When you are traveling overseas your passport is one of the most important documents that you carry with you. A passport can be a prized item among some foreign thieves. But there are plenty of measures that you can take to avoid a stolen American passport and to keep safe and secure while traveling.
If you have your passport stolen, then you should get in contact with the local diplomatic mission, consulate or embassy closest to you. To be prepared for an event such as this, you should have the details of your passport and other travel documents copied or noted down elsewhere. There are some foreign affairs departments in some countries that have an online service for you to report your stolen passport. It is essential that you do this quickly to avoid anyone using it fraudulently.
Your reissued passport can most likely be delivered to the diplomatic mission where you are staying. In some circumstances you may need the help of the embassy to work out the best way for delivery to occur. You can work out these details when you visit the mission in order to fill in the passport application and pay for the replacement. Usually you also have to pay an extra fee for the lost passport.
There are several measures that you can take while traveling to keep your passport safe. The first one is to always keep your passport safe. The best place is close to your body in a traveler’s pouch around your stomach. Do not place your passport inside suitcases as they can easily be misplaced en route and do not place them inside back packs while you are out and about visiting places as these may be stolen or pick pocketed easily.
A soon as you have used your passport put it back in your money belt. Never leave them lying around on benches, counters or tables as it is very easy to leave them when you walk away. When presenting your passport to check into a hotel, changing money, getting through customs or anything else, make sure that you keep it in your sight at all times. It is not recommended that you leave your passport in your hotel or with the hotel staff.
It is a very good idea to take a couple of copies of your passport with you when you travel. This way if it is stolen then you have all the details still available. If you are visiting a country for which you need a visa, make sure you also take copies of the passport page on which the visa is stamped.
When you are handling money try not to be conspicuous about it. At banks, ATM machines and currency exchanges be vigilant and put your money away securely as soon as possible. At locations such as these there are often thieves watching to find a mark. You should not count your money in public.
Simple safety and security measures while traveling in a foreign location can strongly minimize your chances of a stolen U.S. passport or any other problems. It is always better to prevent a problem through vigilance and common sense regarding your US passport, than to have to go through a bureaucratic tangle in another country. If you experience any problems then your national representative should be your first port of call every time.