Lost or stolen documents

Who this is for

Tourists and business visitors who have lost a passport, ID card or other important document in Georgia, or had it stolen.

Also foreigners living in Georgia who have lost a residence card or a local document.

Our role

We help with the search, interpreting at the police, contact with the embassy and your flight and hotel.

Documents are issued by the embassy or the state, not by us. You pay their fees directly, we never hold your money or take commission, and our fee is agreed as soon as the situation allows.

First steps

Take a deep breath: this happens every day, and there is a tried and tested way through it.

First, think back to where you last saw the document and where you went afterwards.

Then call or message us, and we plan every step together.

Searching

A passport is often left at hotel reception, in the safe or in an inside suitcase pocket.

We call the taxi, restaurant, museum and shops you visited, in Georgian.

Searching is most effective in the first hours, so we do not delay.

Left in a taxi

For an item left in a taxi booked through an app, we contact the driver through the app itself.

With a street taxi, remembering the number plate or having a photo makes the search much easier.

Honest drivers often return a found document to the hotel or the police themselves.

Lost property

The airport, railway station and large shopping centres have lost property services.

A found passport sometimes ends up at the police or directly at the embassy.

We check with these places before applying for a new document.

Stolen or lost

For the police and your insurer it matters whether the document was stolen or lost.

In a theft, a wallet, phone and cards often disappear at the same time.

In the report, write the facts as they happened, without guesses.

Blocking cards

If cards were lost along with the document, block the cards first.

You can find your bank's international number online or in its app.

Keep the blocking confirmation, as you may need it for your insurer.

Reporting to the police

Report a loss or theft to the police, through 112 or at the nearest station.

State the time, place, type of document and, if you know it, its number.

Bring a copy or photo of your passport, if you have one.

The police certificate

Many embassies ask for a police certificate before issuing a new document.

The certificate is often essential for your insurer and airline too.

We prepare a copy and, if needed, a translation together.

Interpreting at the police

Conversations at the police are often in Georgian, though some officers speak English.

We interpret by phone or send an interpreter to be there in person.

Do not sign any text until you have heard a translation.

Contacting the embassy

After the police, contact your embassy or consulate.

The embassy tells you which documents and photos it needs and when to come.

Many embassies have online booking, and we help you arrange the visit.

The embassy's emergency number

Embassy offices keep business hours, but many have a duty emergency number.

At night or at weekends we look for the duty consul if the situation is urgent.

You should have this number in your phone before the trip.

An embassy in another country

Not every country has an embassy in Tbilisi, and some operate from a neighbouring country.

In that case we find out which embassy is responsible and whether remote help is possible.

Sometimes another country's embassy represents your country's interests, and we check that too.

Emergency travel documents

Most embassies quickly issue an emergency travel document so you can return home.

Such a document is usually valid only for a specific route and for a short time.

When flying via a transit country, we check its requirements for the document in advance.

A new passport

If you are staying in Georgia for a long time, getting a new passport is sometimes more convenient.

Producing a new passport often takes several weeks, depending on the country.

We confirm the timing and procedure with the embassy and plan around it.

Photos

Each embassy has its own requirements for photo size, background and number.

Tbilisi photo studios are often familiar with the standard sizes of different countries.

We show you the nearest studio and send them the requirements in advance.

Documents needed

The embassy usually asks for an application form, photos, the police certificate and proof of citizenship.

A flight booking is sometimes needed for an emergency travel document.

We get the exact list from the embassy so you do not have to go twice.

Why a copy matters

A copy or photo of your passport greatly speeds up proving citizenship and getting a new document.

A copy is sometimes stored in your email, the cloud or with family, and it is worth looking for.

Without a copy, the embassy verifies citizenship another way, which takes time.

Consular fees

The embassy sets a consular fee for a new or temporary document.

You pay the fee directly to the embassy, in the way it requires.

We do not take or carry the money.

Timings

An emergency travel document is often issued within one or two working days, sometimes the same day.

A new passport often takes several weeks.

The embassy sets the timing, and we cannot promise to speed it up.

Weekends and holidays

Embassies are usually closed at weekends and on public holidays.

In an urgent case we look for the duty consul.

Otherwise we start early on the first working day.

Changing your flight

If the document will not be ready before your flight, we arrange a ticket change with the airline.

Some airlines ask for the police certificate and a letter from the embassy.

Your insurer sometimes covers the change, so keep the receipts.

Losing it on your last day

If the document is lost at the airport or on departure day, go first to the airport services and police.

As a rule you cannot fly without a document, so we work on changing the flight at once.

We urgently look for a hotel or a new place to stay.

Crossing the border

Crossing a border with a temporary or new document sometimes raises extra questions.

Always carry the police certificate and the embassy's document at the border.

We confirm the requirements with the embassy in advance so you are not held up.

A visa in the lost passport

If a Georgian visa or residence mark was in the lost passport, restoring it is a separate matter.

In that case we ask the relevant state service or a lawyer in advance.

We write about visa rules in the information section.

Residence cards

A foreign resident who loses a residence card applies for a new one at the Public Service Hall.

First go to the police, then apply at the Public Service Hall.

We help with booking a slot, interpreting and preparing documents.

Other Georgian documents

Residents sometimes lose a bank, tax or employment document too.

Such a document is replaced by the institution that issued it.

We find the right institution and procedure for you.

Driving licences

A driving licence can only be replaced by the country that issued it.

You cannot drive a rental car without a licence, so we arrange a driver in the meantime.

Check with your country's authority whether the licence can be replaced remotely.

Rental car documents

If a rental car's documents are lost, inform the rental company at once.

The company usually gives you a duplicate or instructions.

A police certificate is often needed in this case too.

A child's passport

To replace a child's passport, the embassy often needs consent from both parents.

If one parent is at home, their consent can sometimes be given remotely.

A copy of the child's birth certificate is very useful here.

A group member

If one person in a group loses a document, the group can often continue the route.

We assign a companion to help the person at the police and embassy.

We reunite them with the group once the document is ready.

Cards and money

If money was lost too, a transfer from family is the fastest route.

Collecting a transfer without a passport is hard, and a temporary document or police certificate sometimes helps.

We do not lend money, but we show you how to receive it.

Your phone

If your phone is lost, block the SIM and accounts and ask for a new SIM with the same number.

A new SIM usually needs a passport, which is why the temporary document matters.

We write about SIM cards in the concierge section.

Tickets and bookings

E-tickets and hotel bookings are usually kept in your email and are not lost.

The airline sometimes requires the passport number on the ticket to be updated.

We do this as soon as you receive the new document.

Your insurance policy

Your policy number and hotline are kept in your email or the insurer's app.

If everything is lost, we look up the policy by the insurer's name.

Inform your insurer about the incident as early as possible.

Medical documents

If a prescription or medical certificate is lost, ask your doctor at home for an electronic copy.

We arrange a visit to a local doctor to continue your medication.

We give no medical advice, but we help you reach a doctor.

Business documents

Losing a contract, a company seal or company documents complicates a business visit.

We arrange an electronic copy of the contract and re-signing with both parties.

For a legal matter we connect you with a lawyer.

Identity theft

Someone might try to open an account or commit other fraud with a stolen passport.

So report the theft to your embassy and bank, and the old passport is cancelled.

Watch your bank notifications carefully for unknown transactions.

Fake finders

Sometimes a stranger writes claiming to have found the document and asks for money.

Do not pay anything in advance in response to such an offer, and inform the police.

A genuine finder usually leaves the document with the police, the embassy or the hotel.

Insurance reimbursement

Many policies cover the costs of a new document, photos, travel and changing tickets.

For reimbursement you need the police certificate, the embassy document and all receipts.

We help you fill in the claim and translate it.

Informing the hotel

A hotel needs a passport to register a guest, so we warn them if it is lost.

The police certificate and a passport copy are usually enough for the time being.

Once you have the new document, we update the hotel's records.

Help from family

Family at home can send a copy of your passport or a birth certificate.

We explain precisely to your family what the embassy needs and how to send it.

We speak to your family only with your consent.

The emotional side

Losing a document often brings fear and a sense of guilt.

It can happen to anyone, and there is always a way through.

We plan the remaining days so this episode does not overshadow the whole trip.

Prevention: the safe

Keep your passport in the hotel safe and carry a copy, unless you need the original.

In some places, such as a bank or for a flight, the original is essential, and then you take it with you.

Tell no one the safe code and lock it when you leave the room.

Prevention: keeping things apart

Do not keep your passport, cards and money in one place.

In crowded places hold your bag in front and keep it zipped.

Never put a document or wallet in a back pocket.

Digital copies

Keep photos of your passport, visa, driving licence and insurance in a secure cloud.

Send a copy to a trusted family member too.

A digital copy is the most useful tool when something is lost.

Two passports

Some travellers have dual citizenship or two passports.

In that case it matters which passport you entered Georgia on, and you allow for that at the border.

We confirm the exit rules with border services or the embassy in advance.

Transit

Passing through a transit country on a temporary document is not always possible.

We look for a direct flight or a route your document allows.

We check the transit rules with the airline and the embassy together.

Living here longer

For residents, losing a document also affects the bank, work and the rental contract.

Once you have the new document, we update your details at every institution that needs them.

We write about relocation in a separate section.

Older guests

Going to the police and embassy is tiring for an older guest.

We arrange transport, the queue and interpreting, and keep walking to a minimum.

Where possible, we involve a family member or companion in every step.

What we do not do

We do not make or forge documents, or put you in touch with anyone who does.

We cannot promise to speed up the embassy or state, and we never take part in bribery.

We give no legal advice and do not pay fees on your behalf.

Common mistakes

Going straight to the embassy without a police certificate.

Putting off blocking your cards and then discovering losses.

Waiting until the day of the flight without telling the airline.

What we need from you

What document was lost, when and where, and whether it was stolen or lost.

A copy or photo of your passport if you have one, and your flight date.

Your citizenship, so we can find the right embassy and its rules at once.

Cost

You pay the consular fee, photos and the cost of changing tickets directly.

We take no commission from partners and add nothing to their prices.

Our fee depends on the scope of the matter and is agreed as soon as the situation allows.