Social security cards and birth certificates are essential, but with
no passport, it can be incredibly difficult to get home after an out of
country trip. Overseas can be quite a difficult place to get help when
needed, and receiving help after losing a passport can prove extremely
tough. Complications with identity fraud and not being capable of
getting back home are a few issues that come up with a lost passport, so
some measures should be taken before and during the trip to ensure
everything goes smoothly.
The first need is submitting correct paperwork in advance of leaving
the country. This may look like an easy thing for most to take into
consideration, but complications with an application can cause huge
delays in acquiring a passport. Double checking both that the
appropriate forms have been obtained and filled in right will cut down
on the time. It is unbelievably annoying to have to redo everything, so
if the person has any questions, they should be answered beforehand.
Once the passport has been acquired, reading through the passport to
be familiar and double check the information is very important. If there
are any flaws or misspelled names within, they should be reported
immediately to have it corrected and sent back out quickly. When
traveling with a family, it is important to check the US Passports of
everyone since errors most commonly occur whenever people are not
filling them out for themselves. Emergency contact information should
always be written in to make returning the item simpler and prevent from
headache should a loss happen.
Once vacationing, it is a good idea to keep the passport as close as
it can be. If vacationing in China, for example, it is good to keep
foreign visas on hand as well. Providing official ID to authorities is
always a wise idea, and will prevent from getting into trouble while
overcoming a barrier because of language. Easy personal identification
is crucial at all times, but should also be hidden away so it is not
evident something is being carried near. Reporting to the authorities
promptly that passports or, for example, China visas are taken is
important to make sure nothing bad takes place. If either needs to be
left somewhere like in a hotel room, it is crucial to keep it in a safe
with a combination that can be changed by the user so it is not stolen.
Living the nightmare of not being able to leave the airport once back
in the country is often a horrible experience. Taking a little care and
some preparation can prevent a huge headache in the future for
everybody.
