What to do if your passport is lost on the eve of departure

You’re heading to the airport, but you can’t find your passport. It’s not under the bed, it hasn’t fallen behind the armchair, it’s not hidden among papers, and even the cat hasn’t touched it — it’s nowhere. What to do? You can panic, but keep a clear head, because you need to act fast — your flight is imminent!

Passport lost at the airport

This method doesn’t always work, but it’s worth a try. If you’ve already checked in for your flight online, print your boarding pass at a self-service kiosk. If you remember your passport series and number, that’s a plus. What if they don’t ask for your passport at boarding, but only look at your boarding pass? Then you’ll be able to fly home normally without any certificates. Otherwise, look for a police officer or contact the airline and explain the situation. They will tell you what to do next.

Flying abroad

This is where it gets more complicated. When you cross the border, your international passport gets stamps for departure and arrival, so you can’t trick your way through without a passport. It doesn’t matter if your international passport was lost at the airport or outside of it, there’s only one solution — contact the police. They will take a statement and tell you what to do next. Most likely, after the police, you’ll have to go to the embassy to prove your identity. There, you’ll be issued a certificate that will replace your international passport for 15 days. We wrote about this in detail here>>

If your international passport is lost at the airport after check-in — be sure to notify the airline. They will help in the search, turning the entire airport upside down. And if they don’t find it, they might refund part of the money for the flight (depending on the airline’s policy) or deport you from the country (they still can’t let you into the city without a document).

To avoid such a predicament, be attentive and keep track of your documents (and this applies not only to your passport). Don’t scatter them everywhere, don’t take them out unnecessarily, and keep your bags closed.