Hello all! My husband and I are heading on a Princess cruise to the Mediterranean area in August. We're going on a late honeymoon. However, I've been researching U.S. Passport information on the US Dept of State website...It states: "A U.S. citizen traveling on a passport that has been previously reported lost or stolen will not be allowed entry in Greece. This decision is the purview of the Greek immigration authorities; the U.S. Embassy cannot intervene." If my husband's passport was renewed last year for a lost passport, will he still be allowed into Greece? In the 'endorsements' section of the passport, it states "this is a replacement for a lost passport." Will that statement keep him from entering Greece for our cruise out of Athens? I'm really confused by the wording. We really don't want to cancel our trip because of something so minute. Please advise if you have some knowledge in this area. Your help is greatly appreciated!
Posted by
OP
CA
4 posts
Thank you! I just wanted confirmation because I've been freaking out all day.
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
If the passport is "a replacement for a lost passport", then it is NOT a lost or stolen passport. It will have a different number. No issue.
Nothing special about Greece here, that statement applies to most countries. Most countries (including the US) circulate lists of lost or stolen passport numbers to other countries. When a passport is presented at a border, (US or any other country that has access to the list), it is scanned and checked against the list. If has been reported lost or stolen that person will probably be arrested for trying to enter the country on somebody else's passport.
My sister-in-law was stupid enough to do it once. She lost her passport, and got another one as replacement. She then found the old one and dumbly tried to travel on it, instead of the new one. She was stopped at the airport, and had to prove she really was the person listed on the passport. She missed the flight, and had to go back and get her new passport.
Posted by
11569 posts
IWe have been to Greece since our passports were stolen and replaced at the Embassy. A year later we applied for new ones to replace the temporary one year passports. We had no problems in Greece nor anywhere else in the world. Enjoy your trip!
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23626 posts
The above are correct. You are simply misreading the requirements. If he had report his passport as lost, then he found it, the passport would no longer be valid because he had reported it lost. And the computers systems would not recognize the passport since it was reported lost. His new passport is valid regardless of the reasons he obtained the new passport. You are good to go.
Posted by
OP
CA
4 posts
I really appreciate the thoughtful responses. It truly was a misread on my part and it took a while to figure it out for this first-time overseas traveler. Thank you to you all!
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23626 posts
I had it happen one time to a sister-in-law. They went frequently into the Caribbean. One year she missed her passport, couldn't find it, reported it lost/stolen, but didn't get a replacement -- will do that next week. -- A month or so later found the passport, didn't think much about it, six months tried to use it and came damn close to being arrested for possessing a stolen passport. Took over six hours to straighten out the mess with security and, of course, the flight and the whole trip because she did not have a valid passport.
Posted by
OP
CA
4 posts
It's an interesting requirement just listed for Greece. If that policy is used for many other countries, why is it listed for only them? Just a thought rolling through my head.
Posted by
Houston, Texas
975 posts
It's an interesting requirement just listed for Greece. If that policy is used for many other countries, why is it listed for only them? Just a thought rolling through my head.
Each country has a little different take on how they word the subject. They are just saying make sure your passport is valid.
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
Note that info IS NOT from the Greek Government, It is on a US government website.
It is therefore 2nd hand information, here-say (as is all info on this forum).
The question is why a US government website chose to emphasise this for one country only, when you would not be able to get on a plane to get out of the USA heading for anywhere with a passport reported lost or stolen?
"Each country has a little different take on how they word the subject." - it is US government wording.