None of us are insured against losing our passports, so I was once “lucky” - my bag with documents was stolen. Is it possible fly home without a passport? Yes! But if you are interested in how to do this, follow me. ;)
How to fly without a passport
When going on vacation or on a business trip, the last thing you want to do is think about the bad, but it’s still worth knowing how to behave in such a situation. To fly home without a passport, you will need:
- go to your local police station. There, most likely, they will brush you off like an annoying fly, however statement of loss/theft of documents they are obliged to accept, after which they will give you phone number of the consulate or embassy Your country, where you need to apply;
- by contacting the embassy or consulate in person, go back to the police. You need a piece of paper with their stamp, which allows you to buy an air ticket without a passport;
- We go to the embassy of your country, from where a request will be sent to your hometown, after which confirmation is received that you exist (yes, everything is so confusing). If everything goes well, you will be given temporary document permitting entry into the territory of the country of residence.
How to buy a plane ticket without a passport
Having received all the temporary documents from the police, you can completely calmly buy a ticket at the airport ticket office. You only need to have with you cash or bank card(I hope you kept it separately). Then everything is as usual: with tickets and documents received from the police, you should go to check-in and board the plane and wait for your arrival home. Important Note: don't come to registration back to back- customs officers can double-check your temporary “pass”; it took me about an hour.
Having recovered a little from the shock, take up the restoration of documents, since temporary papers are valid only until arrival in your country.
Conclusion
Losing documents, of course, is annoying, but flying home without a passport is quite possible- the entire procedure for obtaining temporary documents will take you from several hours to a couple of days.
Russian consulates or embassies, as well as a stamped certificate, according to which they will sell you without a passport. Next, you must personally contact the Russian Consulate with an application. Consular officials will send a request to your place of residence to confirm your personal information. After which you will be able to receive a document - a certificate of return, with which you will go through customs control when entering Russia, regardless of the presence or absence of a visa.
With the same certificate, you will be able to move around the territory of Russia, if you need to go home through several settlements. The consulate may require any other documents that allow you to accurately establish your identity and place of residence in the Russian Federation. You will also be helped by duly certified applications from at least two Russian citizens confirming your identity - this will speed up the process.
According to the certificate received from the police, you will not only be sold a ticket containing the Russian consulate or embassy, but also later, after receiving documents from the consulate, a ticket to Russia. Of course, all this will come with costs. In addition, it is not necessary that the police will know Russian - be prepared to speak in the language of the host country, or, in extreme cases, in English. You will also need to draw up the application in the language of the country in which everything happened.
After visiting the police and embassy and purchasing a ticket with all the certificates received, you can safely fly home. It is unlikely that you will be able to continue your trip anywhere else without a passport - it is better to return to your place of permanent residence.
Video on the topic
For people who are used to traveling by rail, buying air tickets sometimes causes difficulties and is associated with several questions: is it possible to buy tickets with a Russian passport and do you need to immediately provide a visa, for example, when booking tickets to Europe?
You will need
- - general passport;
- - international passport.
Instructions
To purchase an air ticket, you may need only two documents - a general document and a foreign document. The type of document required when issuing a ticket depends on the country the traveler intends to visit. If all movements are exclusively within the territory of the Russian Federation, then to purchase a ticket it will be enough - it will have to be presented at the airport at. However, you can also enter the territory of some CIS countries using an internal Russian document. Such agreements are in force with the Republic of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. It is also possible to enter Abkhazia using Russian language.
To purchase tickets to all other countries, you must have a passport. At the same time, countries are conditionally divided into three categories: those that require a preliminary visa to visit; countries for which a visa can be issued on the spot, and countries for which no visa is required. The list of the latter is adjusted every year. Israel, Armenia, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Serbia, Montenegro and some other countries remain unchanged on this list. In addition, the number of countries with which Russia bilaterally simplifies the visa regime increases every year.
Another important nuance that must be taken into account when booking a ticket is the validity period of the international passport. There is a whole list of states that you can visit only with a passport with sufficient validity. For some countries this period should not be less than 6 months at the time of entry, for others - at least 6 months at the time of departure. You can enter some countries with a passport, which will be valid for another three months. Therefore, you cannot issue tickets for one international passport, and then, having realized it, change it for another: registration is carried out exactly according to the document for which the ticket was issued.
In addition to countries where entry is not burdened with special formalities, there are also those in which this process is taken very seriously. Pre-application of a visa to visit Europe, America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and a number of other countries is mandatory for all citizens of the Russian Federation. In most cases, the decision to issue a visa is positive, but a percentage of refusals still exists. Therefore, when purchasing tickets to these destinations, you need to be aware of the current fare. If the fare is standard, then you can get your money back for the ticket. But if the fare turns out to be non-refundable (usually tickets for some promotions and sales), it will be doubly unpleasant: the visa was refused and the money for the ticket was not returned. So it’s better to find out such details on the shore.
note
Pay attention to the validity period of your passport.
Airline tickets are usually purchased in advance. When everything is almost ready and the luggage is collected, it may turn out that the documents have disappeared or are damaged. Those who experience such trouble are seized with panic. In the article we will tell you whether it is possible to fly by plane if your passport is damaged or lost, and whether it is possible to fly on a domestic flight with an international passport.
Is it possible to board a plane without a passport?
Different situations happen in life. One day, before going through customs control, you may find yourself without a passport. If this happened a few minutes before the flight, you will not be able to get on board, because it is unlikely that it will be possible to confirm the fact that the document was lost. Airline employees have no right to take their word for it.
A completely different ending is possible if a Russian citizen’s passport is lost or damaged within a few days, when he has to fly within the country.
In this case, you will have to follow the algorithm:
- Take the purchased tickets.
- Visit the police station, explain the situation and write a statement about the loss of your passport (or indicate another reason for not having it in your possession).
- Obtain a certificate certified by the competent authority.
- Contact the airline before check-in and explain the situation by presenting your tickets, the certificate you received or your passport.
Flights without a Russian passport will be allowed, but you must have with you the package of documents listed above.
What to do if your passport is lost or stolen
The loss or theft of a passport is aggravated by a number of problems that those who have air tickets in hand will immediately have to solve. Having identified the fact that a document is missing, a citizen must contact the passport office of his locality, where he is registered. While on a business trip or on study, vacation, or treatment in another city, you will have to visit the police or the MFC.
Further actions:
- A statement is written to law enforcement agencies with a request to recognize the loss of the passport and issue a temporary certificate. It is definitely worth pointing out that the lost document must be canceled so that no one can use it or fly off somewhere if found.
- The written statement is recorded.
- The victim is given a notification ticket. On its basis, if necessary, you can obtain a temporary passport, which is issued by the Main Directorate for Migration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs or a multifunctional center. You can use it to fly on a domestic flight.
You should know that if a passport is lost, a citizen will have to pay a fine and provide copies of other documents.
An identification certificate is provided upon check-in for the plane. As noted earlier, it allows only domestic flights, but does not allow travel abroad. If a Russian citizen has lost his passport and needs to return home, it is recommended to contact the Russian Consulate. All issues are resolved there, after which a certificate for departure is issued.
Will they be allowed on a plane with a damaged passport?
Attention is always paid to the appearance of documents during registration.
The passport is considered damaged:
- Some pages are completely torn out or partially torn off;
- the inscriptions are dirty;
- there are extraneous notes and stamps.
A document will not be accepted for registration if access to the necessary information is limited or impossible. Sometimes company employees, trying to get into the client’s position, ask for a photocopy or other identification documents. If they are not with them, they may not be allowed on board or detained at the airport until the required documents are provided.
Other useful articles on the topic:
Is it possible to fly with an expired document?
The rules for the carriage of passengers by Russian airlines state that each citizen is responsible for the correct execution of his documents. By using an expired passport, a citizen violates established legislation. If such a fact is revealed, airline companies will not allow you to board the aircraft because the passenger does not have a valid identity document. In addition, a person who is late in replacing a document will have to pay a fine.
It often happens that a passport expires when a citizen is in another city and does not have the opportunity to replace it. In this case, you will have to return your ticket and go home by another means of transport, because...
Flight across Russia using a foreign passport
Domestic flights within the territory of the Russian Federation require the citizen to have a passport, which is used to purchase a ticket. If it is lost, dirty, burned, drowned or stolen, it is allowed to use the citizen’s current passport.
The legislative documents contain neither confirming nor prohibiting information about flying within the country using a foreign passport.
Russians often use it in different situations:
- if you lose your internal passport;
- upon expiration of its validity period;
- damage to the document (pages are stained, edges are burnt, etc.);
- non-compliance with customs control standards.
If the ticket was purchased in advance using an internal passport, and the flight is to be made with the presentation of a foreign passport, you must:
- contact the airline in advance and explain the situation;
- clarify information about the passenger, make changes to the ticket (reissue it).
Sometimes they suggest visiting the airline office for this, although you can also resolve this issue over the phone or send the necessary information via the Internet to the support service.
We talked about how to fly using an existing plane ticket if your passport is lost or stolen, damaged or dirty. There are no unsolvable problems. Even if an unusual situation arises, airline employees will tell the passenger where to go. And yet, many incidental situations can be avoided if you are vigilant and be a law-abiding citizen.
If you have lost your passport or had it stolen, first contact the police and the embassy, where they will provide you with temporary documents that will enable you to purchase a plane ticket.
Sometimes there are cases that during a necessary trip on business or, for example, during vacation, a person loses the most important document, namely a passport. But despite this, he still desperately needs to get back on the plane.
What to do if you lose your passport
The first thing you need to do is contact the police, where you will file a statement about the trouble that has befallen you - the loss of your passport. These authorities will provide you with a temporary certificate, giving you the opportunity to purchase a ticket without having to show your document. In addition, here you can also obtain information about the coordinates of your embassy, to which you must also submit a statement that you have lost your passport.
After you have written such an application, the embassy staff will send a request to the place where you live, where it will be necessary to verify your identity. After the embassy receives a positive response, you will be issued the necessary certificate, upon presentation of which you will be able to return home. In addition, the certificate you receive will be valid in the Territory of Russia. This is important if you need to cross many settlements.
Consular officials may require you to provide any other document that can verify your identity or obtain a statement from at least two Russian citizens who will confirm your identity. This will greatly speed up the procedure for obtaining temporary documents. The certificate that you receive from the police will give you the opportunity to move freely around the country, and will also allow you to return to Russia.
There is no doubt that you will need to pay for all these police actions. We should not forget that the application to the police is written in the language of the country in which you are located. As a last resort, perhaps writing it in English.
Once you have received all the necessary documents, you can fly home with a sense of accomplishment. After returning, you will need to contact the necessary service in order to restore your passport. Restoring lost documents is a rather lengthy procedure that requires a lot of effort and patience and is associated with a number of inconveniences and financial costs. But this will teach you in the future to be more attentive and carefully monitor your documents, the restoration of which is so difficult.
How not to lose your passport in another country
As a result, I would like to give you some tips that could protect you from such troubles:
Try to always remember where you put your main document - your passport. Get yourself another document proving your identity so that, if possible, you do not always have your passport with you.
This could be a driver's license or other form of identification that has your photograph on it. It’s better to keep your passport at home, in a safe and trusted place. Then you will know exactly where it is and, if necessary, quickly find it. Sometimes it is better to take the time and go for it, if necessary, than to expose yourself to the risk of going through such a long and troublesome passport renewal procedure again.
When you travel frequently, going to the airport, going through customs and passport control becomes a routine. Let's just say you relax. You can lose sight of something, forget it, lose it, be late. Of course, such force majeure events happen not only to experienced travelers. This can happen to anyone. But today we want to give 8 useful tips on the topic “what to do if...”.
All force majeure circumstances may at first glance seem like a disaster and a complete destruction of travel plans. But, there is a way out of any situation. You need to know some of the rules by which airlines and travel agencies operate. Then you can easily solve any problem. We share the secrets of successfully overcoming difficulties before a trip.
What should you do if you arrive at the airport and forget your documents at home?
You have a domestic flight, then everything is quite simple. More precisely, you have more opportunities, even when your passport is forgotten at home. So, what documents allow you to board a plane in Russia?
- your civil passport;
- international passport;
- children under 14 years of age fly with a birth certificate;
- military ID (if serving);
- a certificate that you receive when your passport is being exchanged;
- seaman's passport.
Let's assume you issued a ticket with your passport details. But they forgot it at home. Therefore, you need to check your pockets, wallet and your papers. We are looking for something else from the list. Now, let's turn to the airline representative. There are ticket offices of large companies at the airport; they are almost always open. Or call the hotline. We ask you to urgently reissue your ticket for another document.
If you cross the border, everything is more complicated. You need a passport. This is where a military ID or internal passport is unlikely to help you. It’s better to check 10 times whether you took your passport with you.
What to do if you find a mistake in the Last Name or First Name on the ticket?
Please read everything written on your booking sheet carefully. You buy a ticket via the Internet or at the airline sales office. It is important. A “mistake” in your last name will cost you your trip, and no one will return the money. Of course, there is always a small chance that a small error will not be noticed during reconciliation. But do we want to take such risks when the flight is at stake?
The sooner you find a mistake, the easier it is to fix it. If the time to cancel your itinerary receipt (ticket) has expired, check what options are available. To do this, go or call the airline.
It happens that data correction is impossible. Then you will have to return the ticket, and when buying a new one, check everything carefully. Chances are you won't get full price for your ticket. But you will get on your flight.
Other carriers have clear rates for making changes. The closer the flight, the more expensive it is. Some people make changes for free. It's worth asking about this before purchasing a ticket.
By the way, if you managed to go one way, there is no guarantee that you will return back without problems. The front desk person may or may not attend the meeting. Many airlines will not allow a passenger to pass if there are errors or clerical errors on the ticket.
What to do if you don't catch your flight?
There can be 1000 or more options. Traffic jams, an accident on the road, a delay in the Aeroexpress train (yes, this also happens), a taxi is late. You can even confuse the airport. But before you start worrying, let's understand the rules for crossing the border.
If you have not checked in for your flight 40 minutes before departure, then this is a no-show situation. This can happen even if you are already at the airport, in line. They don't work here to register everyone. This is a clear rule, latecomers are not welcome.
Sometimes the airport has a counter for late passengers. Here, for a fee, you can go even after completing the main registration. Especially if you are only 5-10 minutes late.
Perhaps your flight is registered together with 1-2 others. Ask other passengers to let you through. They may not be in such a hurry, but for you even a couple of minutes makes a huge difference.
You can try calling the airline to rebook for another flight. Otherwise, your round-trip tickets will be burned due to no-show for the flight.
What to do if you are denied check-in for a flight?
It happens that registration is denied. For example, if you bought a one-way ticket only. Very often, a return ticket is required as a guarantee of your return to your homeland. They may turn you away, considering you a potential migrant. Even if this is exactly your goal, buy a return ticket. You can always refuse it in the country of destination, but you will register without any problems. By the way, we didn’t tell you anything or advise you, if anything.
Other factors for non-registration:
- no visa;
- expired visa;
- problems with documents (a customs officer doubts that this is your document, for example);
- the passport has expired;
- you have overdue loans, unpaid fines.
Read the rules for crossing the border. Especially the point about what might prevent you from crossing it.
What to do with overbooking
Have you sold more seats than there are on the plane? This is a standard situation. After all, there is always a possibility that someone will not be on time or will not come to registration at all. And everyone came. Of course, whoever registered first sat down. What should the rest of us do?
You may be upgraded to business class as an option. But it's not rubber either. Usually, due to an error by the carrier itself, they may offer another flight or another flight date. Rarely are bonuses or monetary compensation given. But they can fully refund the cost of the ticket.
It is best to register through the airline’s website, then you will definitely get in without any problems. Even in an overbooking situation. Be careful, companies sell more tickets during vacations, holidays, and holidays. Just arrive early and get in line.
What to do if the flight is cancelled?
Of course this happens. You should always be prepared for a flight cancellation, but you should not panic. Passengers are notified, especially if something very serious has happened. Think for yourself, flying away at any cost is not the best option. There is a snowstorm outside, a terrible thunderstorm, or something happened to the plane or navigation system. These are force majeure circumstances. What kind of compensation awaits the passenger is necessarily written in the company’s rules. There is always such a clause in any contract.
You may be offered to change your flight, reschedule for another day, or fly with a transfer. This is why we leave our contact information when purchasing a ticket. So, a phone number or email is not a whim of the seller, but a chance to really help you if something happens.
If the proposed options do not suit you, then, as a rule, there is an opportunity to return the money.
But what if you are already at the airport, and the flight was delayed for 6-8 hours or an indefinite time? If you clear customs, there aren't many options. Be sure to ask for food stamps - this is one of the few pleasant bonuses of the situation. But only if your flight is delayed by more than 4 hours. Take a walk around the airport, many of them offer very interesting entertainment for tourists, so it won’t be difficult to pass the time.
Usually, the next flights are already sold out, so there are no options for exchanging tickets. Try it, maybe you'll get lucky! In general, here you will have to wait for your flight, although this may take a long time.
By the way, if your flight is delayed by more than 8 hours, the carrier is obliged to provide hotel rooms to all passengers.
What to do if the flight is delayed and then the connecting connection is lost?
There are two options. The first is simple: your carrier operates both flights, you only have one ticket with one number. You will be put on another flight to your destination for free. This is the carrier's mistake, they will correct it free of charge.
You have two tickets, two carriers. You are late for your connection, even if it is not your fault. Well, you'll have to buy a ticket. But first, call both airlines and explain the situation. You may be able to negotiate something or partially offset the price of a new ticket. But it’s not a fact that this will happen.
What to do if you miss a flight due to illness?
Some companies accept hospital or doctor's notes. This is a forced refund for medical reasons. This works even if the ticket itself is non-refundable. But it all depends on the company's policy. You can also read about this in the rules on the carrier’s website.
Don't be upset if this happens. Very often, the money for the ticket can actually be returned. Or reschedule the dates without loss. But, you will need an official certificate from a doctor or an extract from a medical institution.