What you should do if you lose your passport traveling abroad

I vividly remember the moment when my friend announced with a look of abject horror, that she lost her passport. We were in Milan, on a weekend trip from Rome, where we were studying abroad. Staying calm and resisting the urge to panic is the first step if your passport is lost or stolen.  The next step is to file a police report, especially if your passport was stolen. However, if you have a tight itinerary or are in a rush to catch a flight, you can skip filing a police report — you’ll be able to get a replacement passport either way. In my friend’s case, while she wasn’t sure if the passport was lifted or simply lost, she still reported the incident to the police. As you’ll recall we stopped for pizza first, we weren’t in a mad hurry to catch a train back to Rome. Photo by Spencer Davis on Unsplash Photo by Ryan Christodoulou on Unsplash Next, you’ll need to contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consulate to report your missing passport and get a replacement. While preparing for every eventuality that could happen when traveling is near impossible, knowing beforehand where your embassy or consulate is located could be a lifesaver. And if you’re traveling to remote areas, or to countries where relations with the U.S. are shaky and an embassy doesn’t exist, research specifically where you could turn for help if you lose your passport. Once you report your passport lost or stolen with the embassy, your old passport will be flagged in the Consular Lost and Stolen Database. So, even if your old passport miraculously resurfaces, you’ll still need a replacement as, unfortunately, the old passport will be void.  To expedite the process, you’ll want to get a new passport photo taken before you head to the embassy. You’ll also be asked to bring identification, such as a driver’s license, your trip itinerary, and proof of citizenship, which can be a photocopy of your passport. If you have absolutely no way to provide any documentation, don’t panic, the consular staff will still be able to help you, though the process might take a