No passports stuck in Canada. Help Please.

[clten]

I find having a copy of my passport helps in situations just like what happened to the OP. I don't remove my passport from the place it lives in my bag except when I am presenting it to Customs/Border Patrol. When I need to look at it (get the # and expiration date, etc.) I pull out the copy and use that. This way I am sure that I haven't forgotten to put it back when I am filling out the customs forms while on the plane.

 

[Starwind]

Carrying copies had been suggested for eons.
I think it's an outdated idea from the ore-digital era. Now, since the embassy person helping will be sitting at a computer they can access your info and picture in the blink of an eye. I think carrying a copy is useless, personally.

Having a copy could be useful for filling out the police report if one's passport gets lost or stolen.

But you are correct that in this digital age the embassy should be able to pull up digital records. The last time I renewed my passport I did it in person at a US Embassy: ALL the documents I presented were scanned in and sent to Dept of State through their computer system. State did their thing and issued the passport which was then sent to the Embassy, where I picked it up. I would hope they keep a copy of all those scanned documents for future reference.

FWIW, one thing I like about the Canadian passport renewal system is that once you have provided all the documentary proof to get the first passport, you don't have to provide it again at renewal (keeping in mind until recently a passport was only valid for 5 years) and it can be done by mail if you choose. Much easier that producing the same set of documents every time. They have scanned everything in to their system for at least a decade, as I watched them do it the last two times I renewed my Canadian passport (in person at a Passport Canada office).

SW

 

[CesD]

i think if u take photos of all important documents--- passport, license, credit card ( front and back) and email it to yourself ( or someone you trust)... that would be sufficent in an emergency. you can just open the attachment on your phone/ computer if needed

 

[bumbershoot]

that would be sufficent in an emergency.

Sufficient to do what?

No one will let you charge a CC based on a photograph of it. And those other things can be looked up on a computer by the people helping you, and your picture will be there, too. (talking about a passport)

 

[CesD]

Sufficient to do what?

No one will let you charge a CC based on a photograph of it. And those other things can be looked up on a computer by the people helping you, and your picture will be there, too. (talking about a passport)

regarding credit cards... i personally do not know customer service phone numbers by heart, so if i had a pic of the back of my card, i could immediately call to report it lost without having to look for the number. Also helpful if it wasn't lost and say you were just separated from it, you could still make purchases online since you had your card # and security code.

 

[clten]

FWIW, one thing I like about the Canadian passport renewal system is that once you have provided all the documentary proof to get the first passport, you don't have to provide it again at renewal (keeping in mind until recently a passport was only valid for 5 years) and it can be done by mail if you choose. Much easier that producing the same set of documents every time. They have scanned everything in to their system for at least a decade, as I watched them do it the last two times I renewed my Canadian passport (in person at a Passport Canada office).

SW

The same is true for adults renewing a US Passport. You don't have to start from scratch each time if you renew your passport. If you have a passport issued within the last 15 years, you can just mail the renewal form, your current or expired passport, a photo and the fee. Quick and painless once you have the passport to keep it current.

 

[Snowwhyt]

Hi just wanted to let you know, another airline found my passports and white folder that was holding them. I'm guessing that the house keeping/porters?/plane keeping staff gave my item to an agent of a different airlines. When I get back I'll give a more detailed post. Got on the ship fine will be back in Vancouver on Monday (sniffles) PS no Tracy arm just Enddicott. Got the extra boat ride off the ship. It was nice, had information and close up opportunities.

 

[Snowwhyt]

I just finished page 4 here. I'm trying to read them today. I thought since DISboard was older they would have the answers but they came a little more slowly. A couple of you mentioned that the other social media site had been rapidly there with answers and was a little more user friendly. That was true, I had 3 different pages I had posted on there and suggestions came quickly. My meet and greet page, a Canada cruise page, and Disney cruise page. My litte red dot kept climbing with numbers and I worked every suggested idea. I had no time to answer anyone back. I was always on the phone. From the time I landed at 8pm to 3:30am and then again the whole next day until we stopped back at my hotel who told me that Delta had a message on our room phone. Upto that point not much was going our way. No overnight mail to get original birth certificates. No passports or place to get emergency passports. Disney said there's a chance I'll get on the ship but they could not guarantee it.

We still are on vacation and my dad is not feeling well so I hope to write more tonight.

 

[Snowwhyt]

Here's how my travel started. I live in Green Bay Wisconsin and drove down 2 hours and 15 minutes to pick up my parents in Kenosha. From Kenosha Wisconsin we drove up 5 hours to Minneapolis St. Paul Minnesota where airfare was $100 cheaper per person. So far my travel plans look like a "V" on the map.
We arrived in Minneapolis St. Paul to take a direct flight to Vancouver on Delta Airlines. My white, 3 ring binder held my daughter and my passports, Hotel, DCL, future flight information and did not fit into my purse. After boarding my Delta flight I placed the three ring binder into the magazine holder on the back row 19 as I was in row 20 seats B, between my mother and daughter in seats A and C. I carried on some luggage with my most delicate FE's and the flight attendant placed it above row 19. After we landed I stepped over my daughter so no one would miss handle the FE's. I turned around and asked my daughter to hand me my purse but didn't think about the three ring binder. (out of sight out of mind.... And then I went out of my mind!) I'll explain what happened from the moment we stepped off the airplane tonight. I just had a few moments during breakfast.

 

[Steelers0854]

I just finished page 4 here. I'm trying to read them today. I thought since DISboard was older they would have the answers but they came a little more slowly. A couple of you mentioned that the other social media site had been rapidly there with answers and was a little more user friendly. That was true, I had 3 different pages I had posted on there and suggestions came quickly. My meet and greet page, a Canada cruise page, and Disney cruise page. My litte red dot kept climbing with numbers and I worked every suggested idea. I had no time to answer anyone back. I was always on the phone. From the time I landed at 8pm to 3:30am and then again the whole next day until we stopped back at my hotel who told me that Delta had a message on our room phone. Upto that point not much was going our way. No overnight mail to get original birth certificates. No passports or place to get emergency passports. Disney said there's a chance I'll get on the ship but they could not guarantee it.

We still are on vacation and my dad is not feeling well so I hope to write more tonight.

Thanks for taking the time and posting back here. I'm so glad everything worked out, I can only imagine the stress level!

I'm just curious, you didn't seem to have any issue leaving the airport without a passport or birth certificate, did they make some kind of exception or was it not even an issue?

 

[Dizneefamily+4]

From a fellow Green Bayer - I'm so glad it all turned out positive! Happy cruising!

 

[Wish I lived in Fl]

Glad it worked out in the end.

 

[Snowwhyt]

So I have no idea I've left my passports, the Vancouver terminal is lovely. We look at fish as we pass, ride several of the fast walker, moving things. To make it easier on my parents (both 73) Pass through a glass door area with a down only escalator. Before us is a blue maze of black uniformed, badged individuals and little kiosks with confused passengers poking buttons. I quickly find an empty kiosk and directed my party to it where I set down my luggage and GASP! Staring my parents in the eyes I say "I left my passports on the plane!" My parents had theirs, but I carried my daughters. Turn around and see all escalators going down and no option to get to return upto from where I came. I pull up my phone and call Delta immediately. Simultaneously asking the attendant what I should do as my passports were on the plane. The young man directed me to a line and bypass the kiosk. During this time I'm on hold with Delta being connected to a department that would be able to help me find the plane and request the removal of my passports from the seat back. I woke up to immigration and tell them that I have Delta online trying to get my passports off the plane. She tells me "hangup this minute" or she'll put me into detension for obstruction. I told the man on Delta "I had to go" what could I do?
She takes about 25 minutes and let's all 4 of us through the first check point. I quickly find another uniform when she's done and ask how to get my passports off my Delta flight. I'm directed to a Delta baggage desk and beg them to check the plane quickly before it leaves. They instruct me to look through my luggage for my passports as I had probably just forgotten where I put them. Now all of our luggage has arrived as we're outside the baggage claim area and I'm going through every piece of luggage showing them that it's not with me at least they are calling the plane to see if it's there. They say it's not on the plane. Of course part of this could be my fault because I said my passports are on the plane because that's what I'm worried about most. When I should've been saying it's a three ring binder in white and my passports are inside. So I get the same gentleman to call the plane again and look for the white three ring binder. in about a half hour later I convince a gentleman to walk down there and please look for the three ring binder. Delta claims it can't be found and I should check with the airport lost and found. I leave my cell number and go to Vancouver's lost and found. My daughter is sobbing on my shoulder saying she's sorry, but I never blamed her. She just is scared and wants a good outcome.
I better post this so I don't lose all I've typed. I'm in the Seattle airport now and have a 3 hour layover.

 

[jtba]

i must say this is much easier to read since we know things turned out all right at the end... but oh i can only imagine the panic and anxiety you experience during that whole time!

 

[Jennifer777]

What a nightmare!! So glad you were able to make it on board though and everything worked out. I was watching all the comments of the "other" site and could only imagine your phone was probably blowing up with notifications. Thanks for taking the time to update!

 

[Snowwhyt]

I spend about an hour at lost and found and still with no luck, but give her my cell phone number in case they happen to find our passports. I go back to Delta and see if they can make one more check with the cleaning people for the plane. A we left the plane they were standing in the front seat with a garbage bag ready to clean the plane when we passed them. I have visions of my folder ending up in the garbage and never seeing my passwords again. They contact them but no white folder is reported. At least they're looking for a white folder now and not just two small blue passports.
We landed about 8:40 it's after 12 o'clock and we had to exit through the final security checkpoint. After a 45 minute wait(some guy who had a drug charge was causing a big problem since drug offenders are not allowed in Canada but somehow he was able to fly) A very nice government employee told me I should be able to drive to America as I still had both mine and my daughters drivers licenses. And I would be able to fly home from Seattle and there was a chance I could get on my cruise ship, it would depend on Disney. She told me that you can travel with a drivers license by boat and car, but not by air without a passport.
During all that time and an hour past our arrival at the hotel, I was calling several different numbers I was given for the embassy, none of them would except a call. All of them said if I was having an emergency I should call 911. While I was on hold with Delta I read as much as I could on Disboards and the other social media site.
Delta confirmed that my flight was gone to New York now before I left the terminal. I make one last call to Delta and ask them to please check row 20 in the magazine holder behind seat 19B for my folder. They promised to call me the moment the New York flight comes in. They asked me if they should call back in three more hours or if I wanted time to sleep. I assured them that sleeping was not going to happen until I found those passports.

 

[BLTtinkerbell]

Thanks for the updates. Reading along & my heart is pounding as much as when I didn't know if you would get on the ship or not! I'm so glad everything worked out!

 

[Snowwhyt]

I got a call a few hours later from NYC Delta....No Passports. (that's were NYC comes in, the plane left Vancouver and went to New York) But now with East Coast time Disney would be open. I called Disney and said that it would depend upon Canada and that there was a chance I would not get on the ship. At this point I called all the embassy numbers again still getting the 911 option. Called all the Delta numbers again, to no avail. Then I got an idea from one of the posts that perhaps I should get copies of our birth certificates. I knew I would be able to get them faxed to my iPhone with no problem. But I got a wild idea to find overnight shipping of the original documents. Maybe it would be enough to make it a "yes" for the ship or immigration or whoever was going to keep us from our destination. Overnight to Vancouver is a lot more difficult than you would think. Delta has a service call Dash but they wouldn't do it by plane they would only do it by semi-truck even though it was a letter. And semi's don't do it overnight. UPS also does not offer the service on Sundays and Monday was a holiday, FedEx same thing, DHL...no,. Anyway, I spent about four hours on this, phone call after phone call, until I just resigned myself to the answer, no. My family had eaten breakfast since dad is diabetic and I spent all day in the hallway trying to make phone calls instead of disrupting everything at the restaurant. I had given up all hope, and decided it was time to take the trolley we had planned as a daytime activity for our extra day in Vancouver.

Mom and dad got tired and we got back to the hotel around 3 o'clock. If you remember correctly, I gave everyone my cell number so that I could be contacted directly. So when I went to our private room and found my hotel phone flashing I had a glimmer of hope but knew nobody had my hotel information.
I called down to the hotel desk they transferred me to the messages. Bryan the director of Delta baggage had called to tell me another airline had located my folder and delivered it to Delta. I called Brian practically in tears. They offered to have personal carrier from Delta drive it straight to the hotel at 4 o'clock.
At 4 o'clock I got a second call from the hotel saying there was a person waiting for me in the lobby. I wanted to give the lady a hug but I could tell she was already afraid because I was crying.
My mom and dad said it's always an adventure to travel with me.
Last time we went on a cruise together, we slept in a Florida hotel conference room with four cots and a bathroom down the corridor to our left. Apparently flights had been cancelled earlier in the day and our pre-paid room was still occupied.

 

[MUN]

Here's how my travel started. I live in Green Bay Wisconsin and drove down 2 hours and 15 minutes to pick up my parents in Kenosha. From Kenosha Wisconsin we drove up 5 hours to Minneapolis St. Paul Minnesota where airfare was $100 cheaper per person. So far my travel plans look like a "V" on the map.
We arrived in Minneapolis St. Paul to take a direct flight to Vancouver on Delta Airlines. My white, 3 ring binder held my daughter and my passports, Hotel, DCL, future flight information and did not fit into my purse. After boarding my Delta flight I placed the three ring binder into the magazine holder on the back row 19 as I was in row 20 seats B, between my mother and daughter in seats A and C. I carried on some luggage with my most delicate FE's and the flight attendant placed it above row 19. After we landed I stepped over my daughter so no one would miss handle the FE's. I turned around and asked my daughter to hand me my purse but didn't think about the three ring binder. (out of sight out of mind.... And then I went out of my mind!) I'll explain what happened from the moment we stepped off the airplane tonight. I just had a few moments during breakfast.

The lesson I got from this is to never participate in FE's. In all seriousness, I'm glad everything worked out. I hope you had a great vacation.

MUN

 

[FigmentSpark]

Looking back, that was quite an adventure. I'm so happy it turned out well for you.

Some people were questioning how you got into Canada without the passports. Other than being ordered off the phone and the drug offender, did you have any trouble? What did you have for id that worked for you?