Passport lost in Cambodia, but made in Thailand by a EU embassy, no other solution but flying back to EU ?

[goegoe]

Hello,

 

A friend lost his passport in Cambodia and his embassy (EU country) told him that he can only be given a document allowing to go back to his country in EU.

But as this friend is living in Thailand and his passport was renewed in Thailand, he is wondering if there would be another solution ?

 

If he had lost his passport in Thailand where he is usually living, his embassy would make a new one for him, but because he lost it in Cambodia, they said that they cannot make a new one and send it to Cambodia, do you believe ?

 

If you have any experience of similar case, please tell me, as it's annoying to have to go back to EU when he could actually get a new passport in Thailand.

My idea: as he has a valid 1 year Visa for Thailand (he has photos of all his documents in is mobile), he could find a way to cross the border without stamp, then declare his passport lost in Thailand and ask a new one from his embassy ? It's just an idea, and I do not know the risk, but please tell me if I should share it with him !

 

Cheers.

 

 

 

[altcarrbob]

 

If he could find a way through the jungle,it would be far easier for him declaring it lost in Thailand,his visa is finished with passport.  Had mine stolen in Aussie,temp one issued there,Thailand stamp added to it in Aussie,got permanent one in Thailand,then did the process of OA

[goegoe]

48 minutes ago, altcarrbob said:

 

If he could find a way through the jungle,it would be far easier for him declaring it lost in Thailand,his visa is finished with passport.  Had mine stolen in Aussie,temp one issued there,Thailand stamp added to it in Aussie,got permanent one in Thailand,then did the process of OA

 

Sorry, but I do not think that his visa that is valid 1 year is finished because he lost his passport ?!

Immigration should just stamp the new passport with a copy of the valid visa ?!

 

 

[poanoi]

when i was living in cambodia i had to go back to bkk

and make a new passport,

i stayed a month in pattaya while i was at it, since it takes 2-3 weeks waiting

Edited July 19, 2018 by poanoi

[OJAS]

7 hours ago, goegoe said:

 

A friend lost his passport in Cambodia and his embassy (EU country) told him that he can only be given a document allowing to go back to his country in EU.

Sounds to me like he was given duff advice by someone at the Embassy who didn't know what they were talking about. If he can provide evidence of a travel itinerary which, ideally, should include confirmed bookings back to Thailand, his country's embassy in Cambodia should surely be able to issue him with an emergency travel document enabling him to return to Thailand in order to replace his stolen passport there.

 

Your friend should also obtain a police report of the passport theft from the relevant authorities in Cambodia - of which he will almost certainly then need to obtain a certified translation into his native language as part of the passport replacement process. 

 

But under no circumstances should he attempt to re-enter Thailand illegally (as you appear to be suggesting in your final paragraph) since he would otherwise only be storing up yet more trouble for himself.

 

Edited July 19, 2018 by OJAS

[phuketrichard]

Problem if he goes back to thailand,

he lost it in Cambodia, so he was stamped OUT of Thailand,

no problem leaving Cambodia, entering Thailand without going thru passport control, (have done it more than once accidentally and on purpose)

no problem reporting passport Lost in Thailand an getting a new one

 

BIG problem and likely go to jail when he goes to  immigration to get the entry stamp for his new passport and the computer shows he left already on old one>>

 

Am sure he was giving wrong info at his embassy, 

[altcarrbob]

8 hours ago, goegoe said:

 

Sorry, but I do not think that his visa that is valid 1 year is finished because he lost his passport ?!

Immigration should just stamp the new passport with a copy of the valid visa ?!

 

 

His visa is finished,but yes he was stamped out. To avoid long process there ,get back into Thailand,see an agent

[ubonjoe]

2 minutes ago, altcarrbob said:

His visa is finished,but yes he was stamped out. To avoid long process there ,get back into Thailand,see an agent

He needs a passport to do that.

No need for an agent if he can get back here.

[ubonjoe]

2 hours ago, OJAS said:

Sounds to me like he was given duff advice by someone at the Embassy who didn't know what they were talking about. If he can provide evidence of a travel itinerary which, ideally, should include confirmed bookings back to Thailand, his country's embassy in Cambodia should surely be able to issue him with an emergency travel document enabling him to return to Thailand in order to replace his stolen passport there.

There are some countries in europe that will not issue a new passport if one is lost or stolen. They will only issue a emergency travel document for a trip back to that country to get a new passport.

[altcarrbob]

9 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

He needs a passport to do that.

No need for an agent if he can get back here.

Was suggesting getting back into Thailand without border check

[Old Croc]

It's not uncommon for some passport holders to sell their document for a good price (EU passports are particularly popular) and expect their embassy to issue replacements on demand.

Because of these scams, many countries wont issue more than one replacement without requiring the citizen to return home. I've heard that some serial passport sellers have been denied a new one for some years. 

[ubonjoe]

1 minute ago, altcarrbob said:

Was suggesting getting back into Thailand without border check

That is suggesting a illegal activity and is very bad advice. He could end up in the immigration detention center and be charged with illegal entry,

[my friend I]

Some people who have lost their passport in Cambodia have had the passport returned after going very public with the situation and providing some incentive for the police to be more active.

[FritsSikkink]

2 hours ago, altcarrbob said:

Was suggesting getting back into Thailand without border check

Which is stupid. Your advice for illegal actions  is forbidden on this forum too.

[BritTim]

Countries vary in their policies on emergency travel documents. The UK, at one time, would only issue emergency travel documents at their embassy in Phnom Penh for travel back to the UK (though I think they are more flexible today). Similarly, countries vary in their policies for replacement of lost passports. The biggest problem, in most cases, is that replacement ordinary passports can take a long time to issue (especially to someone in a country like Cambodia). Although harsh, your country's policies might mean that you have no good options.

[fvw53]

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

There are some countries in europe that will not issue a new passport if one is lost or stolen. They will only issue a emergency travel document for a trip back to that country to get a new passport.

The reason is that a passport for (most of) EU countries not a definite prove of nationality...an ID card issued by city hall in your home country is a much stronger evidence. However if a EU citizen is resident in Thailand (and no longer in his country of origin) and registered as such at his embassy in BKK then the embassy will re-issue a new passport with long duration.

[mikecha]

4 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

There are some countries in europe that will not issue a new passport if one is lost or stolen. They will only issue a emergency travel document for a trip back to that country to get a new passport.

Completley correct U get an emergency document en need to get a new passport in country of oregin 

 

it is inconveiant but thats the way it is 

 

 

[phuketrichard]

21 hours ago, BritTim said:

Countries vary in their policies on emergency travel documents. The UK, at one time, would only issue emergency travel documents at their embassy in Phnom Penh for travel back to the UK (though I think they are more flexible today). Similarly, countries vary in their policies for replacement of lost passports. The biggest problem, in most cases, is that replacement ordinary passports can take a long time to issue (especially to someone in a country like Cambodia). Although harsh, your country's policies might mean that you have no good options.

Americans going and reporting a lost passport at the embassy can get an emergency one in 1hour

[overherebc]

Generally an ETD can be used to travel through up to 5 countries 'on your way home'

All journeys are noted in the ETD and travel paid for ie flight tickets/bookings shown on application at the embassy/consulate.

If the ETD holder decides to change travel plans half way through then that requires buying tickets and applying for and paying for a new ETD.

It's not like a normal passport allowing travel in the same way.

On arriving home the ETD is kept by Immigration at point of entry and you apply for a new passport.

Edit.

All above from experience.

Edited July 21, 2018 by overherebc

[ubonjoe]

15 minutes ago, overherebc said:

Generally an ETD can be used to travel through up to 5 countries 'on your way home'

If you are from the UK that is correct information. Some countries only issue a ETD for one trip.

[lapamita]

for german passport holders

 

-if  your livingadress  in germany is cancelled !! ( if not cant get new passport)

-you can get a new passport , anywhere in the world

1. if you already had a passport fromthe embassy , easy at same place

1a - if it is the first time, you need a birthcertificate and the certificate about cancelling the livingadress in Germany,and the old passport

 

if point 1  (not 1a)  he could optain a temporary passport within 24hr valid for one year  at any German embassy in the world, if there is no open police case/tax case/or alimony , in  the system, in case yes , they only issue a tracveldocument.

 

if he gets a 1 yr passport ,than he return to his embassy who issued the last passport, and make the new passport ( takes 6  weeks)

 

If younot have a residental in germany and stamped out, you would not get even a passport in germany,( at the townhall /localauthority) they adice you go to your embassy, or re register a residental adress in germany for obatin a new one,or maybe go directly only to berlin,but not sure

[overherebc]

14 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

If you are from the UK that is correct information. Some countries only issue a ETD for one trip.

And may look at the ETD as being a 'get you home' only reason for issue. That will depend on their interpretation of 'the rules'

Mine was issued in BKK for one journey to another Asian country and return to Thailand,  confirmed flights had to be shown at the Embassy and were written/typed in the ETD. Any further journeys would also have to had tickets produced at the same time as a round trip. Dates of of travel are also noted as around xx/xx/xxxx meaning a day or so each side so an open ticket was required. 

My old PP was full and the application for a new one had been made at the time.

All the above means you can't just turn up at the Embassy and get an ETD and continue travelling where and when you feel like it using the ETD, as many seem to think.

Edited July 21, 2018 by overherebc

[wgdanson]

40 minutes ago, overherebc said:

Generally an ETD can be used to travel through up to 5 countries 'on your way home'

All journeys are noted in the ETD and travel paid for ie flight tickets/bookings shown on application at the embassy/consulate.

If the ETD holder decides to change travel plans half way through then that requires buying tickets and applying for and paying for a new ETD.

It's not like a normal passport allowing travel in the same way.

On arriving home the ETD is kept by Immigration at point of entry and you apply for a new passport.

Edit.

All above from experience.

Agreed from recent experience. ETD in Rome cost me GBP 100 for ONE trip back to UK. Then a fast-track passport at Liverpool...GBP 170. Expensive loss.

[overherebc]

16 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

Agreed from recent experience. ETD in Rome cost me GBP 100 for ONE trip back to UK. Then a fast-track passport at Liverpool...GBP 170. Expensive loss.

From memory 5000 baht ish in BKK.

Luckily the company picked up the tab as it was an emergency meeting I had to go to. ?

[NanLaew]

The EU is not a country so without the OP giving us the specific European nationality of the person who lost their passport in Cambodia, I don't think there's any point in waiting for alternate country-specific advice he is seeking to pop up. There are 28 independent, passport issuing nations in the EU after all.

 

However, the EU country's consular office in Cambodia has already told him he can only get a replacement passport in his EU homeland. What's to disbelieve? Cambodia is probably black-listed due to a high incidence of passport theft and fraud. It is totally irrelevant that the 'loser' has a long term Thai visa/permission to stay as the passport was lost in Cambodia, not Thailand. Having images of that permit is only relevant after he/she returns from the EU with their new passport and along with an acceptable translation of the Cambodian police report about the lost passport, attends his local Thai IO office to get what remains of his 'lost' long-term stay reinstated in the new passport.

 

What's really annoying is being careless about the passport and losing it.