# Passport Issue



## zach21uk (Jun 26, 2014)

Afternoon All,

Got a bit of a potential problem here. I was about to go into town earlier to open a bank account and was going around my house collecting all my documents and noticed that I couldn't find my passport.

Long story short, thinking back to where I last saw it, I realized it was last week, when I went to get my electricity connected here in Paphos. They asked me for my passport.

I specifically remember them taking the passport, then handing me two papers to sign and another bit of paper to pay the deposit, but, the girl never gave my passport back to me!

I just tried calling the electricty office but I cannot get through and I do not know the name of the girl who served me last week. 

Am sitting here now trying to figure out what to do.......Do I just need to drive down there and ask for it or what?

I just checked out the Embassy website for replacing a passport and they say it takes at LEAST EIGHT weeks and obviously I need to get my residency permit pretty soon. I'm also booked to fly to the UK on October 10th to pick up my fiance.

Zach.


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

I would think you need to go down to the electric board, ask to see a manager and tell them what happened.
If they did in fact inadvertantly forget to give you your passport back I am sure they will have it in safe keeping somewhere.
Theres not a lot of point in trying to do something like this over the phone.


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## Rema (Aug 12, 2012)

zach21uk said:


> Afternoon All,
> 
> Got a bit of a potential problem here. I was about to go into town earlier to open a bank account and was going around my house collecting all my documents and noticed that I couldn't find my passport.
> 
> ...


Well, what are you waiting for?
Get off your computer and go down there, NOW! Hopefully they still have it and are wondering how somebody could forget such an important document.


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## Pam n Dave (Jun 11, 2007)

Just try going to the electricity office and asking. Take a document to help prove your id and see what happens.


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

It's probably closed now though
If he'd gone straight down instead of looking at embassy websites and posting here and waiting for a reply he might have caught before they closed.


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Pam n Dave said:


> Just try going to the electricity office and asking. Take a document to help prove your id and see what happens.


The picture in his passport will prove its him


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## zach21uk (Jun 26, 2014)

I drove down there a few minutes after posting but they seem to be closed.


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## Rema (Aug 12, 2012)

zach21uk said:


> I drove down there a few minutes after posting but they seem to be closed.


Then find out what time they open tomorrow and be on the doorstep waiting - not at home!
I'm sure you're not the first to mislay your passport this way.


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## zach21uk (Jun 26, 2014)

Yes I am going there tomorrow morning at 8am which seems to be when they open.


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## mdekkers (Jul 3, 2013)

zach21uk said:


> I just tried calling the electricty office...


That's not really how it works here....


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## Rema (Aug 12, 2012)

mdekkers said:


> That's not really how it works here....


Too true. If I didn't know that our Zach had only been here for a few days I think that would have been be a sure indicator that he is a newcomer! 

Zach, I hope your passport turns up. Fingers crossed!


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## Talagirl (Feb 24, 2013)

Hope your trip to the AIK was successful this morning and you are now in possession of your passport.


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## zach21uk (Jun 26, 2014)

Unfortunatly not. The manager present checked with all available staff members however none had seen my passport. They checked the security feeds from last week and confirmed that the agent did indeed fail to hand my passport back to me, the agent in question was not working today though. The manager called the agent who stated that she'd handed it in, however the manager could not find it anywhere.

He said he will continue checking and give me a call later today, however, I personally believe it has been misplaced or possibly lost. I say this because the security guy said that normally passports would be handed to him and nothing had been passed to him. 

They were trying their very best to find it, which I really appreciate. 

I am proceeding on the basis that it is lost and am therefore going to head to the police station later to file a report. (lost or stolen passport replacement applications must have a police report number sent along with them).

I guess its my own fault for not making sure the agent handed it back to me, but I was mostly running on autopilot last week due to lack of sleep many nights in a row and the stress of moving in and getting unpacked..........

Its a minimum of eight weeks to get a new passport from the UK which potentially causes an issue when it comes to getting my residence permit. I called the immigration department at the Paphos Police however and was told that as long as I go in to make an initial appointment before three full months has passed, then I should be okay.

I have been here a week already, eight weeks to get a new passport, so that should leave me with three weeks hopefully.

The only consolation is that my passport was due to expire at the end of January anyway, so I haven't really lost a lot of validity on it......*sigh*


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## Baywatch (Mar 30, 2014)

zach21uk said:


> Unfortunatly not. The manager present checked with all available staff members however none had seen my passport. They checked the security feeds from last week and confirmed that the agent did indeed fail to hand my passport back to me, the agent in question was not working today though. The manager called the agent who stated that she'd handed it in, however the manager could not find it anywhere.
> 
> He said he will continue checking and give me a call later today, however, I personally believe it has been misplaced or possibly lost. I say this because the security guy said that normally passports would be handed to him and nothing had been passed to him.
> 
> ...


I would go to the High Commission in your case and get a temporary one. Use that for the application.


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## zach21uk (Jun 26, 2014)

I have spoken to the High Commission in Nicosia and they are telling me that an Emergency Passport would not be valid for a residency permit here in Cyprus.

I just got back from reporting it lost/stolen at the police station. Got a police report.


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## expatme (Dec 4, 2013)

Emergency Passports are issued for ONE trip only.


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## zach21uk (Jun 26, 2014)

expatme said:


> Emergency Passports are issued for ONE trip only.


Exactly.


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## Baywatch (Mar 30, 2014)

zach21uk said:


> Exactly.


OK did not know. But then just wait until you get it.


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## Talagirl (Feb 24, 2013)

So sorry that you have this extra problem with your Passport and hopefully once you have sent off the application it will soon be processed. In the meantime also hope you can open a bank account - maybe they will accept a photocopy of your passport due to the circumstances? Or maybe you have another photo ID eg a driving licence that can be used. 

With regards to your residency application, the fact that you have made an appointment before the initial 90 days visit expires means you are in the system so that's one less thing to worry about. The date of the actual appointment depends on how many people are applying for residency at that particular time. You don't necessarily have to take the first appointment you are offered if you have a valid reason for not being able to attend (eg you may be out of the country). The staff there are very accommodating.

Keeping fingers crossed that in the meantime your original Passport does turn up.


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## zach21uk (Jun 26, 2014)

Thank you for your kind works Tala.

I have to admit, I am tense about the idea of being without a passport for eight weeks (or more). I feel a bit naked without it. I am the kind of person that likes to have everything in order and ready to go. I had been planning to go this week to start the residency application and the fact I have to wait now makes me nervous. 

I am also concerned that the Passport Office says a "minimum" of eight weeks, meaning it could be longer. What happens if I exceed my initial three months due to not having my passport? 

This has me really really tense. I have never ever lost or misplaced passport before or anything so important so I am being kinda hard on myself for being such an idiot


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## zach21uk (Jun 26, 2014)

So heres a twist. 20-30 minutes ago I get a message from a woman named Elena or Helena. My passport turned up near a dumpster, about 500 meters from the electricity office. She found it earlier today and her daughter had the idea of looking me up on Facebook. 

I just went and picked it up. Its in perfect condition. No damage. No pages missing. No tampering.

I am now sitting here on my bed, wondering what the f**k, whilst hugging my passport. I think my mental stability for the day has gone! I'm going to drink a beer and go to sleep and not even try to figure out how my passport got from being left in the electric office to ending up near a dumpster. It just doesn't make sense. A staff member would not do that. Throw it out I mean............

Oh dear. Oh dear o dear.


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## Talagirl (Feb 24, 2013)

So pleased to read your good news! I'm thinking of having a beer to celebrate - and I usually don't drink anything stronger than diet coca cola.

I was in a similar situation when my handbag was stolen in Spain - cancelled the cards, had to get a police report, send off the various documentation to the relevant authorities as well as coping with the local hospital which refused to treat me 'because the UK government doesn't pay their medical bills'. When I returned to Cyprus I had to go to the police station and then take their statement to the court where I had to sign an Affadavit before I could go to Immigration to get new ID papers. All very stressful, but the authorities here were very understanding and helpful. 

Don't be hard on yourself - I'm sure we've all left an important document behind at some stage.


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## expatme (Dec 4, 2013)

Wow what a relief. Unbelievable that it was just found like that.

Have TWO beers!:clap2:


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Curiouser and curiouser


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## mdekkers (Jul 3, 2013)

zach21uk said:


> A staff member would not do that. Throw it out I mean............


That's pretty much how things work here.... 

Martijn :ranger:


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## H&S (Jun 12, 2013)

Strange indeed Zach, just be thankful it is back none the worse for it's adventure!


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## zach21uk (Jun 26, 2014)

Definetly a bit mental but hey, I got it back so that is all that matters.

Moderators, feel free to lock this topic if you desire as its lived its purpose!


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