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How to replace a passport

orror story about some poor traveler losing a passport on the day before a departing flight, only to discover that the consular section of the embassy is closed in observance of an obscure holiday?

What do you do in this situation?

As a preventative measure, write your phone number on a piece of paper and keep it inside your passport. Many people are willing to return found documents for a small fee. This price is sure to be less than what the consular section of your embassy will charge for replacement documents.

Barring the help of a Good Samaritan, citizens of most Western countries must undergo a fairly standard procedure. However, it is a good idea to call the consulate of your nation to confirm the process.

The first step is to file a police report. While this probably wonХt help you get your passport back, it is necessary to have official documentation that it was lost in order to start the replacement process. Expect to wait a bit during this step, as the police are not known for their can-do attitude toward foreigners.

Next, get passport photos taken. This can be done at any photo shop in Kyiv. Just ask for foto na dokumenty. Two photos are usually required, but they come on pages of four, so youХll have extras for your loved ones. For about Hr 10, photos can be developed immediately.

Then, go to your embassy during working hours to apply for a replacement passport. Bring the police report, photos, a photocopy of your passport and a photo ID that verifies your citizenship. Fill out an application and other bureaucratic paperwork, pay and wait.

The fees and the processing times vary by country.

The American Embassy, being typically efficient, can get a replacement the same day. It costs $60 for adults and $40 for children. Under special circumstances, the process can be expedited. Without an ID or photocopy of a passport, expect to wait two or three days. Further questions can be addressed to the American consular section at 246-9750.

British citizens need to be a bit more patient. A replacement passport takes two days with a birth certificate and up to seven working days without one. Fees are 50 pounds paid in hryvna. Call 290-7317 for more information.

All in all, the process is not as tough as it once was. In bygone days, a lost passport was a party spoiler. Now it is a petty inconvenience and a small price.

Jake Rudnitsky