Lost Passport

I've had some interesting misadventures with my passport recently. The whole thing started when I took my passport with me on my trip to Richmond. I left it out in my room and the cleaning lady found it. She got worried that it might get stolen so she put it in the hotel safe. Later, the folks at the reception desk told me they had it. I subsequently forgot about it being in the hotel safe and enjoyed my visit with my friend Harvey.

Three week later, I decided to find my passport so I could have the things I'll need to prove residency to the University of Maryland. I searched every where and couldn't find it. I remembered vaguely that I might've left it at the hotel in Richmond. I consequently contacted them. They told me they didn't have it. I searched the apartment again and couldn't find it. I had to conclude I'd lost the dang thing.

I checked the State Department website and found out what I had to do concerning a lost passport. You have to file one form informing them of the lost passport, where you lost it, and what you did to try to get it back. You also have to fill out a form as if you were getting a passport for the first time. All totalled, my mistake was going to cost me $102 ($67 for the State Department, $30 for the Post Office to process the application, and $5 for the passport photos at Costco). I wasn't thrilled with that but I accepted it.

I filled out the paperwork, called the Post Office to make an appointment to process the application, and got two new passport photos. I drove out to the Post Office today to get it done. Afterwards, I did some shopping at the Commissary and Post Exchange. When I got home, I found a portfolio I'd planned to use to take all the forms and other paperwork to the Post Office. I could feel that something was in it so I opened it up to see what it was. I had no idea what I'd placed in it. To my disbelief, there was my missing passport. I checked it four or five times to make sure it was the passport I'd searched every where for. It was.

I realized that I needed to contact the Post Office and stop them from sending my application for a new passport in if I could. I tried calling them but couldn't get through. I then hopped in my car, drove back to the Post Office, and anxiously asked if they'd sent my passport application to the State Department. To my relief, they hadn't. I told them to tear up the forms. Since the Post Office had processed my application, they kept my $30. I didn't mind that. I was just glad to have my passport and to not have to file a lost passport with the State Department. I've also heard that it's taking as long as 6 months to get a new passport. I was glad to have one already.

I don't know how the thing ended up in that portfolio. I do know I plan to lock the thing up in my safe. I also know the procedures now if I should ever lose a passport (God forbid). I also plan to write down the number of the passport in case I should lose it. It's very important so the State Department can stop someone from trying to use it. It has been a trying misadventure and one I hope I don't go through again. If you have a passport, make sure you keep it in the same place so you can easily find it. You don't want to have to do what I did though in my misadventure, all turned out well in the end.