If you are organizing an elaborate vacation with lots of
traveling and moving around, don't forget to take some important steps
to prepare yourself in case some sort of accident occurs and you end up
with a lost American passport. Whether you lose your passport during the
scuffle of packing or you get pick-pocketed while you are getting on
and off of trains in Europe, you should be prepared by informing
yourself ahead of time, about the process of getting a new passport.
Losing
your passport in the U. S. is a lot better than losing it while you are
traveling. Simply download the appropriate form from the Department of
State's website and send it in. They will have a new passport to you in
no time without the hassle of foreign embassies and whatnot.
Unfortunately,
anyone who has ever traveled before knows that things get stolen and
lost a lot easier when you are carrying around everything you own from
country to country. If your passport gets stolen, you have to tell the
local authorities so they can help you try to track it down. If you have
simply misplaced or lost your passport, you will need to talk to
somebody at the United States Embassy about getting a temporary passport
for your return flight home (or the rest of your travels). Bring all of
your planned itineraries with you to the Embassy so you can clearly
explain why you need a temporary passport.
The Embassy will ask
you to fill out a passport application, but due to new regulations, they
cannot give you a real passport. When you arrive back in the U. S., you
will have to re-apply for a permanent passport to replace your lost or
stolen one.
The worst thing to happen while traveling is not only
having your passport go missing but to lose all and any form of
identification. Going to the embassy and asking for a temporary passport
under a name that you cannot verify is a sticky situation. Avoid any
trouble by making Xerox copies of your passport, bank cards and your
driver's license before leaving the United States. Although photocopies
are not official documents, they will work when you are in a bind.
If
you have already left on your trip and cannot find a copy machine
anywhere, write down all of your ID information with important numbers
and dates on a clean piece of paper. Knowing your passport number will
help to expedite the temporary passport application process.
Have
someone trustworthy from home agree to pay for passport fees in the
event that something happens with your documents. You could have your
money stolen as well. Think of these things ahead of time and make
preparations.
Although there are steps you can take to try to avoid wandering around a foreign country with a lost American passport,
not everyone is so lucky. Keep copies of all information you think
could help you and hide it in various different spots in your luggage
and wallet. Don't pack your photocopies with your originals, there is no
point in making copies if everything gets lost or stolen together. United States passport documents are easy to get replaced and overnighted.
