When you're traveling abroad, the last thing you want to think about is the possibility that you'll lose your passport. It's enough to stress out about getting lost or stranded in an unfamiliar place; having your passport stolen or damaged adds even more anxiety to an already stressful situation. But what if that happens? What do you do then?
Fortunately, there are options available for travelers who find themselves in this kind of situation. A temporary passport can be issued by a government agency so that people can return home safely and quickly without staying overseas longer than necessary. Keep reading if you need help with this process or have questions about how it works.
What Is a Temporary Passport?
A temporary passport is a travel document issued by the U.S. Department of State to allow Americans to continue their journey or return home if their regular key has been lost, stolen, or damaged.
Temporary passports are also available for expedited processing and issuance when applicants need them for emergency travel related to some of the following situations:
- Severe illness or death of an immediate family member
- A legal matter
- Employment issues
- Military service
- Urgent personal reasons such as sudden illness requiring hospitalization abroad
- Participating in school-sponsored educational tours
- Certain other situations
The following situations are the most common reasons that a temporary passport is used:
Your Normal Passport has Expired
Suppose your regular passport has expired but isn't due to expire until the validity period of your temporary travel document ends. In that case, you may be able to get an expedited replacement in time for travel abroad by applying at any U.S. passport acceptance facility (e.g., most post offices).
Your Passport Was Lost, Stolen, or Damaged
If you're a victim of theft or loss, and the passport is still valid but unusable, you can apply for a temporary document from your local embassy or consulate.
Unexpected Travel Situations
This happens when someone is stranded abroad due to circumstances beyond one's control. Usually, this prevents them from obtaining their scheduled return trip within their original allotted time away from their home country.
For example, suppose an unexpected situation left someone without transportation back home before their scheduled departure date. In that case, they should file a police report while in this predicament and contact relevant authorities to help get them out safely once again.
How To Get a Temporary Passport
Contact the nearest government authorities if you require a temporary passport and have the proper documentation. The exact process will vary by country, but generally speaking, you should be able to file a police report and fill out an application form. You'll pay the fee for your temporary passport and then get it fast.
Temporary passports are valid for a limited time, and they're not valid for multiple trips. They're only good for one journey from the country you received to your final destination.
However, suppose you need a temporary passport because your regular document has been lost or stolen. In that case, this might be the only option available to you if there are no other travel documents available (such as an emergency travel document).
A temporary passport may be issued when your regular passport has expired, and renewal isn't possible.
If your passport is lost or stolen, a replacement can be obtained more quickly than a new one. A temporary passport will allow you to get home in time for work or school while waiting for the replacement to arrive by mail.
If you're stranded abroad with no other option but to fly home as soon as possible, a temporary passport may also be issued to get back home safely.
How To Fill an Application for a Temporary Passport
Contact the US embassy or consulate if you are overseas and find yourself without a passport. The government agency representing your home country can help you get a temporary passport (possibly even expedite the process).
You'll need to file a police report stating that your original passport was lost or stolen. You will also need to fill out an application form, which can be downloaded from the website of any consulate office. The application should include:
- Your name as it appears on your current U.S. Passport
- Your full name at birth or adopted name (if different)
- Date of birth
Once you've submitted all required materials, contact the government authorities issuing passports to ensure they have received them before paying any fees or submitting payment information online.
How Long Does it Take To Get a Temporary Passport?
Once the government authorities have approved your application, your new temporary passport will be issued within approximately five days.
The application process for a temporary passport is relatively straightforward. You must file an application form, which you can access here. You will also have to pay a fee of $185, which is non-refundable.
The actual time it takes to obtain a temporary passport varies depending on many factors, including:
- The country you are applying in. Some passport offices are more efficient than others.
- The circumstances of your situation. Some people may be able to get theirs faster than others. For example, if you have all the required documents, they might process your application sooner than they would if they had to wait for them from somewhere else.
- Whether or not there is a backlog at that particular office, it can be easier or harder to get yours issued immediately (or at all). If there is no backlog, your application will likely be processed faster than if there was one. This is because no other work is being done ahead of yours in line first before yours gets started instead, which would otherwise cause delays due to having nowhere else left after everything else that could go wrong with getting approved has gone wrong.
Generally speaking, an Emergency Passport will take about 2-3 days on average and does not require an appointment at most offices. You will need:
- Proof of identity (Two Forms)
- Proof of Citizenship (One Form)
- A completed application form DS-11
What To Do While Waiting for a Temporary Passport
Since obtaining a temporary passport is such an in-depth process, it can occasionally take longer than you want it to. As such, finding things to do while you're waiting in a foreign country is essential.
One way to look at it positively is a little extended vacation time while you're overseas. Here are some things that you can do while still staying in the area of the airport so that you can leave as soon as possible:
- Explore the city a little bit more, go to places that you didn't have time to before
- Try out some of the best local restaurants, and learn the local cuisine
- Make some friends with the locals
- Reach out to a local Expat community and have fun with them
- Visit museums and historical landmarks and sites
- Find a coffee shop and spend some time inside of it
- Look for your passport — who knows; you might just find it.
Conclusion
While they aren't ideal, temporary passports are sometimes necessary, especially when someone is stranded abroad and needs to get home fast. Temporary passports are only issued in emergencies when a person's regular passport has been lost or stolen.
They're also only valid for a limited period — usually just enough time to get back home on your own steam. A temporary passport can only be used once, so if it expires before you've left the country, you'll have to apply for a different one (and pay another fee).
How ETIAS Helps
ETIAS exists to create much more clarity and efficiency in international travel. It can occasionally be complicated to travel overseas, but with the right resources and experience, traveling in Europe can be one of the best experiences of your life. Regardless of your questions, contact our teams here on ETIAS.
If you have an incredibly life-changing European experience and want to make it your short-term or long-term home, you've also come to the right place. ETIAS has countless resources and articles that can help you to become an EU citizen and naturalize in the most straightforward ways possible. Even though it is a long and arduous process by nature, with ETIAS, becoming a citizen of the EU is well within your reach.
No matter what questions about Europe you might have, ETIAS is here to help you.
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