Help! Lost My Passport while vacationing!

Lost your Philippine passport while in the US of A? Don't panic. This does not mean that you will have to be stuck all your life in a strange country. Nor should you rejoice yet. This will not give you an excuse to stay indefinitely in the Land of Milk and Honey. ;)

If you cannot track it down. You will need to visit a Philippine embassy or consulate before your intended flight schedule. Follow these steps:

 

Step 1: File a police report. Having a police report handy will make it easier once you get to the embassy to report the loss or to request for a replacement passport and/or issuance of a travel document.

Step 2: Pay a visit to the Philippine embassy or consulate. You will need to fill-up a form. To certify the veracity of the loss, present a notarized affidavit of loss. To prove your identity, you may present any of the following forms of identification: copy of birth certificate, marriage contract or other documents such as Philippine driver's license, baptismal certificate, voter's affidavit or Professional Regulatory Commission Card. Expect a few days for processing.

Step 3: Allow extra time at the airport. Although airport security are assumed to be familiar with travel documents in lieu of passports, you will never know when you encounter an ignorant, ego-tripping official. Extra security measures could significantly derail your schedule, so cross the gates early. It is better to be safe than risk missing your flight.

Step 4: Report loss of visa to the US embassy. As a precautionary measure, send an email to the Fraud Prevention Unit of the US embassy in Manila (fpmmanila@state.gov) with the following relevant info (1. Full name, 2. Passport Number, 3. Date of Birth, 4. Place of Birth, 5. Address in the US, 6. Email address, 7. Circumstances of loss) and attach therein: 1. Travel Document issued by the Philippine embassy or consulate, 2. Affidavit of Loss issued by the Philippine embassy or consulate, and 3. Copy of Passport.

You can find the list of Philippine Embassies, here.