How To Find Your Lost Passport in the Airport

Boarding passes, confirmation documents, mobile phones, chargers … the list of what can possibly fill your carry-on bag is endless. Keeping track of every single piece of paper and important document can be a challenge when scurrying from flight check-in to security to your boarding gate. Losing any of these travel necessities can be a nightmare, especially among the busy throngs in an airport terminal. If the most important travel document of all time — your passport — goes missing or slips out of your coat pocket or carry-on bag while at the airport, there are a few vital tips to keep in mind before you begin to panic.

First, inform the authorities. Find the nearest Transportation Security Administration employee and alert him or her of the situation. If you happen to have a driver’s license or other form of identification, you may still be able to travel that day, so long as your destination is within the United States and its territories.

If you are abroad, however, and need your passport to depart your current country and return to the United States, contact the local or nearest embassy (using your mobile phone or using a phone at the airport information desk) and inform them of your situation. If the need for a means of travel is urgent and this can be proven, it may be possible for the embassy to issue a temporary passport while you wait for a new passport to be made.

Once your passport is reported as lost or stolen, it is rendered invalid and you must wait for a new passport to be issued to you. Applying for a new passport can be time consuming and expensive, so try to have a photocopy of your current passport on hand to improve the efficiency of the complicated process.