Loss of passport
 

Hi,

Has anyone experience in lossing passport (British National Overseas) in Japan? If so, do you know how long it usually takes to get a new passport? And please also let me know if a airticket (7 days only) can be extended (i.e. by paying extra money, etc.)?

Thank you
HKK

I am sorry to hear you have lost your passport!

If you photocopied your passport I always take two copies with me) and have the copy you should be able to go the the consulate and have it replaced fairly quickly, I think. Maybe within a day.

You will have to contact the airline regarding extending the ticket. Airlines have different policies but most will allow you to change your departure date with a small fee, maybe $50 USD.

Many thanks for your advice. My daughter is in Japan with her friends. She loss her passport and ID card as well. She reported to the police but it's difficult because they don't understand English. Anyway, I hope it won't take too long to get a new passport. That's very cheap to extend the ticket?

Thanks again for your help!

HKK

She should go to the consulate of the country that is on her passport. They will assist her.

I wish her luck!

She has to go to the British Consulate and I'm sure they will sort it out.

I don't think eurotraveller said that it <b>will</b> be $50, just that it <b>maybe</b>. I believe it's a little more and it all depends on the type of fare she has and what airline(s). There is a slight possibility that she may not be able to extend at all and if she can it will be more than $50, more like $200-250 for international tickets.

If she's from Hong Kong and also have a Hong Kong SAR passport, have that FedExed or DHLed to her in Japan so that she can get back to Hong Kong. Then get the BN(O) and HK ID replaced later.

If not, then just go to the British Consulate. I'm sure they speak English there. :)

Japan Help Line
(0120) 461-997

Police - Lost &amp; Found (03) 3814-4151

Police - General Information
(03) 3501-0110 (Japanese/English)
(03) 3503-8484 (English &amp; Several Other Foreign Languages)

She will have to go in person to the nearest consulate or embassy. Where is she now?

The air ticket...depends on what sort of ticket she bought as different fare classes have very different rules regarding change and cancellation. Could be very easy and free (if she has a full-fare ticket without restrictions) or could be impossible (if she has a very restrictive deeply discounted ticket). She will need to call the airline office in Japan to deal with that.

Without any form of positive identification getting the passport replacement will be a challenge. I was in a similar situation in Greece 12 years ago, and the US Embassy got quite creative in terms of how they were going to confirm my id. Finally, they requested a copy of my high school yearbook photo page, received it by fax, and asked me what I had written on it. They issued me a temporary passport valid for a year, and required positive photo id to extend the validity.