Losing your UK passport can be a stressful and worrying experience at the best of times. To do so whilst abroad can only increase these feelings. The first thing to remember if you happen to lose your UK passport abroad is that you aren’t the first person to do so and the UK Government has easy to follow steps in place to help you get back or to your desired destination.
If you are a British national outside of the UK and your passport has been lost, stolen, damaged or expired then you can apply for an emergency travel document, or as they are more widely known an ‘emergency passport’. If you can renew or replace your passport before you next need to travel then this should be done instead of obtaining an emergency travel document. For example, if you lose your passport whilst living abroad for a sustained period, the usual protocol of applying for a British passport abroad should be followed.
An emergency travel document allows you to leave the country you are in and travel to your destination via a maximum of 5 countries. For air travel this is obviously an unlikely occurrence but this can be a crucial point if travelling by land via rail or car. In terms of visas, both exit and entry, it is important to check with the embassy or consulate of those countries to determine what documents are needed. The cost of the emergency travel document is £100or the equivalent in local currency.
To apply for your emergency passport firstly you will need to locate your nearest British Embassy, high commission or consulate. An appointment may be needed and the contact details of all British embassies abroad can be found here. In order to receive your emergency passport, the following documents are needed:
- 1 recent passport quality photo
- Completed emergency travel document application form
- Police report if the passport has been stolen or suspected stolen
- Proof of travel plans, e.g flight tickets, booking confirmations
If you are applying on behalf of a child under the age of 16 the following documents are needed in addition to those listed above:
- Your passport
- Written proof that everyone who has parental responsibility for the child agrees to the application
- A photocopy of the passport photo page of those with parental responsibility
Once your application has been lodged the embassy staff will check the eligibility of the application. In most cases the emergency document can be supplied on the same day but it can take longer if circumstances are complex. If you are not eligible for an emergency travel document the reasons why will be explained to you.
Once you have received the ‘emergency passport’ it is important to remember it is only valid for the destinations and dates listed on your travel itinerary. The documents expiry date will be shown. In most cases your existing British passport will be cancelled and your emergency travel documents will be kept by border staff on arrival at your terminal destination. For these reasons it is important to ensure you apply for a new passport as soon as possible on return to the UK.
Trust Rapid British Passports to take away all the stress of your new application. With experience dealing with these precise situations Rapid British passports has the expertise and professionalism to ensure your new passport is ready and with you as quickly as possible. They understand the stress and worry caused by losing your passport and work to ensure a swift resolution to your passport issues.
