Despite all the precautions while traveling, you may find yourself in embarrassing situations like losing your passport. In these moments, you may feel confused and frustrated, unsure of how to proceed. In reality, there are some simple and easy steps recommended by travel experts when you lose your passport or visa.
A Tourist's Story in Europe
The Spanish website "Viva Mundo" shared a story of a tourist in Europe who lost his passport. He didn't know whether he had accidentally dropped it or if it was stolen, but it was definitely the worst moment of his trip.
The website suggests that when a person loses their passport, they should first go to the lost and found office at the train station because documents like these usually appear when workers clean the transportation means, and they bring them to the lost and found office. Therefore, this tourist who lost his passport on Friday waited until Monday to go and search for it, but he couldn't find it.
The tourist says, "After that, on the same day, I went to my country's consulate to seek help in resolving the issue. They asked me for a police report about the lost document, photos for obtaining a new passport, and payment of some fees through the bank for this service.
Luckily, I had all the data of my passport saved, like the issue date, expiration date, full names of my mother and father, and ID card number.
After that, I headed to the police station to report the loss of my passport. Since he was under time pressure because the consulate's working hours were limited, he asked one of his friends to go to the bank to transfer a certain amount of money to the consulate while he finished filing the report at the police station. When he was done with that, he obtained the photos and went back to the consulate, where he managed to get a new passport in less than half an hour.
The website states that this event, which may initially seem disastrous, is actually a simple problem that can be solved quickly and smoothly. It may take longer in some cases, but consulates also have the authority to issue temporary travel documents in emergency situations, allowing you to return to your country if your travel date is approaching.
As for reissuing the visa, that was a more complicated matter. This tourist had applied for a Schengen visa to travel in Europe from the German embassy. Since he received the visa number by email in an official correspondence from the embassy, he went back to his mailbox and retrieved the necessary data.
Based on this information, he returned to the consulate, filled out an application form, attached a copy of the police report for the lost passport, and his passport photos. He managed to obtain a valid visa for the same duration as before and continued his journey.
However, with the British consulate, it wasn't as easy, as they asked him to go through all the procedures and apply for the visa from scratch, which was not possible without the necessary documents.
Four Tips When Traveling:
1. Before you travel, it is advisable to keep a photocopy of your passport, visas, credit cards, and other important documents such as insurance contracts. It's even better if you have a digital copy of these documents in your email or on your phone, so you can access them and refer to them whenever needed.
2. Don't carry your passport with you at all times. You can leave it in the hotel safe and only take a copy of it when necessary. If you are in another country and need to apply for a visa, make sure to keep your passport with you and don't leave it at the embassy since it is the only recognized personal identification document outside your home country.
New Ranking for "Strongest" Passports in The World
3. If you can't find your passport in the lost and found box within a short period, you should file a complaint with the police. If they find it, they will contact you. Even if they don't find it, this procedure will help protect yourself if someone else uses or forges your passport.
4. If you have enough time, it's best to contact the relevant consulates and embassies to renew the visas that were in your passport. Try to communicate with them by phone or email to save time and prepare the necessary documents before visiting them. If time is pressing, ask your country's embassy to assist you with urgent travel.
