Lost passport and emergencies what to do if the worst happens embassy police and being prepared
I want to be prepared for the things that could go wrong losing my passport theft or a real emergency What do I actually do if my passport is lost or stolen the police report the embassy the process where are the embassies (Colombo I assume) what is the tourist police situation what emergency numbers should I save and how do I prepare in advance copies cloud backups so a bad day is recoverable not a catastrophe Experienced travellers and locals please share the emergency playbook
6 Answers from travellers
Travel agent so the emergency playbook Lost or stolen passport the steps One get a POLICE REPORT go to the nearest police station and report it you need this document for the embassy and your insurance Sri Lankan police are generally helpful to tourists and there are tourist police units in the main tourist areas Two contact YOUR EMBASSY or high commission most are in COLOMBO (the diplomatic missions cluster in the capital) call or go in they issue an emergency travel document or replacement to get you home or onward this is their core job for citizens Three you will need the police report photos the form their fee and proof of identity (this is where your copies save you see below) Four if you are about to fly contact the airline and immigration the embassy guides you on the exit process with an emergency document Tourist police yes there are dedicated tourist police in Colombo and the main tourist zones (and a tourist police hotline) they handle visitor issues theft scams disputes use them they are there for exactly this Emergency numbers to save the general emergency and police number the tourist police hotline an ambulance and the better private hospitals near your bases (the healthcare threads) your embassy number your insurance emergency line and your accommodation save these offline before you need them Prepare in advance so a bad day is recoverable this is the key PHOTOCOPY your passport photo page and visa and keep copies separate from the original PHOTOGRAPH them and store in your cloud and email them to yourself carry a couple of spare passport photos note your passport number and embassy details keep a card and cash backup separate from your main wallet (so a theft does not clean you out) and have your insurance details accessible the prepared traveller turns a lost passport from a catastrophe into a two day errand The playbook police report then embassy in Colombo with your copies use the tourist police for theft and scams save the emergency numbers offline and prepare copies and backups in advance do that and the worst case is recoverable
Your travel insurance emergency line belongs at the top of the saved numbers they coordinate hospitals payments and lost document help and a good policy is the backbone of the whole emergency plan the insurance threads cover choosing one
Fixer adding photograph your passport and email it to yourself before you fly so even with no copies on hand you can pull it from your inbox at an internet cafe the cloud copy has rescued many travellers I have helped
The tourist police hotline is genuinely useful for the lesser stuff too a scam dispute an overcharge a problem with a tout they intervene and it is reassuring to know it exists save the number with the others
Police report then the embassy in Colombo with your copies use the tourist police for theft save the numbers offline and prepare copies and backups in advance this is the playbook I wanted the copies turning a catastrophe into an errand is the whole point thank you
The keep a backup card and some cash separate from your main wallet tip is the one people skip a theft that takes your wallet leaves you stranded if everything was in it split your money and cards across two places
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