The Baja California Travel & Living Webzine

Lost or Stolen Passport

What you should do if your passport is lost or stolen while abroad

Losing or having a passport stolen can be a very unsettling thing. However, it doesn’t have to ruin your trip! Here are some guidelines on how to replace a missing U.S. passport while abroad.

1. The first thing you should do after losing or finding that your passport has been stolen is contact your nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for assistance. Internet, hotel staff, phone directories are all resources for finding out where the closest location will be. It is also a good idea to check out the Consular/Embassy location prior to your trip. You will more then likely need to physically go to that Consular/Embassy location and appear before an official to obtain a replacement passport.

2. A new passport application will need to be completed. The consular will undoubtedly ask you a host of questions about your identity and citizenship.

More below...
 

Passports to be Required for all Mexico Air Travel in 2006

The Departments of Homeland Security and State formally submitted the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative proposal for public comment.  The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative will require all U.S. citizens, citizens of the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda, and citizens of Canada and Mexico to have a passport or other accepted secure document that establishes the bearer’s identity and nationality to enter or re-enter the United States by January 1, 2008.   

The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 mandated that the Secretary of Homeland
 

This is procedure and just enables the official to maintain that you are who you say you are. Do not be alarmed.


3. Specific information must also be required to the Consular which may include: Copy of passport (if you have it) or passport number, name, place/date of birth and date/place where passport was issued. It’s ALWAYS a good idea to take a copy of your passport along with you and keep it in a separate place from your actual passport. Also leave a copy with a friend or relative at home. Your travel agents often will keep record of your passport information as well.

4. Loss or Theft of a passport will require an affidavit of loss/theft. The consular official will allow you to verbally execute a sworn statement explaining the loss or theft.

5. The normal passport fee will be collected by the Consulate at the time of reissue for replacements. If your money and documents have been stolen or you are a victim of disaster, then a limited validity passport will be issued rather then a full 10 year passport. If your return trip is immediate please relay that information to the official to help facilitate quicker processing.

6. You may go to www.travel.state.gov for additional information

Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, develop and implement a plan to require U.S. citizens and foreign nationals to present a passport, or other secure document when entering the United States.

In the proposed implementation plan, the Initiative will be rolled out in phases, providing as much advance

notice as possible to the affected public to enable them to meet the terms of the new guidelines.   The proposed timeline will be as follows:

• December 31, 2006 – Requirement applied to all air and sea travel to or from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda.

• December 31, 2007 – Requirement extended to all land border crossings as well as air and sea travel

US Consulate  in Cabo San Lucas:
Blvd. Marina Local C-4, Plaza Nautica, Col. Centro, telephone (52)(624) 143-3566.

US Consulate in Tijuana:
Tapachula 96, telephone (52)(664) 622-7400.

For more information on:

• Obtaining a passport click here.

• Consulate information click here

• Warnings and advisories click here