in person, or your legal representative. If the process with identification is delayed, it may take several days to receive it, since the consulate will send a request to your country and collect information about you. When the certificate is in your hands, you will be able to return home, but if you have unfinished business, you can stay in the country, since the certificate requires departure within 15-30 days.
Possible problems
- The first thing that you will do is going to the local police. It should be borne in mind that if you are in a remote place or an exotic country, the police here may not be properly proficient in English. If a person has lost his passport, of course they will try to do the best, but requests for certain information may not be understood. Try to explain that without a police certificate or protocol, you will face difficulties in the embassy.
- The second question is your transportation to the embassy. Well, if you are in the capital, but there may be a situation where the loss of passport occurred in the outback, or on the island. If you are on the island, it is worth noting that when you board a ferry, usually they don’t ask documents, but what about planes or trains you will not be allowed to go without the passport. To get to the embassy you will have to travel by bus or by car.
Upon arrival at the embassy, questions will begin with the identification of your personality. To simplify the procedure as much as possible, you must have scan of your passport in electronic form.
Helpful Tips
- when you are abroad, do not leave the passport for storage or as a mortgage, always keep it with you;
- before leaving your country, photocopies are best stored under a password in the Internet cloud or in the mail, it’s safer than just in a gadget, because it can be stolen too;
- if you do not speak the language of the country you are going to, prepare phrases in advance that can help you out in trouble;
- in the bag with the documents leave a note with your contact details and the hotel where you left off, if lost, someone can find and return the contents to you;
- before a trip write down to yourself the address and contacts of a consulate of your state in the country to which you are going.
Be careful with your documents, and then your journey will not be overshadowed by their restoration. Do not place high hopes on the fact that representatives of the consulate in any country will rush to help you, if you lose your passport or Green Card, but this is different; you will become a hostage to the situation, so it is necessary to treat the personal documents with particular scrupulousness.
If you are a Permanent Resident of U.S. and need Green Card for Relatives.
