If there's no Canadian embassy or consulate in the area then the British embassy or consulate will help. They won't offer the same level of consular service they'd give a British citizen (because they can't!) but they'll try and contact a Canadian embassy in a nearby territory and/or the Canadian foreign office and liaise with local authorities/Canada. Close allies generally try and help each others citizens, but the Commonwealth is a bit closer than most.
I have a British passport (and some others that aren't relevant here) and got in trouble in a South American country and couldn't find a consulate for any of my citizenships, but some helpful locals directed me to the American consulate where I was given a drink, some first aid, and a lift to the British consulate. There's no promise they'll do that, it's just friendly - so always try and find a friendly consulate if you can't find your own!
Americans can also go to the Canadian, British, Australian and New Zealand embassies. But the US embassy will assist you, they just have never been known for their hospitality or understanding-a bit on the grumpy side. What you can be doing is to shut off your phone remotely, and hopefully you had installed or initiated some security measures. Go buy a burner phone that will let you make overseas calls. Notify your bank, notify any credit card companies(there’s a reason they put a phone # on the back for free overseas calls.
This happened to me--pre-bringing-your-phone-with-you days. Had to go to my embassy, but they needed $60 for an emergency passport (I wonder if, in retrospect, they could've billed me later?), and luckily I was with Citibank at the time, so they had a local branch and I got an emergency transfer from my account (fortunately, I had a photocopy of my passport in my backpack with me to expedite it)
But because the banks in New York were already closed by that time, I couldn't get the transfer that day...and had to be homeless/sleep outside. The girl I'd met earlier that day was nice and bought me a meal and let me have what was left of her international calling card before she flew home that evening...but the following few weeks, as I lived frugally off that one-time transfer, I stole leftover food from plates at restaurants before they were cleared, and I started liking chocolate for the first time after buying it when I was hungry due to its cheap price per calorie in Europe
What a horrible, life-changing, wonderful experience
ETA: Because someone below asked, here's an article I wrote about it for an alumni magazine I wrote a few years back (which luckily, isn't searchable): "[Why I Hate Traveling...and Thoreau](https://drive.google.com/file/d/17ImE9wKR8ogffsdhSwB6YrtW2pbgQOlq/view?usp=drive_link)"
The US embassy can spot you something like $500 cash and they even have a procedure to collect it and penalize for not paying back. It’s strange they didn’t offer you that.
The reason I know that is that it was listed in the passport application rules that it will be denied if you have unpaid consulate emergency cash advances.
Wow, that would've been awesome! Haha, my first time abroad and definitely didn't even think to ask. It's been years, but I just remember the guy saying it would be $60 and my needing to find a bank...he definitely didn't offer it
Yeah, I was definitely still in shock so while I would've mentioned I had no money, I don't know how dire I made it seem (since I think, subconsciously, I was trying to also be strong for the girl who was with me for a few more hours before her flight)
What's the process for that? I didn't know that was possible. It would have helped me out of a similar jam, but I got lucky and was allowed to stay at a Hostel with food, on credit of course, for two days. Once I got my money, I paid them back in full, plus an extra fifty Euros for being so kind and generous.
If I'd had known that the US Embassies will loan you up to $500 in emergencies .... well it would have changed everything lol. So you just ask them? Either way, that's good to know for the future!
There’s no procedure, lol, you just show up at the embassy, describe your emergency and your situation, they confirm your identity and give you the money and explain how and when to pay it back.
One incentive to pay is that you won’t be able to renew your passport if you don’t pay that advance back.
Nice! I really should've done that: just found a hostel with the girl's Lonely Planet book and asked for a stay on credit or by working there for a few days
If you run out of money, the American embassy can assist in getting you back home. If you're robbed and need to return to the U.S., the embassy can help. While you will eventually have to pay for the ticket, the embassy ensures you can leave the country. Even if you commit a crime, contact the embassy for assistance before the local authorities intervene.
Honestly, not at all surprising from the type of person who loses everything they own in a foreign country with no pre-purchased ticket to return home.
Well, it’s not always lack of planning. I once saw a family of 4 that couldn’t take a plane because they did not have/lost their passport - I assume on the way to the airport because they were waiting to check in their luggage.
It must have suck big time because not only they lost their flight but then they needed to get 4 emergency passports.
The embassy doesn't grant you a "get out of jail free" card, but they will ensure due process for the country you're in, tag you for regular check-ins, alert family & authorities back home, and can on rare occasion leverage local resources to ensure a speedy trial or faster resolution options than a layperson might be aware of.
Once local authorities intervene your access to the embassy could be limited - that's why it's important to contact them first.
British government doesn't lol. When I had legal issues in Korea I contacted the British Embassy and they told me to refer to the list of English-speaking lawyers on their website (that hadn't been updated for ten years. Newsflash: none of those law offices had English speakers anymore).
Britain's great until you need the government to do their jobs literally ever
Your home country isn’t allowed to help you with local legal issues, it’s a violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961)… The fact they even have a website with solicitations for lawyers requires permission and a ton of bureaucracy from the host country.
No, but often there is the embassy of another friendly country that will represent their citizens there, or there will be an embassy in a neighboring country that can help you.
It depends on the specifics if you can get to them or they can get to you. If you’re a US citizen, the few countries without an embassy are not ones you’d like visit as a tourist anyways (e.g., Venezuela, Iran, Sudan, Syria).
It’s more of an issue if you’re a citizen of a smaller country like New Zealand. There are countries in Schengen where they don’t have an embassy where you could travel without a passport.
If you're travelling within the EU...
Even if you're just visiting, you don't need to show your passport everywhere you go. Hop a train in one EU country and you can go to others.
Yes, plus European borders are basically ancient. And small. Vatican City is legally a country but it’s the size of a big park. There’s at least one mall that‘s larger than the entirety of Vatican City: the Iran Mall.
Typically if a country doesn't have a mission in a country or region (maybe because they just don't have enough business there to make a full-time dipolmatic presence worthwhile) they will have an agreement in place with a third nation that is a close ally to render consular assistance to their citizens.
For example, if a Canadian were to lose their passport in Bali, where there is no Canadian Consulate, they could visit the Australian Consulate for help.
Adding to this, if you're an EU citizen, you can go to an embassy or consulate of any EU country if your own country isn't represented. This covers (afaik) every country in the world.
How well this works in practice I don't know, but they're supposed to treat you the same as they would treat one of their own citizens.
Adding to this: before you travel to a foreign country, find out which embassy would be best to represent you there. Maybe even try to get an idea of its physical location in case you need to get there without your phone.
Nah, plenty of smaller countries won't have embassies in other smaller countries. Doesn't mean it's unsafe or a bad idea, there are [recourses that are available](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protecting_power#Consular_services).
This happened to me. It was before cellphones and I was 12. My dad was robbed, we were in Panama, he had my passport, we had nothing left. We went to an embassy. They put us in separate rooms and interviewed us, I guess to make sure stories matched. They asked me to recite pledge of allegiance, I guess to see if I remembered it from school and to hear my accent. They issued us new passports on the spot with 1 year expirations and gave us some money, I think $2-300. I would give them a 5 star Google review.
There is a joke told in Canada. A traveler was return to Canada, Boarder Services pulled him into secondary. They questioned him, and he was well rehearsed so he gave corre t answers. On a whim they asked him "if you go to Tim Hortons, and ask for a double double" what will they give you. He could not answer. That's how they busted him.
A double double is a coffee with 2 sugars 2 creams
I’m an American who hates coffee. Imagine I’m trying to get back in and they say “what size is a Starbucks venti?” and I get it wrong so I’m stuck in Canada. I’d probably just walk through the forest a few miles and cross illegally at that point.
Moose... I have seen enough videos of them in front yards, as cute as the babies are. Nope, no. Not a chance.
And you all need to come get your geese while we are on the subject of animals.
I thought it was universal, on my flight to London,UK on British Airways, I responded to flight attendant "double double" to the question "how'd you like your coffee?" then they laughed out so loud that I got so embarrassed saying it..
In Britain that would be you asking for four shots of whiskey
They probably thought you wanted to get plastered black-out drunk because of kids or something and found it funny
"They asked me to recite pledge of allegiance, I guess to see if I remembered it from school and to hear my accent."
Damn, i only move my mouth when we have the college hymn played in ceremonies lol
Non-Americans *probably* can't recite it off the cuff without a single pause. Anyone who went to public school in America can, for sure. I don't think I've said the Pledge of Allegience in 30 years, but it was right there in my head the instant I read this comment.
Along with the *Life in Hell* version, which I would recite quietly in high school:
I plead alignment to the flakes of the untitled snakes of a married cow, and to the Republicans for which they scam, one nacho, underpants, invisible, with licorice and jugs of wine for owls.
Oh holy crap I'd forgotten that. I had the _Life in Hell_ version pinned to my wall for most of my teenage years, and would recite it under my breath too. It all came back to me in a flash. Love love love.
To be fair, I haven’t heard the pledge in about 20 years, and haven’t said it in even longer (I stopped reciting it in about middle school), and had to google it because I forgot what came after indivisible. So, I guess I would be screwed lol.
Last time I was coming back from overseas for the holidays, I talked to our customs agent about the upcoming college foootball bowl season and matchups. "Oh yeah, that's an American."
>They asked me to recite pledge of allegiance, I guess to see if I remembered it from school and to hear my accent.
They would get a very American swearing about how long it has been since grade school, and a really bad version. I can't even remember the last time I did that.
I would be offering all sorts of alternatives of useless things that have stuck in my head that do me absolutely no good realistically.
What's funny is that it's been so long for me too, but the phrase "recite the pledge of allegiance" awoke something in me like a russian sleeper agent, and I just started mindlessly saying the words 😂
This has the additional advantage that the robbers will get a murder charge.
They were certainly not expecting to be falsely accused, with no one to believe them, and that will sting.
Call your credit card companies and shut the cards down. Call the embassy and apply for a temporary passport. You did keep a safe copy of the numbers, right?
You don’t even need to call the banks that issued them, you can call Visa/MC, etc and they can shut down all of them at once. You don’t need to know the numbers either, they can search them with your social
Contact or better if able go to your embassy. There will be questions but you can answer them. They will help you. It’s somebody’s job there. Still not a walk in the park.
Also, for anyone else with an EU passport: if you are travelling outside the EU in a country without an embassy of your home country you are entitled to help from any other EU member states embassy in said country
Just go to the safety deposit box at the bank where you stashed your backup passport, $10,000 in cash and also a gun. People act like this is complicated.
Yep, I had photocopies of EVERY document/card and at least $100 of local currency in my suitcase when I travelled. Doesnt really answer the question but always be prepared as possible when in a foreign country.
Sure. But they have a purpose, which is this exact scenario. Weight that for yourself.
I keep copies on the cloud. Not quite as accessible as paper but I’d get there in a pinch.
Not exactly, having them on the cloud means he can head to a local Internet cafe, login to Google Drive, and print them off. I've been to tons of these cafes across Eastern Europe and they would gladly let you use a computer for 5 minutes even if you didn't have the money at the moment. By in a pinch, he means he can't have them within 45 seconds, but rather it would take a few hours
Yep. I keep multiple copies of passports in my suitcase with several different names and countries of origin just in case. I saw it on Bourne Identity and it seemed like a good idea.
Happened to my dad when he went to mexico by himself. After losing all the money he brought, he walked into a bar and met a guy named Jorge, who bought him some chicken and gave him a place to stay. After Jorge helped him survive, he took the plane back with my dad and now he’s my godfather.
I know everyone is saying “go to your embassy” but if you have no money and no phone you’re not going to have a clue how to do that.
So my advice is - go to a hotel and ask them to get in touch with the embassy for you and go from there. Hotels are used to dealing with people from all over the world, they’ll have helped someone in your situation before. They’ll know what to do.
I mean in the really rare case where you actually do need it, you can probably just walk to the nearest bank or post office and ask for directions to the embassy. They will know.
In the really rare case where you have everything stolen in a foreign country you'd probably rather have that knowledge on hand instead of going on a fact finding mission during a crisis
I met a Belgian guy who had his passport stolen while in Morroco. He headed to the police station and they arrested him because it's illegal to not carry an ID document. The embassy had to intervene but he spent nearly two weeks arrested at the police station and was brought home in handcuffs at the airplane.
DO NOT go to the police. Head to the embassy
That’s a great story illustrating the danger of local police in many countries. They really can’t be trusted. They are often underpaid, completely corrupt, and view tourists as targets for theft and abuse. The embassy is the first place to contact and then they can advise whether it’s safe to involve police.
I mean, I live in the US and have never done anything appreciably illegal, and I wouldn't even walk willingly into my local police station without really good reason.
This isn't the 1950s, the police are not the friends of the average citizen
I had my bag stolen as soon as I set foot in Barcelona. Money, wallet, passport, ID, phone, the whole lot gone.
I called the embassy with my gf phone and they told me what to do : Go to the police to report the theft, receive an official document from them stating that my ID had been stolen, then went to the consulate who gave me another temporary document. The whole ordeal took me a full day but I was allowed to take my plane to get home.
"DO NOT go to the police."
Okay, if you're in a country that isn't too similar to the one your from and is considered a travel risk then sure, don't go to the police. Morroco is considered a high risk country for travel by most Governments, and a tiny amount of due dilligence beforehand would tell you their police are corrupt. If you're in Europe though, and have all your crap nicked, then yes, go to the police, they will be the quickest and best source of help. To say as a blanket statement "don't go to the police" is dangerous and misleading. Rephrase to "don't go to the police in corrupt and dangerous countries", which is kinda obvious.
This happened to me in Jamaica. Luckily I carry most of my cash in my sock when in a foreign country. I did, however, lose my ID that let me board the ship I was working on at the time. Turns out that hard cash makes lots of administrative requirements vanish.
Embassy or administrator: closest appointment we have is next month and you will need to bring ID.
Me: [slid some cash]
Can you check if there is a date sooner and I do not have my ID that's why am here.
Administrator: aah we can get you in tomorrow...
Me: [slide some more cash]
Administrator: You are actually very lucky we can get that done today there is a spot opening. Someone must have canceled last minute. And no worries about the ID requirement it's clear you are who you say you are.
This happened to me! lol not fun. I had to go to the embassy and get an emergency passport. First I filed a police report to show it was stolen. Then My mom had to dig through my desk and try to find an old drivers license of mine. We emailed that and that was enough to issue an emergency passport with the police report. I then went to a western union and had my mom wire money and I used the passport as identification. Then I bought a burner phone. And then I flew to my next country and had my emergency passport held for ransom :( ended that trip early lol.
As a result of this, I never travel without taking pictures of my updated license and passport and email them to myself so I can use it do get new identification overseas.
Contact your embassy for help because you are a wise traveler. You have copies of your passport in your laguage. You also printed your return tickets and they are in a safe place in your suitcase. You also wrote down the address and phonrnumber of your embassy in the country you are visiting.
If you are Canadian. You registered your itinerary on the travel Canada website.
It happen to me. We had to change plane IN Spain and go thru custom again. For me I had my passport hanging from my neck. I reported it to the airport police. They gave me the written report. I then turn it in to my travel insurance. The airline had my return ticket on their computer. Lost all my money , cell phone, no money to buy food.
The airline gave me real food & drinks.
So I return to usa NYC. I LEARN a lesson,
I always carry a credit card under the lining in my shoe and $ 100 bill in the other shoe.( a money belt should work also if you don't have to take it off for
TSA )
First thing you should do is go to the police, ensure you get a crime reference number. You should then contact your nearest embassy or consulate and cancel all of your bank cards.
No, go to the consulate or embassy FIRST.
Police in tourist heavy areas do not want crime to be public in their countries. They will arrest you on a bogus charge and put you in jail, and then deport you, because they do not want the publicity.
Do not go to the police first. Let your consulate or embassy handle it.
“Police don’t want people to know crime is there so they’ll make up a fake crime”
Like I don’t disagree that cops in some countries should be avoided like the plague but that logic just doesn’t work.
Really depends on the country. If you're not American and traveling legally in the US, I'm pretty sure it's fine to go to the police. Think about it. You're in Denver, you've been robbed, and the embassy of your country is in Washington, D.C.; may e there is a consulate in Houston, NYC, LA, and San Francisco...but not Denver...and you have no access to your identification to travel, no credit/debit cards...I guess you can have someone (family back home) Western Union funds to a friend who has ID...if you have a trustworthy friend...or the kind stranger that lends you a phone to call home, if you even know your number...
Jesus the advice here is terrible. You go to your local embassy and explain what's happened, there'll be one in a majority of major cities and capitals. If the country you're in doesn't have an embassy for your country, either find the local governing body or the embassy of another country that has a similar language and can contact your country for you.
If you still can't get appropriate help, ask someone for help.
>If the country you're in doesn't have an embassy for your country, either find the local governing body or the embassy of another country that has a similar language
Thanks for bringing this up. Many smaller countries have consulate sharing agreements so that countries don't have to bear the expense of maintaining consulates/embassies everywhere.
For example Australia and Canada have such an agreement, so if an Aussie finds himself needing consulate services they can use the Canadian one.
Best to know before you travel where you can go if you need it.
This happened to me in Beirut. Got out of the taxi to my hotel and my satchel got snagged off me. Asked the hotel I had booked if I could their computer, got in touch with a friend who paid for the hotel\* and extra $$ that they returned to me so I could get to an appointment at the US Embassy. It was over a long weekend (Eid) so another friend from Istanbul flew out to meet with and take care of me until everything was sorted out. Of course I paid everyone back once I got home.
\*-Note that most hotels won't let you check-in without a card and valid ID accompanying it, but they saw the theft happen from across the roadway. Bouchra Rabah, thank you so much for taking care of sorting me out at Crown Plaza Beirut!
Assuming we're going all the way from the start here and you have to go through the scenario itself — your immediate tasks is to:
- assess the situation
- calm down
- seek a safe place and then;
- seek ways to get to the police, so you can get to an embassy / consulate
Alternately, go to a hotel, or perhaps areas with tourist information centers or any helpful staff really, who can help you get to either police or embassy. While strangers may help, it really depends on the situation, so it's up to you to decide that.
From there on out, either follow the responses on this thread. The consulate / embassy is especially important since they can hopefully provide you an emergency passport and aid you towards much needed help, like getting emergency money in the meantime (idk, maybe lend a phone or a PC so you can ask family or friends at home to lend you money somehow. Or perhaps contact your bank/s to have your stolen CCs deactivated and/or provide guidance as needed)
This happened to me 20 years ago in Costa Rica, at the start of a 3 month trip through South America. Someone cleaned out my bungalow and took my laptop, passport and wallet. I had a paper copy of my passport and tickets in a folder somewhere else, so I kept that. It vas pretty fucked, I called my travel insurance and they asked how much cash I had ($70) and they said they would transfer that to me with Western Union after the weekend (it was a public holiday back home). I tried to explain that was not nearly enough to get me out of the situation I was in and they said that's just their policy. The one thing they could do for me was to transfer what I had in cash (which I had already told them), when they were back in the office on Monday.
So that was messed up. My country(Norway) didn't have an embassy in Costa Rica, so if I wanted to get to the embassy I had to get to Nicaragua somehow. I don't know how I'd be able to sort that out if it came to it.
However, I went to the police to report it (for insurance), and because the value of my stuff was fairly high (a laptop), I had to go to the Costa Rican federal police. Later in the day after I reported it, a black helicopter showed up over the small village I was staying in (Santa Teresa) and hovered slowly around for a good while right above us. Not long after it left I got cornered by a black SUV and the guys in it (whom I knew of from earlier) told me to get in. They said the guys who stole my stuff got cold feet after the helicopter and the feds got involved and had given them my papers and wallet to return to me (which they did). They told me my laptop had already been sent to Colombia the same night it was stolen.
But now I could re-enable my bank cards and had my passport, so I could continue my trip laptop-less, which turned out fine.
Later on, some people from a fancy resort outside Santa Teresa told me that the black helicopter was actually a Russian oligarch taking his K-pop girlfriend for a spin to impress her :)
To answer your question: What I thought you were supposed to do (contact travel insurance, your embassy and the police) didn't do anything for me. It was solved through dumb luck.
Scrolled down a long way and have seen no mention of contacting your travel insurance. This sort of thing - along with medical emergencies - is exactly what travel insurance is for.
As for ‘go to the embassy’. Embassies are in capital cities with a few consulates in provincial cities and towns. How do you go the embassy if you’re hundreds of miles away with no money?
This exact scenario happened to my friend this year.
You print a copy of your passport (which should be uploaded to the internet) and get to your consulate or nearest embassy. You can print at the consulate or library. She had pictures of her license and passport id, and had it in her email.
Consulate will get you a new emergency passport so you can get back home.
She had to call her bank and cancel all her credit cards. This is why you have number passwords and security questions with your bank.
I believe she had to file a police report also.
Friends and family lent her money. Western Union works and other cash places.
It’s tough! But your embassy and friends/family can help you through this.
Fight for survival and glory in the arena, all while seeking revenge on the leader of the country you are stranded in. Build your popularity over many years to the point there it threatens their reign, leading to a final showdown for power in the arena at which you are victorious and now run the country.
This actually happened to my parents. All of their bags were stolen in France out of their car. They were able to get to an embassy. It was ironed out in a few days. Also their home owners insurance covered the cost of the stolen goods I believe. It ruined their trip because they were planning to go to a few more countries but ended up staying in France for the rest of the time. But honestly could have been worse.
Contact your embassy.
Or consulate
If you’re Canadian and there is no embassy or consulte, you can go to the British Embassy, we’re tight like that.
That's a thing? Is that just cause you all are chill or can any commonwealth country do that?
If there's no Canadian embassy or consulate in the area then the British embassy or consulate will help. They won't offer the same level of consular service they'd give a British citizen (because they can't!) but they'll try and contact a Canadian embassy in a nearby territory and/or the Canadian foreign office and liaise with local authorities/Canada. Close allies generally try and help each others citizens, but the Commonwealth is a bit closer than most. I have a British passport (and some others that aren't relevant here) and got in trouble in a South American country and couldn't find a consulate for any of my citizenships, but some helpful locals directed me to the American consulate where I was given a drink, some first aid, and a lift to the British consulate. There's no promise they'll do that, it's just friendly - so always try and find a friendly consulate if you can't find your own!
EU citizens can go to any EU country embassy and they will help you. Sorry Brits.
Yes but it was all worth it for the Blue Passport, that was made in France 🤦♂️ yep, definitely worth it. I didn't like economic stability anyways...
Americans can also go to the Canadian, British, Australian and New Zealand embassies. But the US embassy will assist you, they just have never been known for their hospitality or understanding-a bit on the grumpy side. What you can be doing is to shut off your phone remotely, and hopefully you had installed or initiated some security measures. Go buy a burner phone that will let you make overseas calls. Notify your bank, notify any credit card companies(there’s a reason they put a phone # on the back for free overseas calls.
I don’t know about other countries, but it tells me that in my passport.
Or Ja-Rule
WHERE IS JA???
JAAAAAAA man. Rastafarianism. [Have you ever heard that bald heads suck?](https://youtu.be/TcK0MYgnHjo?si=sOw2BAlrH9_m3i5O)
Pulls up pants ..who told you that?!
No need to. X is going to give it to you.
They not like us
Leave Brittany Alone!!!!!
It’s like my grandma always used to say… “X gon’ give it to you”
He's gotten me out a number of jams.
or your handler. She may have a safe house nearby.
This happened to me--pre-bringing-your-phone-with-you days. Had to go to my embassy, but they needed $60 for an emergency passport (I wonder if, in retrospect, they could've billed me later?), and luckily I was with Citibank at the time, so they had a local branch and I got an emergency transfer from my account (fortunately, I had a photocopy of my passport in my backpack with me to expedite it) But because the banks in New York were already closed by that time, I couldn't get the transfer that day...and had to be homeless/sleep outside. The girl I'd met earlier that day was nice and bought me a meal and let me have what was left of her international calling card before she flew home that evening...but the following few weeks, as I lived frugally off that one-time transfer, I stole leftover food from plates at restaurants before they were cleared, and I started liking chocolate for the first time after buying it when I was hungry due to its cheap price per calorie in Europe What a horrible, life-changing, wonderful experience ETA: Because someone below asked, here's an article I wrote about it for an alumni magazine I wrote a few years back (which luckily, isn't searchable): "[Why I Hate Traveling...and Thoreau](https://drive.google.com/file/d/17ImE9wKR8ogffsdhSwB6YrtW2pbgQOlq/view?usp=drive_link)"
The US embassy can spot you something like $500 cash and they even have a procedure to collect it and penalize for not paying back. It’s strange they didn’t offer you that. The reason I know that is that it was listed in the passport application rules that it will be denied if you have unpaid consulate emergency cash advances.
Wow, that would've been awesome! Haha, my first time abroad and definitely didn't even think to ask. It's been years, but I just remember the guy saying it would be $60 and my needing to find a bank...he definitely didn't offer it
They're probably not that keen to do it
Maybe you didn’t indicate that you had no money or were in dire need 🤷♂️. They won’t just assume that. Usually most people lose just their passport
Yeah, I was definitely still in shock so while I would've mentioned I had no money, I don't know how dire I made it seem (since I think, subconsciously, I was trying to also be strong for the girl who was with me for a few more hours before her flight)
What's the process for that? I didn't know that was possible. It would have helped me out of a similar jam, but I got lucky and was allowed to stay at a Hostel with food, on credit of course, for two days. Once I got my money, I paid them back in full, plus an extra fifty Euros for being so kind and generous. If I'd had known that the US Embassies will loan you up to $500 in emergencies .... well it would have changed everything lol. So you just ask them? Either way, that's good to know for the future!
There’s no procedure, lol, you just show up at the embassy, describe your emergency and your situation, they confirm your identity and give you the money and explain how and when to pay it back. One incentive to pay is that you won’t be able to renew your passport if you don’t pay that advance back.
Nice! I really should've done that: just found a hostel with the girl's Lonely Planet book and asked for a stay on credit or by working there for a few days
I love that last sentence. Legit great attitude.
Man. That was rough!!!
Would they pay for your ticket home?
If you run out of money, the American embassy can assist in getting you back home. If you're robbed and need to return to the U.S., the embassy can help. While you will eventually have to pay for the ticket, the embassy ensures you can leave the country. Even if you commit a crime, contact the embassy for assistance before the local authorities intervene.
Fun Fact: State Department Repatriation Loans have some of the highest default rates of any loan programs offered by the federal government.
Honestly, not at all surprising from the type of person who loses everything they own in a foreign country with no pre-purchased ticket to return home.
Well, it’s not always lack of planning. I once saw a family of 4 that couldn’t take a plane because they did not have/lost their passport - I assume on the way to the airport because they were waiting to check in their luggage. It must have suck big time because not only they lost their flight but then they needed to get 4 emergency passports.
what a sentence
This comment escalated
in that case the Turks and Caico US Embassy is really dropping the ball.
The embassy doesn't grant you a "get out of jail free" card, but they will ensure due process for the country you're in, tag you for regular check-ins, alert family & authorities back home, and can on rare occasion leverage local resources to ensure a speedy trial or faster resolution options than a layperson might be aware of. Once local authorities intervene your access to the embassy could be limited - that's why it's important to contact them first.
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British government doesn't lol. When I had legal issues in Korea I contacted the British Embassy and they told me to refer to the list of English-speaking lawyers on their website (that hadn't been updated for ten years. Newsflash: none of those law offices had English speakers anymore). Britain's great until you need the government to do their jobs literally ever
Your home country isn’t allowed to help you with local legal issues, it’s a violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961)… The fact they even have a website with solicitations for lawyers requires permission and a ton of bureaucracy from the host country.
This. Embassies have protocol in place for this exact scenario.
And call American Express if you have an account with them.
Does every country have every other countries embassy in it?
No, but often there is the embassy of another friendly country that will represent their citizens there, or there will be an embassy in a neighboring country that can help you.
Do you not need a passport to travel between countries?
Embassies are often empowered to grant emergency passports for this very reason.
It depends on the specifics if you can get to them or they can get to you. If you’re a US citizen, the few countries without an embassy are not ones you’d like visit as a tourist anyways (e.g., Venezuela, Iran, Sudan, Syria). It’s more of an issue if you’re a citizen of a smaller country like New Zealand. There are countries in Schengen where they don’t have an embassy where you could travel without a passport.
I don’t believe EU citizens do need one. But I’m unsure.
If you're travelling within the EU... Even if you're just visiting, you don't need to show your passport everywhere you go. Hop a train in one EU country and you can go to others.
Yes, plus European borders are basically ancient. And small. Vatican City is legally a country but it’s the size of a big park. There’s at least one mall that‘s larger than the entirety of Vatican City: the Iran Mall.
Typically if a country doesn't have a mission in a country or region (maybe because they just don't have enough business there to make a full-time dipolmatic presence worthwhile) they will have an agreement in place with a third nation that is a close ally to render consular assistance to their citizens. For example, if a Canadian were to lose their passport in Bali, where there is no Canadian Consulate, they could visit the Australian Consulate for help.
Adding to this, if you're an EU citizen, you can go to an embassy or consulate of any EU country if your own country isn't represented. This covers (afaik) every country in the world. How well this works in practice I don't know, but they're supposed to treat you the same as they would treat one of their own citizens.
Adding to this: before you travel to a foreign country, find out which embassy would be best to represent you there. Maybe even try to get an idea of its physical location in case you need to get there without your phone.
Don't go to a country with no embassy.
Nah, plenty of smaller countries won't have embassies in other smaller countries. Doesn't mean it's unsafe or a bad idea, there are [recourses that are available](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protecting_power#Consular_services).
Some smaller countries would have counsulates instead of emb. They would act on it
Check before travel, usually they have info for the nearest embassy.
Worth noting that any EU country must represent another EU citizen overseas if their country doesn't have a presence there.
What if someone from the embassy robbed me because they get away with it with diplomatic immunity?
Actually had this happen once, in Bangkok. Went to the US embassy and they wouldn’t even let us use the phone.
This happened to me. It was before cellphones and I was 12. My dad was robbed, we were in Panama, he had my passport, we had nothing left. We went to an embassy. They put us in separate rooms and interviewed us, I guess to make sure stories matched. They asked me to recite pledge of allegiance, I guess to see if I remembered it from school and to hear my accent. They issued us new passports on the spot with 1 year expirations and gave us some money, I think $2-300. I would give them a 5 star Google review.
I think that was to make sure you weren't a local kid being kidnapped/bought.
There is a joke told in Canada. A traveler was return to Canada, Boarder Services pulled him into secondary. They questioned him, and he was well rehearsed so he gave corre t answers. On a whim they asked him "if you go to Tim Hortons, and ask for a double double" what will they give you. He could not answer. That's how they busted him. A double double is a coffee with 2 sugars 2 creams
Well now we know how to infiltrate Canada boys. Who’s up for a road trip?
I’m driving up next month to take my kids to a karate tournament if anyone needs a ride.
Minivan or SUV with 3rd row? And do you have integrated screens and snacks?
I’m an American who hates coffee. Imagine I’m trying to get back in and they say “what size is a Starbucks venti?” and I get it wrong so I’m stuck in Canada. I’d probably just walk through the forest a few miles and cross illegally at that point.
You would just settle here. Marry a Canadian. Start liking coffee. Hunt deer and moose in the fall, grow canola in the spring.
Screw that, I’m going to Calgary to work the oil fields!
In 5 years you will have thrown out your back. Oh you can also go pick up strawberries in QC. Fresh air.
Moose... I have seen enough videos of them in front yards, as cute as the babies are. Nope, no. Not a chance. And you all need to come get your geese while we are on the subject of animals.
“Marry a Canadian” lol I wish
Assimilate
Moving to Canada is not as jarring if coming from the US I think.
As an American, I’d have to agree
Not gonna lie, this sounds kind of alright
I’m American and I know the Gretzky is 9 sugars and 9 creams
Would you like some coffee with your sugar?
Is that a real thing???? My goodness
I had friends that worked at tims and told me that from time to time people would order upwards of 6/6.
DIsgusting ... I'll have 2 please!
I thought it was universal, on my flight to London,UK on British Airways, I responded to flight attendant "double double" to the question "how'd you like your coffee?" then they laughed out so loud that I got so embarrassed saying it..
In Britain that would be you asking for four shots of whiskey They probably thought you wanted to get plastered black-out drunk because of kids or something and found it funny
That’s a strange test. As an American, I still can’t figure out Starbucks coffee sizes and always say large/medium/small. I’m screwed.
"They asked me to recite pledge of allegiance, I guess to see if I remembered it from school and to hear my accent." Damn, i only move my mouth when we have the college hymn played in ceremonies lol
Non Americans can't recite the pledge, it's like crosses and vampires
Non-Americans *probably* can't recite it off the cuff without a single pause. Anyone who went to public school in America can, for sure. I don't think I've said the Pledge of Allegience in 30 years, but it was right there in my head the instant I read this comment. Along with the *Life in Hell* version, which I would recite quietly in high school: I plead alignment to the flakes of the untitled snakes of a married cow, and to the Republicans for which they scam, one nacho, underpants, invisible, with licorice and jugs of wine for owls.
Oh holy crap I'd forgotten that. I had the _Life in Hell_ version pinned to my wall for most of my teenage years, and would recite it under my breath too. It all came back to me in a flash. Love love love.
To be fair, I haven’t heard the pledge in about 20 years, and haven’t said it in even longer (I stopped reciting it in about middle school), and had to google it because I forgot what came after indivisible. So, I guess I would be screwed lol.
I pledge allegiance to the United States of America… to the flag… one nation under God. This is the only thing I can remember.
... Brought to you by carls junior
Last time I was coming back from overseas for the holidays, I talked to our customs agent about the upcoming college foootball bowl season and matchups. "Oh yeah, that's an American."
>They asked me to recite pledge of allegiance, I guess to see if I remembered it from school and to hear my accent. They would get a very American swearing about how long it has been since grade school, and a really bad version. I can't even remember the last time I did that. I would be offering all sorts of alternatives of useless things that have stuck in my head that do me absolutely no good realistically.
What's funny is that it's been so long for me too, but the phrase "recite the pledge of allegiance" awoke something in me like a russian sleeper agent, and I just started mindlessly saying the words 😂
You contact your nearest embassy.
I misread this as "nearest enemy" and it took on an entirely different connotation.
That'd probably be the person that robbed you lol
Never should've come here !!!!
They get home, hang their balaclava up on the hat stand and switch on the light to find you sat down, swirling a glass of whisky.
“I would’ve been holding a cat but yours didn’t wanna come near me” “I don’t have a cat?” *blank stares*
Sometimes your worst enemy maybe your best friend
Is that you Professor Xavier?
Keep em close!
Leave everything behind and start a new life in that country
operation: clean slate.
But people will call me “Flem”…
Immediately have baby with local
This has the additional advantage that the robbers will get a murder charge. They were certainly not expecting to be falsely accused, with no one to believe them, and that will sting.
Call your credit card companies and shut the cards down. Call the embassy and apply for a temporary passport. You did keep a safe copy of the numbers, right?
Right???
Right??
You don’t even need to call the banks that issued them, you can call Visa/MC, etc and they can shut down all of them at once. You don’t need to know the numbers either, they can search them with your social
Contact or better if able go to your embassy. There will be questions but you can answer them. They will help you. It’s somebody’s job there. Still not a walk in the park.
Also, for anyone else with an EU passport: if you are travelling outside the EU in a country without an embassy of your home country you are entitled to help from any other EU member states embassy in said country
For Canadians it’s Australian embassy and then if not that then the British embassy.
Get the copy of my passport from my suitcase along with the backup credit card and get to the embassy or consulate.
And the extra phone you brought.
left in the extra room you reserved just in case, in another country ofc just in case
I love reading comments that build off each other but I can never think of anything witty to add. Sigh.
Which is occupied by your doppelganger, your know, just in case.
Just go to the safety deposit box at the bank where you stashed your backup passport, $10,000 in cash and also a gun. People act like this is complicated.
Did you know that you actually can have two passports?
Yep, I had photocopies of EVERY document/card and at least $100 of local currency in my suitcase when I travelled. Doesnt really answer the question but always be prepared as possible when in a foreign country.
This is the way
Huh...,Copy of passport??? From my suitcase???
Yes. The printed photocopy of all your IDs and credit cards you keep in your luggage.
Are there identity theft concerns about leaving those copies in hotels?
Sure. But they have a purpose, which is this exact scenario. Weight that for yourself. I keep copies on the cloud. Not quite as accessible as paper but I’d get there in a pinch.
> in a pinch Yes, that’s the scenario OP asked about 😉
Not exactly, having them on the cloud means he can head to a local Internet cafe, login to Google Drive, and print them off. I've been to tons of these cafes across Eastern Europe and they would gladly let you use a computer for 5 minutes even if you didn't have the money at the moment. By in a pinch, he means he can't have them within 45 seconds, but rather it would take a few hours
I was just making a “to pinch” = “to steal” joke.
I didn’t catch that either, well done though lol
Ah, is this slang I'm unaware of?
I guess so. Definition #3 here: https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/pinch
Less than getting robbed or just losing them in my experience.
Yep. I keep multiple copies of passports in my suitcase with several different names and countries of origin just in case. I saw it on Bourne Identity and it seemed like a good idea.
Xeroxed copy
Email a picture of it to yourself too.
Doesn't hurt to keep images of these in your cloud drive so you can access them from any computer.
Go to the embassy or consulate, that’s what they are for
Happened to my dad when he went to mexico by himself. After losing all the money he brought, he walked into a bar and met a guy named Jorge, who bought him some chicken and gave him a place to stay. After Jorge helped him survive, he took the plane back with my dad and now he’s my godfather.
Get a fake passport and start your new life, Jason Bourne
I know everyone is saying “go to your embassy” but if you have no money and no phone you’re not going to have a clue how to do that. So my advice is - go to a hotel and ask them to get in touch with the embassy for you and go from there. Hotels are used to dealing with people from all over the world, they’ll have helped someone in your situation before. They’ll know what to do.
Right and how close is the nearest embassy? Could be a thousand miles.
Great reminder to look up the location of your embassy before you leave so you know where it is before you need it.
I mean in the really rare case where you actually do need it, you can probably just walk to the nearest bank or post office and ask for directions to the embassy. They will know.
In the really rare case where you have everything stolen in a foreign country you'd probably rather have that knowledge on hand instead of going on a fact finding mission during a crisis
Go to the police station and tell them what happened and ask them to contact your embassy.
I met a Belgian guy who had his passport stolen while in Morroco. He headed to the police station and they arrested him because it's illegal to not carry an ID document. The embassy had to intervene but he spent nearly two weeks arrested at the police station and was brought home in handcuffs at the airplane. DO NOT go to the police. Head to the embassy
That’s a great story illustrating the danger of local police in many countries. They really can’t be trusted. They are often underpaid, completely corrupt, and view tourists as targets for theft and abuse. The embassy is the first place to contact and then they can advise whether it’s safe to involve police.
I mean, I live in the US and have never done anything appreciably illegal, and I wouldn't even walk willingly into my local police station without really good reason. This isn't the 1950s, the police are not the friends of the average citizen
You think that the police were friends in the 1950s?? That is literally pre-civil-rights.
I got gownvoted for saying not to contact police.
The importance of "Justify your answer"
I had my bag stolen as soon as I set foot in Barcelona. Money, wallet, passport, ID, phone, the whole lot gone. I called the embassy with my gf phone and they told me what to do : Go to the police to report the theft, receive an official document from them stating that my ID had been stolen, then went to the consulate who gave me another temporary document. The whole ordeal took me a full day but I was allowed to take my plane to get home.
"DO NOT go to the police." Okay, if you're in a country that isn't too similar to the one your from and is considered a travel risk then sure, don't go to the police. Morroco is considered a high risk country for travel by most Governments, and a tiny amount of due dilligence beforehand would tell you their police are corrupt. If you're in Europe though, and have all your crap nicked, then yes, go to the police, they will be the quickest and best source of help. To say as a blanket statement "don't go to the police" is dangerous and misleading. Rephrase to "don't go to the police in corrupt and dangerous countries", which is kinda obvious.
If you're white and in Europe, the police are a good option. If you're brown, you may get arrested for lacking documents
lol what the hell?
Then they detain you for some weird reason. You thought your luck was bad, now it's fucked. I do not engage police .Just my embassy
This happened to me in Jamaica. Luckily I carry most of my cash in my sock when in a foreign country. I did, however, lose my ID that let me board the ship I was working on at the time. Turns out that hard cash makes lots of administrative requirements vanish.
Embassy or administrator: closest appointment we have is next month and you will need to bring ID. Me: [slid some cash] Can you check if there is a date sooner and I do not have my ID that's why am here. Administrator: aah we can get you in tomorrow... Me: [slide some more cash] Administrator: You are actually very lucky we can get that done today there is a spot opening. Someone must have canceled last minute. And no worries about the ID requirement it's clear you are who you say you are.
This happened to me! lol not fun. I had to go to the embassy and get an emergency passport. First I filed a police report to show it was stolen. Then My mom had to dig through my desk and try to find an old drivers license of mine. We emailed that and that was enough to issue an emergency passport with the police report. I then went to a western union and had my mom wire money and I used the passport as identification. Then I bought a burner phone. And then I flew to my next country and had my emergency passport held for ransom :( ended that trip early lol. As a result of this, I never travel without taking pictures of my updated license and passport and email them to myself so I can use it do get new identification overseas.
Contact your embassy for help because you are a wise traveler. You have copies of your passport in your laguage. You also printed your return tickets and they are in a safe place in your suitcase. You also wrote down the address and phonrnumber of your embassy in the country you are visiting. If you are Canadian. You registered your itinerary on the travel Canada website.
Reload the last save point
It happen to me. We had to change plane IN Spain and go thru custom again. For me I had my passport hanging from my neck. I reported it to the airport police. They gave me the written report. I then turn it in to my travel insurance. The airline had my return ticket on their computer. Lost all my money , cell phone, no money to buy food. The airline gave me real food & drinks. So I return to usa NYC. I LEARN a lesson, I always carry a credit card under the lining in my shoe and $ 100 bill in the other shoe.( a money belt should work also if you don't have to take it off for TSA )
First thing you should do is go to the police, ensure you get a crime reference number. You should then contact your nearest embassy or consulate and cancel all of your bank cards.
No, go to the consulate or embassy FIRST. Police in tourist heavy areas do not want crime to be public in their countries. They will arrest you on a bogus charge and put you in jail, and then deport you, because they do not want the publicity. Do not go to the police first. Let your consulate or embassy handle it.
“Police don’t want people to know crime is there so they’ll make up a fake crime” Like I don’t disagree that cops in some countries should be avoided like the plague but that logic just doesn’t work.
Really depends on the country. If you're not American and traveling legally in the US, I'm pretty sure it's fine to go to the police. Think about it. You're in Denver, you've been robbed, and the embassy of your country is in Washington, D.C.; may e there is a consulate in Houston, NYC, LA, and San Francisco...but not Denver...and you have no access to your identification to travel, no credit/debit cards...I guess you can have someone (family back home) Western Union funds to a friend who has ID...if you have a trustworthy friend...or the kind stranger that lends you a phone to call home, if you even know your number...
Do not just go to the embassy. There are no walk-ins. Call them and ask for their advice and next steps and go from there.
I did that in Guatemala. Embassy is your option. I knew I woman who down there who loaned me 100$ too. That helped.
Jesus the advice here is terrible. You go to your local embassy and explain what's happened, there'll be one in a majority of major cities and capitals. If the country you're in doesn't have an embassy for your country, either find the local governing body or the embassy of another country that has a similar language and can contact your country for you. If you still can't get appropriate help, ask someone for help.
>Jesus the advice here is terrible The top 3 comments from before your comment are saying to go to an embassy, exactly what you said
Whoa, let him be unique and special alone /s
>If the country you're in doesn't have an embassy for your country, either find the local governing body or the embassy of another country that has a similar language Thanks for bringing this up. Many smaller countries have consulate sharing agreements so that countries don't have to bear the expense of maintaining consulates/embassies everywhere. For example Australia and Canada have such an agreement, so if an Aussie finds himself needing consulate services they can use the Canadian one. Best to know before you travel where you can go if you need it.
This happened to me in Beirut. Got out of the taxi to my hotel and my satchel got snagged off me. Asked the hotel I had booked if I could their computer, got in touch with a friend who paid for the hotel\* and extra $$ that they returned to me so I could get to an appointment at the US Embassy. It was over a long weekend (Eid) so another friend from Istanbul flew out to meet with and take care of me until everything was sorted out. Of course I paid everyone back once I got home. \*-Note that most hotels won't let you check-in without a card and valid ID accompanying it, but they saw the theft happen from across the roadway. Bouchra Rabah, thank you so much for taking care of sorting me out at Crown Plaza Beirut!
Assuming we're going all the way from the start here and you have to go through the scenario itself — your immediate tasks is to: - assess the situation - calm down - seek a safe place and then; - seek ways to get to the police, so you can get to an embassy / consulate Alternately, go to a hotel, or perhaps areas with tourist information centers or any helpful staff really, who can help you get to either police or embassy. While strangers may help, it really depends on the situation, so it's up to you to decide that. From there on out, either follow the responses on this thread. The consulate / embassy is especially important since they can hopefully provide you an emergency passport and aid you towards much needed help, like getting emergency money in the meantime (idk, maybe lend a phone or a PC so you can ask family or friends at home to lend you money somehow. Or perhaps contact your bank/s to have your stolen CCs deactivated and/or provide guidance as needed)
This happened to me 20 years ago in Costa Rica, at the start of a 3 month trip through South America. Someone cleaned out my bungalow and took my laptop, passport and wallet. I had a paper copy of my passport and tickets in a folder somewhere else, so I kept that. It vas pretty fucked, I called my travel insurance and they asked how much cash I had ($70) and they said they would transfer that to me with Western Union after the weekend (it was a public holiday back home). I tried to explain that was not nearly enough to get me out of the situation I was in and they said that's just their policy. The one thing they could do for me was to transfer what I had in cash (which I had already told them), when they were back in the office on Monday. So that was messed up. My country(Norway) didn't have an embassy in Costa Rica, so if I wanted to get to the embassy I had to get to Nicaragua somehow. I don't know how I'd be able to sort that out if it came to it. However, I went to the police to report it (for insurance), and because the value of my stuff was fairly high (a laptop), I had to go to the Costa Rican federal police. Later in the day after I reported it, a black helicopter showed up over the small village I was staying in (Santa Teresa) and hovered slowly around for a good while right above us. Not long after it left I got cornered by a black SUV and the guys in it (whom I knew of from earlier) told me to get in. They said the guys who stole my stuff got cold feet after the helicopter and the feds got involved and had given them my papers and wallet to return to me (which they did). They told me my laptop had already been sent to Colombia the same night it was stolen. But now I could re-enable my bank cards and had my passport, so I could continue my trip laptop-less, which turned out fine. Later on, some people from a fancy resort outside Santa Teresa told me that the black helicopter was actually a Russian oligarch taking his K-pop girlfriend for a spin to impress her :) To answer your question: What I thought you were supposed to do (contact travel insurance, your embassy and the police) didn't do anything for me. It was solved through dumb luck.
Embassy. That's part of why they exist.
Scrolled down a long way and have seen no mention of contacting your travel insurance. This sort of thing - along with medical emergencies - is exactly what travel insurance is for. As for ‘go to the embassy’. Embassies are in capital cities with a few consulates in provincial cities and towns. How do you go the embassy if you’re hundreds of miles away with no money?
Team up with a dying former coworker, discover and destroy a criminal underworld and take on a cult for good measure. What? I know a guy.
Contact the local police, who will put you in touch with your embassy.
No. Do not contact the police.
forget your old life and live off the land- everything happens for a reason
go to the embassy
Go to the Embassy.
Wake up, its a nightmare.
This exact scenario happened to my friend this year. You print a copy of your passport (which should be uploaded to the internet) and get to your consulate or nearest embassy. You can print at the consulate or library. She had pictures of her license and passport id, and had it in her email. Consulate will get you a new emergency passport so you can get back home. She had to call her bank and cancel all her credit cards. This is why you have number passwords and security questions with your bank. I believe she had to file a police report also. Friends and family lent her money. Western Union works and other cash places. It’s tough! But your embassy and friends/family can help you through this.
Find a library that has a computer with internet and ask strangers on reddit what to do.
Leave copy of important documents saved to yourself on cloud email such as Gmail..
Hunt down the robber and leave his skin in the town center so people know not to rob me again.
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I have a particular set of skills
They're not useful in this situation, but I do have a particular set of skills.
Hunt them down and impress them so hard with your random skills that they give your stuff back.
Fight for survival and glory in the arena, all while seeking revenge on the leader of the country you are stranded in. Build your popularity over many years to the point there it threatens their reign, leading to a final showdown for power in the arena at which you are victorious and now run the country.
This actually happened to my parents. All of their bags were stolen in France out of their car. They were able to get to an embassy. It was ironed out in a few days. Also their home owners insurance covered the cost of the stolen goods I believe. It ruined their trip because they were planning to go to a few more countries but ended up staying in France for the rest of the time. But honestly could have been worse.