Having your passport or identity card is a legal requirement © Jaimie Harmsen – Unsplash
Loss or theft of a foreign identity document in France, what to do?
Paris is a big city, and like any big city, you have to be very careful with your belongings and even more so if you are in very touristy places or if you find yourself in a crowded metro. Hiding your copy of your passport in your socks and leaving the original at home until the day of departure is not a good solution!
Many foreigners walk around France without an identity document or with photocopies, for fear of having their passport stolen. First of all, you should know that in the event of a police check on French soil, you must be able to prove your identity with a real official document. Being in possession of your passport or identity card is a legal obligation. If you have no means of proving your identity, you may be detained for a verification or taken to the police station. You might as well prevent a tragedy!
If you are worried about your passport, take the original of your driving licence, your residence permit or your identity card; that will be enough!
One last photo before leaving, my journey to my dream internship begins!© Ashim da Silva – Unsplash
I am a foreigner and I have lost / had my passport stolen in France, what are the consequences?
Losing your passport is very damaging, especially if you lose your visa at the same time. The consequences are quite simple: you will no longer be able to prove your identity, unless you have other proof, but above all, you will no longer be able to travel or enter your country and going through customs will become really problematic.
Without being dramatic, your document could also be used by malicious people to commit certain violations, and you will then have to justify your innocence by presenting evidence. Do not take any risks, neither in France nor elsewhere!
Be very careful with all your belongings when you are travelling © Levi Ventura – Unsplash
I have just realised that I have lost my passport. Which actions should I take?
Whether you think you have lost your passport or it has been stolen, you should report the loss (or theft) of your passport to the nearest police authority without delay. You will have to fill in a form at a police station and keep the report of this statement, which is essential for the rest of your procedures. To do this, you must have your passport number. It is therefore always useful to take a photo of your passport or, better still, to make a copy of it which you can keep in your accommodation, or even give a copy to a relative in France or send it to yourself by email.
Even if you have little chance of finding the lost document following the declaration of loss or theft, the declaration form is absolutely necessary for all your procedures. It will also allow you to go through customs to return home, if needed. You must then report the loss of the passport to the consulate or embassy of your country in France and register your declaration. For example, if you are an American citizen, there are 7 consulates of the United States of America in France located in the major French cities. It’s convenient!
You can find the form to fill in to report the loss / theft of your passport on the website of the embassy of your country. This can save you time. You will then have to go to the consulate in person. Please note that suitcases, luggage and backpacks are not allowed in embassies. You should therefore leave them in a safe place during your appointment. You can apply for a new passport online, but you will need a credit card to pay the fees. It is best to avoid having all your important documents in the same pocket and on your person, so as not to lose EVERYTHING at once.
If you have a same-day flight and are in a hurry, the US government website advises, for example, that you should not waste time making a police report (if it will cause you to miss your flight). Report the stolen or lost passport directly online and try to get an emergency passport.
To be on the safe side, it is best to check with your consulate or embassy in advance.
To come to Paris you must have your passport up to date © Harupimedia
What do I do if I find a lost or stolen ID card or passport?
You can drop it off at a police station or town hall. Thank you for doing this! You can also drop it off in a letterbox, and the postal services will send it to the municipality’s lost property department. In Paris, the lost property department is located on rue des Morillons in the 15th arrondissement. To find a lost object, you will have to pay a fixed sum depending on the amount of the object and the time since it was lost. Please note that objects are destroyed after a legal period.
If in doubt, you can also file a request on the website dedicated to lost and found objects of the Prefecture in France.
In Paris, the lost and found service is located in the 15th arrondissement.© Fum Ari – Unsplash
I have retrieved my passport, can I use it?
Great, I don’t know where my head is, but my passport was well hidden! I found it!
Well, too bad for you!
If you have reported your passport lost or stolen, it is now unusable. Unfortunately, it is not possible to cancel the declaration of loss or theft and it cannot be made valid again.
In any case, be very careful with all your belongings, documents and payment cards. Don’t put all your documents in one place, just as you don’t put all your eggs in one basket!
If Talent Developer helps you to come to France for your work placement, you should put your passport and visa copy in your personal space on the platform; this will enable us to help you if necessary.