Avoid a lost passport - the basic Dos & Don’ts
Make sure a lost passport doesn’t ruin your vacation!
Losing your passport is one of those things you hope you’ll never have to experience.
But it can happen. So what should you do you when you can’t find your passport anywhere?
Let’s start with the obvious: Check and recheck all your pockets and bag compartments to make sure your passport isn’t just misplaced.
Once you declare your passport lost, it will be flagged by your country’s system and you won’t be able to use it again, even if you find it.
Before you travel:
Make a digital copy of all the identification documents and credit cards you will be traveling with. Make sure these copies are accessible from the cloud in case you need to access them from somewhere else than your phone.
Pay special attention when copying your passport. The copy of the biographical page with your picture, personal data and passport number must be easily legible and in color.
Add an extra layer of protection and attach a Chipolo Spot Travel PACK to your travel essentials. The Spot travel pack can help you keep an eye on your passport, your wallet, and your luggage from the Find My app on your iPhone.
You can set up notifications on your iPhone if leave anything behind, check the last known location on a map and enable Lost Mode, where hundreds of millions of other Apple users can help you find your lost luggage or passport.
Reporting your passport lost or stolen
Immediately after you notice your passport has been lost or stolen, report it to the police. This will help in case of any illegal use or identity theft and it will also help when you report the missing passport to your national entity.
Reporting to the police alone is not enough to get your passport automatically replaced.
Next, find the nearest embassy or state office of your country and report the loss of your passport there too. Make sure to bring a copy of the police report and the digital copy of your passport with you to speed up the process.
Your country will be able to issue a temporary identity document that will allow you to travel home until your new passport is ready.
These temporary passports can be limited in scope, so if you want to continue your travels with one, research how far you’re allowed to go with it.
How long does it take to replace a passport?
If you’re hoping to have your passport replaced while you’re still on holiday, your chances are slim.
Most countries take between 8 to 12 weeks to replace your lost passport with a new one, although you can request an expedited procedure and cut that time to 1-2 weeks.
How much does a passport replacement cost?
Depends on where you’re from.
US and UK citizens will pay the most to have their passports replaced, with around $130 USD and between £75 - £85 GBP paid, respectively.
The cost of European passports varies from around 90€ in Germany, France, and Italy to 30-50€ in Sweden, Slovenia, and the Czech Republic.
This is just the payment to your country to have your passport replaced, without the cost of getting you to the nearest office of your home country if you’re abroad.
If you get lucky and your passport somehow makes it back to you after you’ve reported it lost or stolen, do not continue to travel with it!
All passports that are reported as lost are canceled and become invalid internationally, even if all the information is still accurate.
You don’t want to get stuck somewhere halfway, trying to explain why your passport has been canceled.
