What happens if you lose your passport in another country?
If you lose your passport while traveling abroad, what should you do? Find out here and learn to be prepared. It can save you a lot of time and stress.
Always Be Prepared
Make a photocopy of your passport’s identification page and keep it secure in your hotel room or at the very least somewhere it can’t become misplaced. Also take a photo of this page as well so you can have an easy copy that you can always access.
These can act as a secondary form of identification while traveling, sometimes letting you leave your passport at your hotel, and will also make getting a temporary/replacement passport a bit easier.
What to do if you lose your passport while abroad
Don’t panic - losing your passport is definitely not a good thing, but you aren’t lost and abandoned. You WILL be able to get home safe and sound.
Think hard and double-check your belongings
Is your passport actually missing? It is easy to get panicked if you think you have lost something important. How many times do you think your wallet is missing and frantically search for it, only to figure out seconds later that it is safely where you put it.
Retrace your steps
If you know your passport is not with you, think about where you used it last. Head back there to look around and ask nearby workers if anyone has dropped it off with them. If you can speak the language you can also try calling. Don’t forget to leave contact details so they can reach out if it does turn up.
Should you contact the police?
We completely understand the want to contact the authorities if you think something important was stolen or is missing. The reality is that the best they can do is get your information just in case someone brings your lost passport into the police station. This can still be worth it if you have enough time to wait, but you probably don’t even need a police report to apply for a new passport. You should be more proactive in seeing yourself through this issue - keep all of this in mind and don’t place your hope only on the police.
Contact Your Embassy to Get a Temporary or Replacement Passport
Call, email, or visit your local embassy as soon as you know your passport is lost. They are the ones that will actually be able to help. Almost every country should have an embassy or consulate representative from your home country, but if your country is not locally represented, locate the closest country with an embassy and reach out to them. You can also contact the government in your home country, but that should be a last option because it will take a bit longer to resolve your issue. The embassy will start the process of either issuing you a temporary passport or getting you a replacement. Temporary passports are only good for your return trip, but it may be possible to get a full replacement passport if your return flight is a week or two away. Let them know if you are scheduled to go home soon and they can work closely with you to try and get you on that flight if possible.
As part of the application process you will need to get new passport photos taken. Save yourself a bit of time and get some copies ready to go for when you first visit the embassy in-person. You will be able to find a photography service almost anywhere you travel. Just take a bit of time looking online or speaking with locals. Be sure to get the official photo requirements and note them down - the local taking your photo might not know what background color or photo composition your government expects.
Monitor for Identity Theft
This one is not easy but is an unfortunate reality of losing a piece of identification. Chances are slim, but someone with criminal intentions might get a hold of your passport. The tiny bit of silver lining is that by telling your government that your passport was lost, they will at the very least know to look out for someone trying to use your old passport for travel identification and the application for a replacement passport can be proof it was misplaced or stolen.
We are not specialists on identity theft protection, so please do some research online for the best way to protect yourself. There are quite a few resources out there that will point you in the right direction.
Summary
It is perfectly normal to panic if you lose your passport, but don't let that feeling set in. Take a few deep breaths and remember that you will never be lost or stuck. Double-check your belongings, retrace your steps, then contact your embassy if you still can't find your passport. They are there to help support citizens abroad and will absolutely be able to get you home. Being prepared is an important part of traveling. Knowing more about where you are visiting will help you both worry less and enjoy your time abroad more. Check out our travel stories to learn about different destinations and some great travel tips.