lost / stolen passport advice

[razal]

hey everyone , i just got into eze and seem to have "misplaced" my passport from the time i put my bags into the conveyor belt at aduanas and took them out of the machine. very strange but not much i can do about it now so I needn't dwell or point any fingers as I should have kept it in my hands at all times...

ANYWAY, I'm most concerned that I have my resident visa stamp in there (as well as a 10 year brazilian visa). Can anyone point me in the right direction of what the next step would be? I know the steps I have to take to get my US passport, but I'm more concerned about the lio that's involved in going to migraciones and getting my arg visa as I will freak my shit if I need to go through that process again.

thanks

 

[French jurist]

Can't help you but surely, you put yourself into trouble.

Stupid question : did you call Ezeiza or your Embassy (maybe someone found it and will give it back) ?

 

[syngirl]

the people at customs are usually after electronics and cash, not passports. Before anything else, I'd call the airport (or go back out there, being in their face tends to get things done faster) and make sure they didn't find it in the machine? It sounds like maybe you placed it on top of your bag or something?

 

[razal]

yes, i realized i didnt have it the moment i picked up my bags out of the conveyor belt thing, so I retraced all the steps, looked everywhere possible and talked to (and got hit on by) all the guys at aduanas / migraciones (one aduanas guy said he would help me look for the passport in my dress and my boots).

I guess my main question is if anyone who is an Argentine resident (on work visa or similar) has needed a new passport and if so, is it a difficult process to get issued another residency/visa stamp.

 

[Uncle Dermot]

Be thankful to whomever you want for not being Italian: I have been waiting for 3 months to get a call from the consulate to renew my passport as I have no more pages available to place new stamps, I am not sure how it works with American passports, but I was told that the European ones are too difficult to sell if stolen as they all contain a microchip, which makes it very easy to track them, so I would say there is still hope!!!
Best of luck.

 

[citygirl]

So you had it when you cleared migracinoes but lost it right after customs? Ughhh - definitely go back to the airport or keep calling. It has to be somewhere. What a nightmare.

I honestly don't know about the resident visa. I hate to say it but since it's a different passport number ifyou get a new US passport, it might be complicated (in the case of the Brasil visa, I'm 99% that you'll have to get a new visa).

Do you have a photocopy of your old passport and/or resident visa?

So sorry

 

[clooz]

I would go back to the passport control at eze asap, and even try to find the people who where on shift that day, explain what happened, and ask them to pull the record of your entry before its filed or lost. You will then have found evidence of your valid passport, entry stamp and perhaps the residence visa. These may help you to get replacements for the visa, and will help you if you have to substantiate your entry date, port etc.

I had a similar experience in S Korea many years ago, when I lost a passport soon after entering. Going back to the entry port passport control within a few days solved my visa / entry stamp problems.

 

[French jurist]

Anyway, there probably is a CCTV system installed my friends! You have the precise hour you lost it too! Even if you won't see the passport falling, you will see someone lowering to pick something up from the ground.

Signed : Inspector Clouzaut

 

[steveinbsas]

yes, i realized i didnt have it the moment i picked up my bags out of the conveyor belt thing, so I retraced all the steps, looked everywhere possible and talked to (and got hit on by) all the guys at aduanas / migraciones (one aduanas guy said he would help me look for the passport in my dress and my boots).

I guess my main question is if anyone who is an Argentine resident (on work visa or similar) has needed a new passport and if so, is it a difficult process to get issued another residency/visa stamp.

I have often wondered about those who refer to the Argentine "residency stamp" in their passports. The only stamps I have in my passport are entry and exit stamps,but I applied for and received my residency in Argentina. If you received your residency in BA they will have everything in the computer. Then all you have to do is go to get a new certificado of residencia. It will take a week and cost $50 pesos (at least it did a year ago).

If you have residency, don't you have a DNI? If this was your first entry into Argentina as a resident I realize you couldn't apply for the DNI before now. You can get it with the new certificate from migraciones, a copy of your birth certificate (with seal of Apostille), and a certificado de domicilo. They may also ask for your passport, but you already know how to get a new one. By the time you have everything else you should have the replacement passport (if you don't find the one you lost).

Hopefully, you have photocopies of your "lost" passport and/or the papers granting your residency or residency precaria. That could make a big difference at migraciones if you aren't in the system here (yet)...and even if you are.

 

[razal]

thanks for all the help!

after two days of calling lost and found / airport police / airport customs office basically the message was that there was no luck for me and i had to move on.

my cuñado happens to have a conocido who works at aduanas and after passing him my contact details, the passport miraculously appeared. i went to ezeiza today and now have my passport in hand.