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What to do when your SA passport gets stolen

Source: News24, 07/06/2019

Being a victim of crime is never fun, and a headache that can add to
an already traumatic experience is replacing a stolen passport.
While you might think they wouldn`t be able to use your passport to
travel with, there are many other methods pertaining to identity theft
that can be done with a passport. It can also be used to get into
government buildings and other tightly-controlled areas where a stolen
passport from a specific country can be useful.
But don`t panic - there are mechanisms in place for replacing
passports, whether it`s inside South Africa or abroad, and you should
have your ticket to the world back in your hands in no time.
Here`s what you need to know if your passport gets stolen.
If it`s stolen inside South Africa
The first thing to do is go to a police station and report your
passport stolen. Get the case number and an affidavit which you need
to take with you to Home Affairs when you submit your application.
You need to prove that the passport was stolen, because `applications
to replace lost, stolen or damaged passports will be double the normal
fee if the incident was as a result of the passport/travel document
ownerâ€™s negligence`.
Alongside the normal application form to renew a passport, you must
also fill in the DHA-335 form for lost passports.
After that, the procedure is the same as a normal application.
Extra trip: It would be a good idea to also just notify your bank,
just in case the thieves try anything sketchy at a bank branch with
your passport as identification.
If it`s stolen while travelling abroad
Similar to if it was stolen in SA, report to the police first thing
and get that case number.
Contact the nearest SA embassy or consulate in that country. This is
what they are there for and will help with getting you new travel
documents.
The consulate would need proof of your citizenship, which can be your
driver`s licence, ID, birth certificate or, if you`re a prepared
traveller, a certified copy of your stolen passport.
Emergency passports are no longer issued so you will only be able to
apply for an Emergency Travel Certificate, which is valid for a
maximum period of nine months but only for a single trip. This is for
those who need to travel urgently and there is insufficient time to
process a passport application which will take longer than a week.
The application form will be similar to renewing your passport

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