What to do if you lose your passport while overseas
Losing important documentation while on holiday can cause a lot of stress.
One doesn't want to think about worst-case scenarios when on vacation or a business trip.
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Accidents do happen and sometimes it's inevitable that something might get lost or even stolen.
You might think that it could never happen to you, but it's better to be prepared and know what to do, just in case.
Luckily, your plans won't be ruined. A South African diplomatic or consular mission should be able to issue you an emergency travel certificate that will allow you to return to SA at the end of the trip.
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One can also apply for a new passport when applying for an emergency certificate.
According to Nedbank, there are two immediate steps that need to be taken as soon as you realise you have lost your South African passport:
- You must report the loss at the nearest police station.
- Be sure to contact the nearest South African consulate, high commission or embassy.
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The new passport application will still go through to the Department of Home Affairs and could take several months, so an emergency travel certificate will still be required.
BusinessTech writes that these are the steps you'll need to follow when applying for an emergency travel certificate:
- Complete the application form
- Submit fingerprints
- Provide written proof of your South African citizenship using any of the following - a birth certificate, identity document, certified copy of passport or driving licence
- Provide a copy of the loss or theft of the passport police report
- Provide two photographs
- Pay the fee
You can also take other safety and security measures to ensure you avoid this dilemma as best as possible.
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Make sure your passport has a holder to prevent water damage and general wear and be sure to double-check your passport after it's been scanned or stamped to ensure it is yours.
Keep it safe from pickpockets in a zippered pocket or in your hotel safe and store physical copies of various essential items in different pieces of luggage.
And it never hurts to have digitised copies of IDs, passports, and driving licenses.
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Main image courtesy of iStock/Willem Cronje