Return to the US after getting robbed

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Quattro Pete

Quattro Pete

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On a recent trip to Europe, g/f got pickpocketed on a subway train in Paris. Even though she had quite a bit of money in her stolen wallet, that wasn't the biggest problem. The problem was that her green card and D/L was in there as well. She was supposed to return to the US the next day, but without a green card she can't. Instead, she goes to the local US Embassy the next day to request a transportation letter that will allow her to re-enter the US.

The problem is, you need to pay 160 Euros for that Letter, you need to pay money to get around (either taxi or subway), and you need to find a place to sleep and buy food for the next 48 hours since that's how long it takes for the letter to be issued. How do you do that if all your money and credit cards have been stolen and this happened on a Sunday?

My first thought would have been to use Western Union, but I've checked and their local office in France is not open on a Sunday. So, what other options does a person have, short of finding a homeless shelter for the night?

Luckily, my g/f didn't have to revert to this since she was at the end of her business trip with a coworker and one of their company offices is also in Paris. But I'm just thinking if this happens to you and you're a tourist without knowing anyone that you can borrow money from, what are you supposed to do?

The people at the Embassy supposedly weren't very sympathetic either. "Gotta pay for the letter, gotta pay for photographs, etc., we don't care that you don't have any money on you, you must pay NOW!" I suppose maybe US citizens are treated better than permanent residents when they lose their passports abroad, but it's not exactly soothing to be treated this way when you pay your taxes just like everyone else...
 
That's why it is very important to hide your personal ID and the majority of your money inside your underwear or something very close to your body that they cannot steal.

I know how you feel, I lost my passport once when I was about to board a flight, and have to delay it for a few days until the embassy can send me a replacement.

You are right about citizen being treated better. If you think she was treated bad, wait till you see how she was treated during the process of getting the green card if problem arise. You can't vote, you are at their mercy, and they do have the lowest quality standard in employee in all US government department.
 
It's always a good thing to store a photocopy of one's passport, credit cards, etc. separate from where you keep the originals while traveling. Having a bit of extra cash never hurt anyone either.

Personally, I'd scan them into digital form (PDF works well) and email them to myself before I leave. My connection to my email is over SSL, and so is secure. I can then read and print this information as needed.

Honestly, it surprises me that the US Embassy require pre-payment for such services. Surely this happens enough that they have procedures for dealing with people who've lost all their money.

That said, I'm happy that your girlfriend managed to get everything taken care of.
 
Originally Posted By: heypete
It's always a good thing to store a photocopy of one's passport, credit cards, etc. separate from where you keep the originals while traveling. Having a bit of extra cash never hurt anyone either.

Sure. We've got that. I actually emailed a scan of her green card to her phone, but unfortunately you cannot enter the country just based on a photocopy. You need the original or a letter from the US Embassy.
 
American Express...dont' leave home without it. I was in China once about 100 miles North of Hanoi doing some sightseeing and taking some photos with some friends and needed a room for the night. Stopped in a "resort" hotel where nobody spoke any english except "American Express". I never leave home without it.
wink.gif
Oh and I had left my passport at my hotel in Guangzhou.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: heypete
It's always a good thing to store a photocopy of one's passport, credit cards, etc. separate from where you keep the originals while traveling. Having a bit of extra cash never hurt anyone either.

Sure. We've got that. I actually emailed a scan of her green card to her phone, but unfortunately you cannot enter the country just based on a photocopy. You need the original or a letter from the US Embassy.


Right. I simply mean that having that information can speed the process of dealing with the embassy, as one then has the passport number, etc.
 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete


The people at the Embassy supposedly weren't very sympathetic either. "Gotta pay for the letter, gotta pay for photographs, etc., we don't care that you don't have any money on you, you must pay NOW!" I suppose maybe US citizens are treated better than permanent residents when they lose their passports abroad, but it's not exactly soothing to be treated this way when you pay your taxes just like everyone else...



Maybe no one explained to you or your g/f what the black market is for US passports or Green Card ID's in the terrorist world. 90% says her ID is sold to a middleeastern terror cell for upwards of $20,000. Mexicanc illegals will pay about $2-3000 for it. They also didn't tell you that they may come pay you a visit OR simply create a shadow identity based on her and you and come here and conduct a full terror plot with both of your names on it. This is no joke. So if you were looking to be soothed...probably not the best place to go as these people are very over worked right now with guys stuffing explosives in their undies and the like. If the Mexicans get it...they might just want a job and maybe buy a house or two and a couple of cars. Hopefuly, they are not associated with the Central American drug cartels and want an alias to set up shop with in the US.

In any case I would begin taking immediate steps to guard both of your identities immediately.
 
Originally Posted By: PT1
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete


The people at the Embassy supposedly weren't very sympathetic either. "Gotta pay for the letter, gotta pay for photographs, etc., we don't care that you don't have any money on you, you must pay NOW!" I suppose maybe US citizens are treated better than permanent residents when they lose their passports abroad, but it's not exactly soothing to be treated this way when you pay your taxes just like everyone else...



Maybe no one explained to you or your g/f what the black market is for US passports or Green Card ID's in the terrorist world. 90% says her ID is sold to a middleeastern terror cell for upwards of $20,000. Mexicanc illegals will pay about $2-3000 for it. They also didn't tell you that they may come pay you a visit OR simply create a shadow identity based on her and you and come here and conduct a full terror plot with both of your names on it. This is no joke. So if you were looking to be soothed...probably not the best place to go as these people are very over worked right now with guys stuffing explosives in their undies and the like. If the Mexicans get it...they might just want a job and maybe buy a house or two and a couple of cars. Hopefuly, they are not associated with the Central American drug cartels and want an alias to set up shop with in the US.

In any case I would begin taking immediate steps to guard both of your identities immediately.



^^ This. She should get her credit acounts fraud alerted and start the process of getting her SSN and everything changed. It's a PITA but better than the possible alternatives.
 
I was taught to always make two sets of photocopies of all imp documents, ids (front and back)...leave them in a safe place at home another one in the banks locker, let someone in ur family know about this.

and always carry wallet in the jeans front pocket, when wearing a formal pant, have the wallet in jacket's inner pocket or something, and never in the back pocket!

split your money, do not keep all ur money together!
 
We also designate one credit card that neither has/uses on their person and is stored in a sealed envelope in our possessions away from what we are taking with us on day trips. So far, haven't had to use it.

Rick Steves recommends a money belt (cash and one credit card) and necklace packet that contains passport, driver's license, etc under your shirt.
 
I always travel with a pouch with most of the money and documents hidden in it.

But as far as the embassy personnel acting like jerks, please remember that they were actually charging the American citizens to evacuate them out of Lebanon a couple of years ago when Israel was bombing the country. A green card holder will be treated even worse.
 
Calm down a bit,

There is no SSN on the green card, only the Alien number. However she should still be looking out for ID theft as people may use her ID to look for jobs, file for benefit, file for tax (yes, illegal alien do file for tax using a fake ID just to get around getting caught), etc.

But that would be the same as her credit card or driver license got stolen. Most of the stolen green card are used to "enter" the US, not terror plot.
 
Originally Posted By: PT1


Maybe no one explained to you or your g/f what the black market is for US passports or Green Card ID's in the terrorist world. 90% says her ID is sold to a middleeastern terror cell for upwards of $20,000. Mexicanc illegals will pay about $2-3000 for it. They also didn't tell you that they may come pay you a visit OR simply create a shadow identity based on her and you and come here and conduct a full terror plot with both of your names on it. This is no joke. So if you were looking to be soothed...probably not the best place to go as these people are very over worked right now with guys stuffing explosives in their undies and the like. If the Mexicans get it...they might just want a job and maybe buy a house or two and a couple of cars. Hopefuly, they are not associated with the Central American drug cartels and want an alias to set up shop with in the US.

In any case I would begin taking immediate steps to guard both of your identities immediately.


BTW, from what I heard a real green card from a fake marriage only cost $30k-50k, so there is no way a stolen green card can worth 20k.

Green card has a large photo integrated into the card (not glued on), and a smaller version of the photo etched into the card itself, making a replacement of the card's photo only impossible. If you are coming in through a flight, they scan your card's magnetic strip and check against the info on the computer (probably your photo as well), so it is probably only useful if you come in via a car from San Diego or El Paso, not Italy.
 
Originally Posted By: crinkles
tell her, if she really loves you she will become american.


If only it was that easy. It can take 5 to 8 years to get citizenship from the time of marriage.
 
Originally Posted By: crinkles
tell her, if she really loves you she will become american.


More like: she tell you, if you love her, you will marry her so she can become an american.
 
For the record, I'm not an American citizen either. I am actually waiting for her to become a citizen so that she can sponsor my green card.
 
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