# Lost or stolen passports in Poland



## darach (Dec 15, 2006)

We are travelling around Europe in the car and collecting our motorhome in Germany in April but tonight disaster has struck. We are in the outskirts of Krakow Poland and our passports are missing. Everything goes though your head, have I mislaid them, what has happened but we are very thorough people and the only thing we can think of is that we have been pickpocketed.
As the consulate is not open over the weekend and the advice line in UK is as good as useless. Has anyone had this problem and what do you do? Shame what a great holiday, still smiling.
Derek & Bel


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## spykal (May 9, 2005)

Hi

Sorry to hear your plight ...glad you are still smiling :wink:

Here <<<  is a link to information about the British consulate in Krakow

best of luck.

mike


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

Brilliant response Mike up to MHF's high standards.


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## darach (Dec 15, 2006)

Thanks Mike, got that one of the internet but we have to wait until Monday to speak to them. We are going to stay just outside Krakow tomorrow night and go and see them on Monday, hopefully it can be done in a day as we are meant to be heading south to Zakopane on Monday, will let you know what happens!
Derek & Bel


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## RedSonja (May 22, 2006)

Hi Derek and Bel

It seems that you can only get a replacement in Warsaw

Lost/ Stolen Passports

To replace a lost/stolen passport you must report it to the police to obtain a police report. Only the British Embassy in Warsaw, Consular Section at ul Emillii Plater 28 can issue a replacement passport. The Consulate in Krakow does not issue passports.

Sonja


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## teckie (Feb 25, 2007)

Hi... Are you sure you didn't hand your passports in at a hotel Reception and forgot to ask for them back on leaving ?, I was in Warsaw 3 years ago on business and was asked to leave my passport at Reception and it was handed back to me on paying the bill.

Teckie


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## darach (Dec 15, 2006)

Hi Red Sonja, thanks for that information, I rechecked the web site and you are correct, will phone them tomorrow to see what happens.
Teckie, yes they do ask you to hand your passports in at each hotel, but once registered they have given them back. thanks
Derek & bel


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## lamperter (May 27, 2005)

I managed to loose my passport in the Czech Republic,went to the police at the border, explained the situation, after they checked through lots of other ID I had with me they issued me with a document explaining my problem and said I should produce it at the border. At the border I filled in lots more paperwork , they gave me a document that they said should get me all the way back to England. At the Austrian border, after lots of further explanation they let me into Austria. As soon as you are in one of the open border countries, you do not need to show your passport until you reach the ferry. Showed the paperwork to Immigration Official with ID and they let me through.


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## TonyH (May 1, 2005)

Hi Darach,
Under Schengen Agreement you may travel all over Europe without producing your passport from the north of Norway to the southern tip of Spain, basically the only countries who opted out of this agreement were Ireland & UK.

Regards,
TonyH.


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## eddied (May 9, 2005)

*Lost passport*

 
Buon giorno - don't despair.
In July 2006 I managed to loose my passport in France. Contacted emergency passport service in Lille, who were very helpful and explained that if I really wanted an emergency replacement would costs X pounds (can't remember the exact figure, but it was a lot!). They advised getting a police report, which I immediately did ffrom the gendarmerie where I was at the time, near Lac du Der. The gendarmerie were also helpful, in fact had pre-printed forms for this situation. On arrival at Calais chunnel terminal just showed the gendarmerie paper to the British immigration window, and was waved through. Then guess what - as I placed the gendarmerie paper in the little box under the Ducato radio - my passport fell out! It had become lodged in a little slot under the radio, and defied all my frantic searches for it.
As has been said above, if you are travelling in or between EU Schengen agreement countries, then a document from the police should suffice, especially if you have supporting ID such as a photo driving licence or similar. Of course most EU nationals (except British or Irish) could probably produce an ID card, which has the same value as a passport within Europe.
Hope you get sorted and on the road without too much hassle.
saluti, eddied


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## darach (Dec 15, 2006)

Thanks everybody for all your tips, as we are over here for a couple of months, also we have some travellers cheques we thought we better do it properly and Sunday morning went to the police station and through a interpreter got a police report (4 hours, but everybody was very nice).
Monday morning got up early and drove 340 kms to Warsaw. Got to the British Consulate at 1.30pm and got our passports at 4pm Tuesday afternoon after a lot of grovelling, at first they told us it would take up to 2 weeks, but they came through in the end. Cost approx 140 pounds each for full 10 year passports.
Thanks again 
Derek & Bel


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## thieawin (Jun 7, 2006)

I just wonder why you needed passports.

There is no legal requirement to have one in most cases.

You may need picture ID to get on a plane. The US may insist on one.

I have had my passport pinched twice and have manged to travel for weeks with a driving licence photo card.

Mind you to get into UK you have to be white, middle class and well spoken! Then you don't even need the picture card.


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## rickwiggans (May 10, 2006)

The reason it is as well to have a passport, is that in some countries you are required to produce on demand, and in some cases carry, official government issued ID. Since we don't have ID cards (and I don't want to even start on that one!!), a passport is the only suitable document we Brits have. Yes, you can sometimes get away with other photo ID, but life is so much simpler, if more expensive, if you have the right documentation


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## billym (Dec 17, 2005)

Pleased you got it sorted. I have often wondered about losing our passports abroad.

I was interested in what Thiewin says about not needing a passport. I have been looking at this and seem to be getting conflicting information about this treaty or that. Can I enter the uk without a passport but with other UK photo ID ?


I am white , middle class and well spoken but I can be absolutely sure that on a couple of occasions whilst in the EU I would have been locked up if I had not had my passport with me. I am confused


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## rickwiggans (May 10, 2006)

I guess that is a question best addressed to the UK Immigration service! I suppose strictly speaking the answer is yes - if the question is phrased "could I eventually gain entry". If you phrase the question "Could I just walk up to the immigration desk and show my driving licence or library card and sail through" then the answer is no. Though I was interested at Manchester airport a couple of weeks ago to see foreign aircrew gaining entry on their ID badges alone.


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