• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Renata Pereira TV

Travel TV

  • About
    • In the Media
  • Travel Guides
    • ASIA
    • EUROPE
    • NORTH AMERICA
    • CENTRAL AMERICA
    • SOUTH AMERICA
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Em Português

April 23, 2016 by Renata 18 Comments

Getting an Emergency Passport Abroad

What can you do if you urgently need to leave or return to your country but you have no passport? That’s what an emergency passport is for.

??

It was a beautiful morning in Sao Paulo, Brazil, the day before I should board the plane back home, and I had a busy agenda attending a workshop. Whenever my hotel room has no safe, I generally carry my documents for safety reasons. Nothing against Brazil in specific. Those of us who travel a lot have heard all kinds of theft stories even in 5 star hotels in France. I put the passport in my pocket for imagining that’s where it would be safer, as on events sometimes we leave bags and backpacks unattended during the breaks.

I walked for less than 5 minutes between the hotel and the corner of the block, and when I suddenly put my hand inside my pocket it was gone. I walked back and forth the same route several times, turned my room upside down, walked into every single bar, bakery, newspaper stand, subway and everything else that was open that Saturday morning. But found nothing.

I even returned to the subway several times (it was right beside my hotel) to check if maybe someone found it on the floor and returned at the station thinking that that’s where its owner was headed. The subway system in Sao Paulo has a great lost and found service which works very well. If that ever happens to you, you can use this link to search online for your documents (just write down your name in the pop-up box that appears in Portuguese. Other than that, everything is in English). But with no luck I had to move on to plan B.

Initial Steps to Get an Emergency Passport

From now on, I’ll describe my exact experience. I’m not a lawyer nor an expert on this topic, so use the information below as a basis for your own research.

My first concern was to get back home in the U.S., so I called the airline company (I was flying United) after reading stories about people who managed to re-enter the country only bringing their green cards. They obviously applied for a new passport in their local consulates later on, as it’s easier to do so from home as compared to when you’re overseas. Yes, I’m a permanent resident here, and as they confirmed this is indeed possible, I relaxed and continued with my activities as if everything was alright.

Only after a couple of hours I remembered that in Brazil there’s passport control also on the way out of the country, which means you must have a passport. I called every phone number I could find, but on a Saturday, it was only possible to reach the Emergency Office for the Passport Authority. And guess what?! They don’t deal with THAT kind of emergency.

There was no way I’d get a new passport on a weekend (even if I had gone to their office first thing in the morning). The only solution would be to reschedule my flight and apply for an emergency passport on Monday.

???????? I lost my passport & my flight is tonight
???????? Perdi meu passaporte e meu voo é hj
Info➡️ Snapchat???? renatapereiraTV pic.twitter.com/MgR96G78zR

— Renata Pereira (@renatapereiraTV) April 3, 2016

What a nightmare! Now it was confirmed: my husband was coming back home by himself. So I added an extra night to the hotel and got United Airlines agreeing to leave my plane ticket open until I could resolve the situation.

What if it Happens to You?

As I was in my country of citizenship, I had to go through the application process like any Brazilian would, through the Federal Police. If you are in a similar situation – let’s say you’re from Argentina and you’re there on holidays but live in Canada – you most likely will need to go through the regular application process for Argentinians.

But if you are in a third country you need to contact your Embassy or Consulate. Only they will be able to provide the correct instructions. Here are some examples:

  • USA: Americans absolutely need a passport to return home and the process is very similar to the one I went through. Consulates abroad are very helpful (it happened to my husband too about 3 years ago and was also able to get a new passport on the same day). You will need to bring a passport photo, ID, evidence of U.S. citizenship (a copy of your missing passport should be enough), your travel itinerary and a police report if available. You will need to fill in a couple of application forms, but you can do it at the consulate. Here you can find detailed information directly from the government.
  • UK: British call it an “Emergency Travel document”, but in practicality it’s like a passport. You will need to bring a passport photo, proof of your travel plans, a police report and an application form. It’s all explained in detail on the government’s website.
  • Canada: You will need 2 photos, ID, proof of citizenship, an application form and a declaration concerning lost or stolen travel documents. If you are in the USA and you have enough time to wait, you can submit and application via mail. The government also has a detailed page about how the whole process works.

A few things are the same in most of the countries:

  • You have to apply in person. So if you are in a city where there’s no consulate, unfortunately you will need to put your travel arrangements on hold and make your way to the nearest office
  • Like me, chances are you won’t be able to apply on weekends and holidays either. Consulates don’t open both when it’s a holiday in their original country and when it’s a holiday in the country where they are located. They do have an after hours person in charge though, so try to speak to this person and explain your situation. But generally speaking they only open up exceptions for life and death cases
  • Although some Emergency Passports are good for up to 1 year, as it was my case, the recommendation is to only use it for 1 trip. After that it’s assumed you had the time to apply for a regular one. In some cases your passport may even be taken at the passport control upon returning to your country of nationality

???????? I got an emergency passport and I’m on my way home
???????? Consegui um passaporte de emergência e tô voltando pra casa pic.twitter.com/SICGUz90ao

— Renata Pereira (@renatapereiraTV) April 4, 2016

And here are some Tips

  • All emergency passports have a fee. Check with the consulate in the country you’re in how you can pay this fee, so that when you arrive at their office there are no surprises. If they require a money order, for instance, there may not be a location near the consulate, so ask the hotel concierge for help
  • If you can, avoid going through the whole process on a Monday. Mondays are normally very busy, it’s like people spend the weekend getting their documents ready and on Monday, first thing, head to the consulate. It’s generally super crowded. Also, when there are updates in their internal system (which are normally done on weekends, Monday is the real deal, when they will see if everything will work. That’s what happened to me that delayed my whole process in Brazil. Their internal system was offline for 6 hours following an unsuccessful update.
  • Print everything you can (the hotel will most likely help you, not even charging to use the Business Center when you explain your situation). Sometimes you will need an additional document you overlooked, and guess what?! There’s always a small shop right in front of the consulate charging 10 times the price you’d find anywhere else.
  • As things happen, it’s good to have a local phone with 3G/4G connection, so that you can immediately follow-up on anything else that comes up. For instance, I left my flight open with United before heading to the Passport Authority in Brazil, and despite having the confirmation number, it was not enough. They needed the e-ticket. So I immediately called United and they issued a same-day ticket in less than 2 minutes. Having the confirmation e-mail on my phone, I crossed the street and printed in a small shop where they obviously charged way more than they should. But at least it was done.
  • It also helped me to be able to talk directly to Mileage Plus (yes, in such moments that elite status really comes in handy) and their costumer service was fantastic. No waiting in line and very professional representatives. Another lady who was in the same situation and had booked via a third party website took more than one hour to issue her ticket
  • If you have the time, before starting the whole application process check in all lost and found services in the city where you’re in. In Sao Paulo, for example, in addition to the subway, the “Correios” (mail service) offer a well recognized and acclaimed service. Maybe a good soul saw your passport on the street and without knowing how to contact you simply dropped it in one of these places. You never know.

 

Like it? Pin it! 🙂

How to get an emergency passport | All details about my own experience applying for a passport abroad

How to get an emergency passport | All details about my own experience applying for a passport abroad

All the best,


Did you like the video and the photos? Then let’s connect on Instagram and Facebook so that you can see in real time everything I’m up to and on YouTube so that we can travel together!


 

Related

Filed Under: News Tagged With: it happened to me

Previous Post
Next Post

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Rambling Duo says

    May 2, 2016 at 5:57 pm

    I just couldn’t imagine myself being in your place during that time. That sure is scary!!! But glad that you were able to find a solution. It’s just that, flying alone back home is quite lonely. (giggle) But really, good thing that you were able to get an emergency passport. Thanks for sharing. At least, if ever I find myself stuck in the same situation, I know what to do then. 😉

    Reply
    • Renata says

      May 2, 2016 at 10:26 pm

      Absolutely! It’s not the end of the world, just get ready to spend some $$$… Hope it doesn’t happen to you! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Jen Larracas-Cabase says

    May 2, 2016 at 8:15 pm

    Thanks for giving us tips if ever that same situation happened to us! I have a friend who’s been traveling to different countries and I will surely recommend this post to her just in case. 🙂

    Reply
    • Renata says

      May 2, 2016 at 10:26 pm

      Thanks!

      Reply
  3. aika loraine says

    May 3, 2016 at 1:30 am

    Do you have an idea where did you lost it? Anyway, this is very informative. I have still no idea with passports as i havent got one for myself. Well, good thing you know a lot about this matter. I wonder how will i react if this happened to me.

    Reply
    • Renata Pereira says

      May 3, 2016 at 9:12 pm

      Yes… I know exactly where it happened… And despite that I couldn’t find it… I was lucky that I was in a major city, where there’s actually a Passport Authority office that handles emergency passports (and if it happened to a foreign tourist, all consulates would be within easy reach)…

      Reply
  4. Robert Lee says

    May 3, 2016 at 2:15 am

    While the details are different country to country, the process of starting is probably the same. I might also add the no. 1 rule… don’t panic. Good post, Renata and anyone who reads this will have filed away something important in case the same situation arises in the future.

    Reply
    • Renata says

      May 3, 2016 at 1:17 pm

      Thanks! I’m glad you like it! 🙂

      Reply
  5. Alison Bergstrom Grant says

    May 3, 2016 at 3:10 am

    I would have been a wreck worrying about losing my passport but you handled it with ease! I have never had this happen but always been nervous about it. I like knowing what I will need to do in case this ever happens to me!

    Reply
  6. Prerna Sinha says

    May 3, 2016 at 3:43 am

    I would be dead already from panic..I am impressed how you not only got your passport and also managed to shoot and blog about it. Kudos. I am sure this will be very useful for people in a similar situation.

    Reply
    • Renata says

      May 3, 2016 at 1:46 pm

      Hahaha! Yes, I guess that over the years I learned to keep it cool… and accept that things happen! 🙂

      Reply
  7. Paolo Ruel says

    May 4, 2016 at 8:39 pm

    WOW! Its a bad nightmare if happen to me i think same situation that will do but firts i will panic, hehehe 🙂

    Reply
  8. Lauren Meshkin says

    May 7, 2016 at 8:56 pm

    I never think these things will happen to me but you never really know. Super helpful, thanks for sharing! Hapy travels 🙂

    Reply
    • Renata says

      May 8, 2016 at 12:26 pm

      Thanks!!! Exactly, that’s the point… I always thought I could take good care of my belongings, especially my passport! You never know…

      Reply
  9. Vincent Quek says

    May 8, 2016 at 9:25 am

    I didn’t even know you could get one! I mean, Thanks.

    Reply
    • Renata says

      May 8, 2016 at 12:26 pm

      Hahaha! You’re welcome! Hope you never need one!

      Reply
  10. Keith Wilson says

    August 20, 2018 at 8:27 pm

    Love your accent !

    Reply

Let me know what you think!Cancel reply

Primary Sidebar

RSS Renata Pereira TV

  • The #1 water park in Latin America
  • New Orleans’ historic French Quarter
  • Christmas Lights in Austin, Texas

Blog Categories

Footer

  • View renatapereira.tv’s profile on Facebook
  • View renatapereiraTV’s profile on Twitter
  • View renatapereira.tv’s profile on Instagram
  • View renatapereiraTV’s profile on Pinterest
  • View UCHRxG4X0k8nH5tv4Vy2Jf1Q’s profile on YouTube
Brazilian Travel Bloggers Network | Rede Brasileira de Blogueiros de Viagem
Professional Travel Bloggers Association

Blog

  • The #1 water park in Latin America
  • New Orleans’ historic French Quarter
  • Christmas Lights in Austin, Texas

© Copyright 2018 Renatapereira.tv · All Rights Reserved ·

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT