What if I Lose My Passport Abroad?

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What would you do if you lost your passport in a foreign country? Today's episode is geared towards U.S. citizens and residents who might find themselves without their essential travel documents while in Mexico. From the intricacies of replacing a passport if you're a resident, to the steps needed to obtain an emergency passport for urgent travel, we've got you covered. We break down the process of making appointments at consulates, the expected timelines, and also shed light on some insider tips to make the experience as smooth as possible. Whether you're a long-term resident or a tourist facing a sudden loss, this episode is filled with practical advice you won't want to miss.

For those in immediate need of travel without a passport, we discuss alternative solutions such as the Joint Security Program and the Regional Carrier Liaison Group. These programs, set up between airlines and Customs and Border Protection, allow U.S. citizens to board flights back home even without their passports. Learn how to leverage these programs, what documents you'll need, and how to coordinate with airlines and CBP effectively. With stories and insights that emphasize the importance of being prepared, this episode provides all the essential information to handle any travel document mishap with confidence. Don't let a lost passport ruin your plans—tune in and arm yourself with the knowledge you need to stay on track.

We are incredibly thankful for engagement and stories from our listeners, who have found their own sense of 'home' across the globe. Stay tuned as we continue to share the wisdom and wanderlust of those who've charted their unique international courses. We'd love to hear your comments and questions. Email them to [e-mail]
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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
So if someone is visiting here or you know lives
here, like we do, and you knowyou lose your passport or you
lose your residency card I knowthat you guys help with that how
long does it take to replacethat?
And again, in what way do youhelp with?

Speaker 2 (00:19):
that Okay.
Well, basically, if you livehere and you lose your passport
and you still have a copy ofyour birth certificate and you
have another form of ID and youdon't have any plans to travel,
you can replace that by makingan appointment either Cancun or
in Merida, because Playa delCarmen only has emergency

(00:40):
services we don't have routineservices now or in the other
consulates or any other place inMexico.
You make an appointment onlineand you can go and replace your
passport with a full passport.
That takes right now, aroundsix weeks maybe six to eight
weeks, but people are reportingit's coming back around four
weeks, but they stay six toeight.
But if you are here as atraveler and you're not here,

(01:03):
you need to leave immediately,or you have an urgent need to
travel, you have a medicalemergency or whatever it is, we
can assist you with an emergencypassport.
There are three options for you, basically.
So let's say Joe loses his, helost his passport in Tulum.
He goes back to the US onWednesday.
Today is Monday.
Okay, it takes 24 to 48 hours.
If he was able to get heretoday, he might get it tomorrow

(01:24):
and he might get it on Wednesday, but if he doesn't want to take
that risk or he doesn't feellike driving from Tulum.
He still has a driver's license.
He lives in California or helives in Texas or somewhere over
there.
He could also ostensibly fly tothe border and cross into the
US by land.
You can cross into the US byland, not even cross into the US
by land, not even having anypassport, any ID, nothing.

(01:46):
The hard part would be gettinga flight from here to the border
if you didn't have ID.
Now say Joe has, he has an ID,he decides he wants to do that.
Or if he doesn't live anywherenear the border, he lives in New
York, but he still has an ID.
There are programs that were putin place by the airlines and by
Customs and Border Protection,CBP.
They're called.

(02:11):
They're flight liaison programs.
Basically, they are designedfor US citizen travelers or
legal permanent residents of theUnited States to board a flight
, a direct flight to the UnitedStates, without their US
passport or their resident card,and they're called.
There's two of them.
One's called the Joint SecurityProgram, and that one is based
out of Mexico City, I think, andthe other one is the Regional
Carrier Liaison Group and that'sbased out of Miami, and both of

(02:35):
these coordinate betweenairlines and Customs and Border
Protection to allow US citizensto board their flight.
Now the kicker here is that onlythe airline can call and it can
only be the day of your travel.
And if you call in advance andtry to talk to Delta or American
or Southwest or whoever theairline is, they won't know what
you're talking about.

(02:55):
It's only the people at theairports who have these programs
, that you just go there and wemake recommendations on making
sure you arrive prepared.
We have the information printedout for you.
We can send it to you.
You print it out.
You have your other ID.
You may be in some cases, youmay have a police report.
You may have filed yourpassport as missing or lost
online and you please callRegional Carrier Liaison Group

(03:16):
or the Joint Security Program toliaise with CBP to ask if I can
board the flight.
So they'll call or they won'tcall it, depending on who it is.
Sometimes Spirit is one of theones that may not be willing to
call, but most of the majorairlines, all of them have done

(03:38):
it.
Most of the major airlinesAmerican, Delta, United,
Southwest, JetBlue they've alldone this, especially during the
pandemic.
It was very, very activebecause there was no way you
could get a passport at thattime.
Everybody was shut down.
And then they just look at itand say, okay, well, he has an
ID.
And a lot of times you'reboarding a flight to return and
when you came down on that sameairline, you had your passport.

(04:00):
So they still have thoserecords too.
Ultimately it's up to CBP,Ultimately it's up to CBP.
Ultimately it's up to theairline whether or not you get
boarded.
But it's an excellent chanceand we've sent thousands of
people home to the US withouttheir passports using that
program.