Stolen US passport abroad

[GrandMaster]

My mother has just had her passport stolen while on the airplane. She is still on it flying to Ukraine from California. I have done, and am doing research on ways to fix this (http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/emergencies/emergencies_1197.html)... but my question is more complicated and kinda techy.

Somebody on that plane is holding her new passport, the kind with an RFID chip. I'm sure theyre not going to search every person and all their luggage to check for her passport, but could they not simply pass them by an RFID scanning station and determine who is holding the passport? Would it scan if it inside a luggage bag?

Any other tips or advice you guys have would be extremely beneficial.

[bdsams Veteran]

My mother has just had her passport stolen while on the airplane. She is still on it flying to Ukraine from California. I have done, and am doing research on ways to fix this (http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/emergencies/emergencies_1197.html)... but my question is more complicated and kinda techy.

Somebody on that plane is holding her new passport, the kind with an RFID chip. I'm sure theyre not going to search every person and all their luggage to check for her passport, but could they not simply pass them by an RFID scanning station and determine who is holding the passport? Would it scan if it inside a luggage bag?

Any other tips or advice you guys have would be extremely beneficial.

I believe it will only show up if they bring the device around that reads the RFID card

[The Rev]

That sux..... i say strip search everyone! :laugh:

[BAW]

How do you know it has been stolen? And not just lost?

Why would somebody want to steal a passport?

[fevoldj2]

Really, why would anyone want to steal a US passport? No one wants to get into the country and people certainly do not steal identities. That's silly.

[GrandMaster]

It was not lost because she was able to get on the plane, but on the plane she did not have her passport. A stolen US passport is a very prized possession in eastern European countries, especially one with a Slavic first and last name. You can use this passport to get into the US without a Visa.

[Achal]

what if she lost it once she got on the plane? maybe it fell somewhere or something

[krazycasey]

Maybe it's an act of terrorism! ;)

[underscorebios]

Definitely, full body cavity search FTW.

[Joel]

My mother has just had her passport stolen while on the airplane. She is still on it flying to Ukraine from California. I have done, and am doing research on ways to fix this

How do you know this, if she hasn't gotten off the plane yet? And why hasn't she notified anyone on the plane to search for it before they disembark?

[GrandMaster]

She called another family member right before the plane took off. Most likely she has told the crew, but I am only assuming this. I haven't heard anything since.

[trek]

-edit, never mind. Just looked at the post datestamp... far too late. My bad.

[Panacik]

It was not lost because she was able to get on the plane, but on the plane she did not have her passport. A stolen US passport is a very prized possession in eastern European countries, especially one with a Slavic first and last name. You can use this passport to get into the US without a Visa.

Urm, what exactly do you know about Slavic countries? Most of them are in the EU now and have free travel within Europe and as of about 2 or 3 months ago, they have the same rights to fly to the US as the English do, so a US passport would mean the same to them as it does to anyone else, unless they are looking to try and get in to the country to live illegally, which could happen in ANY country, and not just Slavic ones.

Im honestly surprised by the lack of understanding people seem to have on treaties etc now days. Plus im ****ed, because my fiancee is Slovak and you pretty much just insulted both mer and I.

I bet you are also one of these people who would say she is marrying me for a UK "vesa" without realising she is able to move freely in the UK as she is an EU member now...

How do you know this, if she hasn't gotten off the plane yet? And why hasn't she notified anyone on the plane to search for it before they disembark?

I wondered the same thing.

[Abhishek kapoor]

Must be some wrong thing related to it .........