Stolen passports

Sanguine Fan

My wife and I were in Italy last week for a break and our passports were stolen from our apartment. We reported the theft to the Carabinieri and they gave us a police report which enabled us to travel back to Ireland. We also gave them our phone number in case the passports turned up.

My question is this. Do we need to report the theft to the Department of Foreign Affairs also? We have no plans to travel abroad in the immediate future so we probably won't apply for new passports until we need them. In the meantime of course the old ones might turn up.

ScouseMouse

Not sure of the legal aspect, but if I were you, I would at least report it to the passport office to get them cancelled. It would also be a good idea to get new ones. You cannot even fly to the UK now with Ryanair, unless you have a passport.

You never know when you would need it.

coylemj

If the passports turn up, you should not use them as Interpol keeps a record of all stolen & lost passports so if you attempt to use it at a border crossing or point of entry you could find yourself locked up with some explaining to do. A passport is like a credit card, once its reported stolen or lost it can't be used again, even if it turns up.

https://www.dfa.ie/passports-citizenship/top-passport-questions/finding-a-reported-lost-or-stolen-passport/

I'd report it to the passport office immediately, they might get upset in a year's time if you send them a copy of the police report and they realise you didn't tell them as soon as you got home.

Sanguine Fan

coylemj wrote: »

A passport is like a credit card, once its reported stolen or lost it can't be used again, even if it turns up.

Thanks for that tip. I thought if the passports were found I could save myself the cost of replacing them. But of course the numbers will have been circulated so, as you say, we could find ourselves in trouble in the future.

I will apply for new ones straightaway.

Boombastic

report it to the gardai and the passport office , they will want to see it has been reported stolen and you didn't sell it or anything , they might accept the italian police report, they might not

coylemj

Boombastic wrote: »

report it to the gardai and the passport office , they will want to see it has been reported stolen and you didn't sell it or anything , they might accept the italian police report, they might not

I don't believe there's any requirement to report it to the Gardai if the loss/theft happened abroad, you're supposed to report it to the local Irish embassy or consulate and the local cops and get a police report which the OP did.

https://www.dfa.ie/travel/assistance-abroad/lost-or-stolen-passport-abroad/

Boombastic

coylemj wrote: »

I don't believe there's any requirement to report it to the Gardai if the loss/theft happened abroad, you're supposed to report it to the local Irish embassy or consulate and the local cops and get a police report which the OP did.

https://www.dfa.ie/travel/assistance-abroad/lost-or-stolen-passport-abroad/

you're right, as it's stolen abroad there is no requirement.

He needs to visit the gardai to get a new one

http://www.garda.ie/Controller.aspx?Page=1709&Lang=1

To obtain a new passport you need to complete a passport application form [APS1 if resident in the State, APS2 if resident elsewhere]. This should be witnessed by a Member of An Garda Síochána if you are resident in the State or by one of the eligible witnesses listed on the APS2 form if you live elsewhere