MY GRANDDAUGHTER LOST HER PASSPORT IN CHINA!

[DandyDon]

What parent allows a child to keep up with her own passport in China? Some do I guess.

No fun being 13 time zones from home without one. At 10pm the hotel would not let them check in, so they had to go to the police department to file a report, and of course things kept getting complicated - but with help from local friends, they finally got in their room after a couple of hours.

I am always trying to think of good, fatherly advice to offer our world traveler, and fortunately I had advised my daughter to keep a spare passport photo and copy of the info page in a separate bag, supplied her with local U.S.Embassy Consulate contact info and suggested she keep that handy just in case, and - old dad's advice worked. Yay dad. They may be a few days late leaving China.

They've been back to 4 police stations and Entrance & Exit bureaus this morning, now on a train to Shanghai to visit the US Consulate office. It's almost noon Thursday there, and they have a plane to Texas leaving at 4pm Friday - which it doesn't sound like they can make.

Since they have a photo and a photocopy of the information page, I would think they could issue them an emergency passport on the spot - but I guess they have other things to do as well. I think they have to go someplace else to replace her visa, which sounds odd as all she wants to do now is leave.

Anyone know how to make all this happen in a hurry...??

thanks

 

[JohnnyC]

Chinese bureaucracy is worse than US if you can imagine. Getting a passport shouldn't be too bad, but getting exit visas may be an issue.

 

[Stoo]

Damn... My daughter travelled for six years, by herself. It was terrifying to this Dad the entore time she was gone. She lived in Honduras, then Australia and New Zealand, then Cambodia, India and Nepal, each for year or a little less. Amazingly, she had no problems and I only had to bail her out once (for a return flight, which I was happy to spring for)

I would hope that the Embassy staff would be her best bet for resolution, although I suppose they can only do so much!

 

[DandyDon]

getting exit visas may be an issue.

Yes, that's the latest I heard - which seems odd, just for permission to leave.

 

[Doc]

I am always trying to think of good, fatherly advice to offer our world traveler, and fortunately I had advised my daughter to ....

What? No EPIRB?

By now, they have the advice of the American Consulate. I wouldn't drive to the Lubbock airport to pick them up until they call you from baggage claim.

The Chinese government portion is going to take as long as it's going to take. This is the inherent purpose and mechanics of a 'visa'.

 

[KathyV]

My sister just returned from a trip to the Netherlands and she told me that she was able to download her passport on her phone. I am not sure how that works, do you get an "electronic stamp" and will all countries accept an electronic passport?

I always liked the paper passport and collecting the colorful stamps on the pages but I suppose having a copy on your phone is another way to keep a record of your passport information. I would be worried if I lost it or if someone stole my phone but then it would be similar to losing my passport or having it stolen.

Like Don we also travel with a photocopy of the passport page and keep it separate but happily we haven't had to use it yet.

Hope everything works out well for your family and their trip to China!

 

[KDAD]

When traveling I hold onto my, my wife's, my daughter's, and my mother-in-law's passport. I don't trust them with it. They are forever losing stuff so I can't take the chance with something like a passport

 

[DandyDon]

What? No EPIRB?

She also ignores many of my suggestions, but she is a grown woman and an accomplished professional.

When traveling I hold onto my, my wife's, my daughter's, and my mother-in-law's passport. I don't trust them with it. They are forever losing stuff so I can't take the chance with something like a passport

I still can't believe she let the child carry her own?

Now the US Embassy will not issue the passport until they receive a notarized authorization from my son-in-law. What's with that? I think she had one when they left the US, and all they want to do now is come home.

 

[uncfnp]

My sister just returned from a trip to the Netherlands and she told me that she was able to download her passport on her phone. I am not sure how that works, do you get an "electronic stamp" and will all countries accept an electronic passport?

I always liked the paper passport and collecting the colorful stamps on the pages but I suppose having a copy on your phone is another way to keep a record of your passport information. I would be worried if I lost it or if someone stole my phone but then it would be similar to losing my passport or having it stolen.

Like Don we also travel with a photocopy of the passport page and keep it separate but happily we haven't had to use it yet.

Hope everything works out well for your family and their trip to China!

It may be the "official" Mobile Passport app now available. I saw the signs for it when we went through customs at the Atlanta airport in May so I had it loaded and ready for our return from Cozumel this July 4th. So when the plane landed in Atlanta pulled up the app and entered our arrival. After a few seconds I got a popup it could not complete the process. So tried again in the airport. No go.

Went through the usual line in customs with the kiosk and I had a big X through my slip. Huh? Sure enough. I was routed to a different line to process. SLOW. I saw many in front of me get their passprts bagged and escorted to another area. What? Finally got to the desk. He checked the passport, check me, checked his screen. Then he asked if I had used two different kiosks. It showed that I had completed the process twice. Nope. Oh, but I had tried the new app but it said it had not processed. Yep, he said. That's the problem. Get rid of it. I deleted the app on the way out the airport.

 

[DandyDon]

"official" Mobile Passport app now available

It sounds promising, whenever they get it work right. I don't think I want to be a beta tester.

It looks like my daughter may go ahead and come home Friday afternoon, while my granddaughter stays with an girl who has lived with my daughter's family the last two years and her family there - then come a week later. I do not like that idea of separating, but they seem to be working full time on details, and they have great cooperation with friends over there. Of course we'd have to give the granddaughter another chance at keeping up with her PP & visa thru DFW to Lubbock, but there is one seat left on July 23 that does not require an overnight in DFW.

I wonder how much American Air will rape them over changes, from an Economy return flight to an Unaccompanied Minor traveling a week later? I did talk my daughter into getting Trip Insurance this time, but she took the cheapest offered by Travel Safe.