Losing your passport prior to going on holiday can be a horrid experience, one that keeps you from being able to depart in a timely fashion and may even force the cancellation of your journey. So what can you do if you lose your passport before you go on holiday? Thanks to CheapBeachHolidays.co.uk When you can’t obtain a replacement for your British passport in time, the top option available to you is an emergency travel document.
These are also known as emergency passports and they allow travellers to leave the United Kingdom, even if they do not have their original documentation at the ready.
The application process for an emergency travel document is simple and allows British nationals to obtain a new passport if theirs is lost or stolen before or after traveling abroad for a holiday.
As long as you are unable to procure a new passport or renew your current travel documents before traveling, you are eligible for the aforementioned application process.
If you have never owned a British passport, then you are unable to obtain any sort of emergency travel documentation. Those who need to travel urgently and do not have time to wait for a traditional passport can contact the British embassy that is nearest to them, as well as any available high commission or consulate.
Unless you need a visa, you will not be able to get emergency travel documentation more than five days before your holiday.
What Does My Emergency Passport Allow Me To Do?
British citizens who have lost their passport before going on holiday and have successfully obtained an emergency travel document are allowed to leave the United Kingdom and head to their preferred destination, but they are limited to a maximum of five countries.
These documents also give travellers the opportunity to cover their return journey if necessary. This privilege is extended to those who are residents of the country that they are filing the application from.
If you’re filing for an emergency travel document, you’ll need to find out if you’ll need an exit visa in order to depart from the country you’re currently in. Visas may also be needed for traveling to certain foreign countries, so speak with their embassy and/or consulate before making any sort of concrete travel arrangements.
What Are The Costs?
The cost of an emergency travel document is around £95 (this fee is non refundable) or the currency equivalent in the country you are traveling from.
Emergency Passport Application Process
Contact your local embassy and/or consulate and set up an appointment to apply for your documentation in person. Come to your appointment with a emergency travel document application form that has already been filled out, a recently taken photo of passport quality, written proof of your travel destination and in the case of a stolen passport, a police report that corroborates your version of events.
The consulate or the high commission is responsible for determining your eligibility. If they are unable to provide you with emergency travel documentation, they are responsible for telling you why. Straightforward circumstances lead to a faster application process, while complex situations take longer to resolve.
The emergency passport can only be used on the specified dates, at the specified locations on your travel docket. In the majority of cases, the existing British passport is revoked and you are required to file for a new one upon return. The emergency documents are also kept by the border staff once you make your way back to the UK.
