What Should I Do If My Passport Is Lost or Stolen While Abroad?
There’s nothing worse than searching for your passport and not being able to find it, but if your passport is lost or stolen while you are abroad, don’t panic. While it can be an inconvenience, the process for obtaining an emergency travel document or a new passport while abroad is fairly simple. Here are the four steps you should take if your passport is stolen or lost, and some advice for keeping it safe in the future:
Contact the Police
The first thing you should do when you notice that your passport has been lost or stolen is to head to the nearest police station and report it to the police. You should do this within 24 hours and obtain a written police report.
Cancel Your Passport
If your passport has been lost or stolen, you will need to cancel it before you apply for a new one. You should try to do it as soon as possible to prevent thieves from using it fraudulently. Thieves can use your stolen passport to open new bank accounts, apply for loans, take out credit cards, and apply for a driver’s license. You can travel to the embassy or nearest consulate to cancel your passport, but it will be much quicker to cancel your passport online.
Apply for an Emergency Travel Document or a New Passport
Once you’ve cancelled your passport, you will need to apply for an emergency travel document (ETD) at the embassy or consulate, or apply online. You may need to delay your flights until you are issued an emergency travel document as you won’t be able to leave the country without one. Parents can also apply for an emergency travel document for their child.
An emergency travel document will cost £100 and will be available to you in as little as 2 working days if you have all the necessary information. However, it may take longer if you need an appointment or if you are applying on behalf of someone else. To apply for an emergency travel document, you will need:
- 2 passport photos
- A photocopy of the stolen passport, if possible
- A valid form of ID, such as your driver’s license
- Your personal information
- Proof of your travel plans
- A written police report
- Someone to countersign the passport photos and their personal details
Once your emergency travel document is ready, you will be notified by the embassy and will need to go there to pick it up. Your emergency travel document will contain your travel plans, so if you make any changes to those plans, you will need to apply for a new one. Some countries will require travellers to have a visa when using an emergency travel document, so you should ask the embassy if you need one. You can travel through up to 5 countries on your return home. Once you’ve returned to the UK, border security will keep your emergency travel document.
Contact Your Travel Insurance Provider
Contact your travel insurance provider and inform them that your passport was lost or stolen. They should cover the costs of your stolen passport and your emergency travel document. Most travel insurers will ask to see the police report and your travel insurance policy will only provide cover if the police report was made within 24 hours. They may require proof that you made an effort to prevent your passport from being lost or stolen. If you need to make a claim and aren’t sure which number to contact, head to the claims information page.
Tips for Keeping Your Passport Safe While Abroad
Before you leave for your trip, make several copies of your passport; one to leave with your family in the UK, one to keep in your suitcase, and one to carry on your person. You shouldn’t carry your passport with you if it isn’t necessary. Leave it in the hotel safe while you are sightseeing. If you need to have your passport with you, keep it in a secure pouch in your carry-on bag, in a money belt, or in a zippered pocket on the inside of your jacket. Don’t keep your passport in your back pocket or leave it in an obvious place.
