Does anyone know how I can still make the flight? I really need to get back and I don't mind paying to have the new passport made in a day in England, I just need to get there!
Thanks in advance.
Dan
I hope someone can help me! My Passport and Ausweiss have both gone walkabouts together and I am due to fly back to London on Friday.
Option 1. Search harder
Option 2. ETD from https://www.gov.uk/government/world/...-embassy-berne
Good luck...!
I believe the UK has to let you in if you have any way to prove you're British (photocopy of the passport should be OK) but they may say only an actual passport counts. Plus the airline won't let you fly without a passport as they're worried you'll be held at immigration and sent back (at the airline's expense).
So, you need what's called an emergency travel document. It costs.
https://www.gov.uk/emergency-travel-document
Many years ago I had my passport and flight tickets stolen as I stopped for lunch whilst driving back to the airport in Spain. The airline made me wait until last (to ensure no one tried to use my ticket, I assume) then let me on, and UK passport control waved me in with no passport or any ID at all. I had a copy of a police report from Spain saying my documents were stolen, but they didn't even look at it. This was a long time ago and (unfortunately) they're much more strict nowadays.
Something to read to pass the time at the embassy
Please note that Emergency Travel Documents (ETDs) can only ever be issued to First Time Applicants (FTAs - those who have never held a passport before ) in very exceptional circumstances where there is an urgent need to travel and there are serious and unforeseen compassionate issues.
British nationals, as well as unrepresented European Union and Commonwealth citizens, who need to travel urgently and whose passport has expired, been lost or been stolen can be issued with a British emergency passport by a British foreign mission
https://www.gov.uk/emergency-travel-document
Emergency travel documents
If you have an urgent need to travel and your passport is not available, you may be able to apply for an Emergency Travel Document (ETD). You can book an appointment online at the following British Embassy in Switzerland:
If you plan to travel before the first available appointment, please call us on 031 359 77 00. (local call) or 0041 31 359 77 00
See Also
Thanks for your help everyone, I had already been on the official gov website and read through that, I am just wondering what constitutes "exceptional circumstances!" Nightmare, hopefully it turns up in the office tomorrow (the last place I can check)
I came from Edinburgh to Basel couple of weeks ago and the swiss passport control just waved me through, i didn't even take the passport out of my pocket!
and to get on the flight to Basel you showed.....?
A friend lost (as in left on a lecture-theatre seat) her passport in Madrid a few months ago. The embassy there issued her with a very pretty gold passport for the flight home, sadly it was only valid for one trip and she have to hand it back before they'd issue a permenant replacement.
My son mislaid his several years ago after an accident involving head injuries and he simply couldn't remember where he'd put it.
In the second instance we had time to simply wait for a new one to be issued.... but in both cases the embassy/consulate required a police report number so that the passports could be officially registered as stolen and the control number on them cancelled; presumably to flag them up if anyone tried to use them fraudulently.
It is tricky. Without a passport and without a permit it will be very difficult to get on a plane. The airline needs a passport so wont let you on the plane to begin with. Some may accept any ID, such as the Permit B instead of the passport, but that's as far as generosity goes.. But you have lost both! Then, seperately from that, the UK authorities require API (advance passenger information) from all passengers traveling to the UK, without that you cannot be allowed on the plane. And that's before even leaving the airport.
The UK embassy will issue an "emergency passport" (basically often a A4 sheet of paper with your photo), that allows a single trip back to the UK, and the UK passport control people will keep it. It's not difficult to get, but it's meant for tourists who lose the passport and have to get back. If you are living here (so you are not a tourist) they may refuse as it's meant to give you a "one way trip to your current country or residence" (which, after all, it is now Switzerland, not UK), and insist you apply for a new passport. So, basically, if you went on a holiday to the USA and lost the UK passport there, they will issue you with a em passport for a single trip back to Switzerland, so you dont miss your return flight. But depends on how the feel about the reason to travel also.
Best advice is to look harder... If you do need to go the emergency passport route, then you must declare the loss at a local (swiss) police station and get a police report, before the UK embassy can do anything.
Regardless of whether you will be allowed into the UK or not by the immigration, airlines have their own requirements on what ID is required to board the plane. So for UK nationals, traveling from Switzerland to UK:
Swiss - valid or expired passport or emergency passport
BA - valid passport or emergency passport
Easyjet - valid passport or emergency passport
So it seems you will be stoped at the checkin desk. If I remember correctly the checkin machines also require you to insert the passport (if flying to london) and the online checkin also asks for the passport information.
Your choices are the Emergency Travel Document or drive/coach/train to Calais and blag it at UK immigrations.
I looked everywhere, but couldn't find it. Sorry .
I lost mine once, and didn't notice until the day I was supposed to travel. Unfortunately it was a Saturday and that part of embassy was closed. I was told by UK passport authority that it might be possible to travel overland/sea, as you might not be checked. But it was not definite. Anyway, I should have a photocopy with me.
Luckily, after tearing my apartment apart I found the passport down the back of my shoe cupboard 90 minutes before the flight. Was packed, and at the gate in E terminal at Zurich 45 minutes before the flight.
Good luck with the search, in the meantime, prepare for ETD.
So I am back from the Embassy at Bern, I have my Emergency Passport which I can use this weekend to fly to England and then back again on Monday. This cost 143CHF. I then have to go back to the Embassy next week to gain another Emergency Passport for my flight on the 23rd costing another 143CHF. Then I have an appointment on the 24th at the passport office, hopefully my new passport will arrive before I am due back on the 5th. There goes my girldfriends christmas present!
Thanks for everyones help, I am very happy that I can go home despite the cost.