What to do if you lose your passport abroad

South African citizens who have to travel urgently for reasons of death, sickness or another emergency / urgent matter are entitled to an emergency passport (travel certificate), which is valid for a maximum period of 9 months, but only for a single journey e.g. to return to the Republic of South Africa.

If dealing with the loss of a passport, South African citizens will need to fill out an application form BI-73 (application for South African passport) and BI-335E (declaration regarding the loss/damaged/theft of a passport or travel document).

South Africa lists many international embassies. Embassies or Consulates abroad can help with a variety of travel-related issues, such as:

• Travel advice per country.
• Advice before you travel abroad.
• Emergency help for SA people abroad.
• Help in a crisis abroad.
• Passports and emergency travel documents.
• Travel and the law.
• Notarial and document services, and finding other professional services abroad.
• Living abroad.

In the unfortunate event of your passport being stolen, individuals must report the theft to the local police and file a report.

It is essential individuals apply for another passport or emergency passport, depending on their situation.

If your passport is stolen abroad, report the theft to the local police and claim an emergency passport. You may also be covered by your travel insurance for any sudden change of plans this event may incur.

While some people work for immigration agencies in a professional capacity, it is quite scary to find themselves stranded abroad.

The easiest way to secure a way home if you find yourself without a passport abroad, is to visit the Embassy or consulate in the country you are in to explain your situation.

Applying for another passport can take several weeks, to a month, or longer, which is not ideal if individuals cannot extend their trip.

It is advisable that you speak with your country’s Embassy or Consulate to talk about your individual case and be issued an emergency travel document to get on the next flight home.

You can apply for an emergency travel document if all the following apply:

• You are a South African national.
• You are currently outside of the Republic of South Africa.
• Your passport has been lost, stolen, or damaged, all the pages are full, has recently expired or is with a Passport Office or a foreign embassy.
• You do not have time to renew or replace your SA passport from abrhaveoad before you travel.
• You can provide proof of your travel plans, for example, booking confirmations (or detailed written travel plans if you cannot book ahead).

You can use an emergency travel document to travel to your destination through a maximum of 5 countries. You can also normally use it to return to the country you’re applying from if you live there.

Your travel plans (countries and dates) will be printed on your emergency travel document. If you change your travel plans once you have your emergency travel document, you’ll need to apply for a new one.

The best way to replace a lost passport would be to first report the theft with the police (if applicable) and bring the filed police report to retrieve an emergency travel document from your nearest Embassy.

You can use this to catch the next flight home or at your earliest convenience.

Contact SA immigration to get new stamp before you depart. It is advisable to provide the original police report, Temporary passport and a letter from SA Embassy.

Once at your final destination, it is advisable you file for a replacement passport quickly, as this process can take longer than expected.

It takes about 3 weeks per passport to get your passport through the Standard Service, but can lengthen to 6 weeks during busy periods.

You can buy another passport abroad, which is about three weeks longer than the one used to obtain the same passport. Alternatively, you may want to obtain emergency travel documents.

Either way, calling our immigration advice service for next step advice is another step to take in order to ease the stress of the situation.

We have qualified lawyers who can plan your route home in the safest and most time-effective manner.

It is always advisable to seek further assistance at your country’s Embassy to talk to a consul in person.

Losing a passport abroad can be a stressful and uncertain time, especially if you require to return home without delay.

Thankfully, there are safety nets in place for South African citizens who have hada lost or stolen passports in a foreign country.

Our team of well-trained experts can advise you on the next steps, relevant to your situation.

Call our friendly team today on 0333 222 0145 or get in touch with IAS immigration experts to find out more about our immigration services.