What happens when you forget your passport?

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You hear stories of this or that person having forgotten their passport and being turned away at the airport for international flights or at the dock for international cruises. And for the normal John Q. Public, that is the norm. The airline or cruise line have check lists in place which include the immigration step - Does this person have the appropriate international travel documents.

But what about those who travel privately and perhaps don’t have those “checklists” in place? For example the more well-heeled traveling in their private G-5 jets? Or on their 45 foot sailboat/yacht traveling from one port of call to the the next..

And then there are the charters, large groups which take control of the entire vessel. Is there someone checking the travel documents?

If you’re sitting there shaking your head that this can’t possibly happen, I assure you, oh yes it does.

Just last week, Sharon Osbourne (yes Sharon of the television show the Talk, wife to the Prince of Darkness, Ozzy) recently found herself having arrived in Mexico City and discovering she did not have her passport.

‪Ozzy on his way to Mexico and performing in front of 80,000 people and I had to miss the whole thing as I forgot my passport at home in the U.S. ‬ ‪Photos: @RossHalfin‬

A post shared by Sharon Osbourne (@sharonosbourne) on May 7, 2018 at 3:26pm PDT

Sharon Osbourne, arrives via private jet and sleeps on the tarmac (in lieu of a holding cell) at the Mexico City airport. Arrive in Mexico without your documents and you will be interviewed and if arriving via a commercial flight, the airline will be responsible for returning you to point of origin. If by boat or ship, the possibility of incarceration or being confined to the vessel are both possibilities.

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What happens if you are a non-US citizen arriving in the United States without your passport or enhanced ID?

Other than citizens of Mexico and Canada, the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) tells us

Visitors traveling to the U.S. are required to be in possession of passports that are valid for six months beyond the period of their intended stay in the U.S. Passport requirements pertain to travelers regardless of age (Passports are required for children are the same as adults).

Mexican citizens?

Mexican citizens using the Border Crossing Card may travel 55 miles into the U.S. - except in the Nogales/Tucson area, where travel to Tucson is authorized. The Border Crossing Card (BCC) is acceptable as a stand-alone document (by itself) only for travel from Mexico by land, or by pleasure vessel or ferry. Together with a valid passport, though, it meets the documentary requirements for entry at all land, air, and sea ports of entry (to include travel from Canada). Note: You must be a Mexican citizen and a resident of Mexico to have a BCC.

Canadian Citizens?

All Canadian Citizens entering the United States by AIR are required to present a valid passport, or a NEXUS card when departing from Canada. Please be advised that if arriving in the United States on a flight not pre-cleared by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in Canada, Global entry kiosks cannot be used by passengers only holding a NEXUS card, and the regular inspection lanes have to be used. By Land and Sea (including ferries) - Canadian citizens traveling to the U.S. by land or sea are required to present one of the travel documents listed below, and may generally visit the U.S. for up to six months. CBP will accept: Canadian passport, Enhanced Driver’s License/Enhanced Identification Card, NEXUS, FAST/EXPRES and SENTRI enrollment cards.

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What happens if you are a US citizen arriving in the United States without your passport or enhanced ID?

Documents required

If you are a U.S. citizen planning to travel abroad, you must comply with the document requirements for that country. The Department of State (DOS) provides information on Travel Documents and Authentic Certificate Requirements. Also, several U.S. Embassies and Consulates provide information to assist applicants in collecting the documentation needed. For a list of Embassies, please visit USEmbassy.gov

If you are traveling in the Western Hemisphere( Canada, Mexico, Caribbean, Central and South America):

Air Travel: All U.S. citizens departing from or entering the United States from within the Western Hemisphere by air are required to present a valid passport or a NEXUS card (if utilizing a NEXUS kiosk when departing from a designated Canadian airport). Merchant Mariner Document (for U.S. citizens on official maritime business.) U.S. Military identification card when traveling on official orders: Children are also required to present their own passport when traveling by air.

Land or Sea Travel: U.S. citizens entering the United States by land or sea are required to present a valid WHTI-compliant document, which include:

- U.S. Passports

- U.S. Passport Cards

- Enhanced Driver’s Licenses

- Trusted Traveler Cards (Global Entry*, NEXUS, SENTRI, or FAST

- Military Identification Cards (for members of the U.S. armed official maritime business)

* The Global Entry (GE) card is only an ENTRY document and may not be used to enter Canada, Mexico or Adjacent Island.

Military personnel traveling under orders may present photo ID and orders. Family members must present a passport (with the exception of children 15 and younger arriving by land or sea.)

And should you lose your passport during your travel, and need an emergency passport, your embassy or consulate will have the means to issue you one to you.

This was the situation when Christine S., a seasoned traveler, discovered right after she had gotten off the plane that her passport was missing from her satchel. She immediately engaged the airline and a search was conducted onboard. The conclusion, the individual seated next to her had reached into the satchel while she napped and stole her passport. She knew what to do, had prepared for the possibility of losing her passport, and put her plan into action. Read: Passport Stolen on your flight? What to do?

We recommend that you carry a paper copy and keep it separate from your person, and also leave a copy of the information page of your passport with a trusted family member or friend so that it can be shared expeditiously with the consular official. The US issued 54,471 emergency passports in 2017, so if you’ve misplaced yours, know that you’re not the first.

In Fiscal Year 2017 we helped 54,471 U.S. citizens obtain an emergency U.S. passport! If your passport is ever lost or stolen while traveling overseas, contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or consulate - we can help! #PSRW pic.twitter.com/HOSVju4dRz

— Travel - State Dept (@TravelGov) May 9, 2018