Singaporean man gets stranded in JB after losing passport, warns others to be careful

A short trip across the Causeway for supper with his friend turned into quite the nightmare for one Singaporean. 

A TikTok user, surnamed Tan, detailed his experience being stranded in Johor Bahru after losing his passport earlier this month. 

Tan, who declined to reveal his full name, told AsiaOne that he and his friend rode their motorbikes to Johor Bahru on Saturday (Jan 6) night to have supper and planned to return to Singapore within two to three hours.

However, while at a petrol station convenience store near the Causeway, Tan realised that his passport was no longer in his pocket.

Telling himself not to panic, Tan said he first called the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) hotline for advice on what to do next.

At their suggestion, he reported the loss of his passport to the Immigrations and Checkpoint Authority (ICA) and submitted a form for a Document of Identity (DOI).

The next step was to wait for the Consulate-General of Singapore in Johor Bahru to give Tan a call once it opens in the morning.

Tan said that he was also told to lodge a police report but he posted that he could not set off to a police station as it was raining heavily and they had no raincoats.

Tan and his friend remained in the convenience store overnight as they waited for the rain to subside.

Sensing that the process might take longer than expected, the duo checked into a hotel on Sunday morning to freshen up and rest.

'No passport, how to go home?'

Tan lodged a police report for the missing passport on Sunday evening but there was still no call or news from the Consulate-General. 

"Still a bit stressed, no passport how to go home?" Tan said.

Tan said he finally got a call from the Consulate-General late Monday (Jan 8) morning asking him to "come down as soon as possible".

To Tan's relief, he managed to get an approved Document of Identity, which would allow him entry into Singapore.

"Got all the documents I need to go back to Singapore. Somehow home feels closer than ever," he wrote.

The last step of the process was to get a special pass from the Ministry of Home Affairs Malaysia to allow him to pass through JB customs.

Upon reaching the ministry's building, however, Tan was told to make an appointment online first.

To his shock, the earliest appointment slot was all the way in April.

Afraid that he would be trapped in JB for 3 months, Tan decided to test his luck and headed for Woodlands Checkpoint anyway.

At the Johor Bahru customs, he said that he was escorted to a private room and questioned for a long time, but they eventually let him through to Singapore.

Tan told AsiaOne that he reached home on Monday afternoon – two days later than he was supposed to.

"What did I learn? Don't lose your passport, always check!" He said at the end of his post.

What to do if you lose your passport overseas

If you ever misplace your passport overseas, here are some tips on what to do: 

1. Lodge a police report 

A police report will serve as proof that you have misplaced your passport. 

Do take note that in some countries, the police might be unwilling to issue a report. In this case, ask for some sort of receipt or acknowledgement slip that proves you were there.

2. Contact the embassy or high commission 

This should be your first step if you ever lose your passport, as they are the only ones who can issue a Document of Identity that will allow you to leave the country and re-enter Singapore. 

You will be asked to provide several documents before your Document of Identity can be issued, such as your IC, two or three passport photos, a police report and flight itinerary.

3. Contact your travel insurer 

Some travel insurance policies offer coverage for the loss of passport or other belongings. 

Depending on your plan, you might be able to recoup the costs incurred while dealing with your lost passport.

This might include travel expenses and hotel accommodation incurred while trying to get to the embassy, the cost of a new ticket if you are forced to miss a flight, as well as the cost of replacing your passport.

ALSO READ: 'I just screw up a lot': Man loses passport in New Delhi, police find it 11 hours' train ride away

bhavya.rawat@asiaone.com