Travel Horror Stories: I Lost My Passport in Saudi Arabia

When it comes to travel nightmares, losing your passport abroad is easily one of the worst-case-scenarios imaginable. I had a close call in Bulgaria (I dropped my passport in the lobby of my hostel, only to realize it was missing several hours later. Luckily, the front desk had it!), so I decided I would always leave my passport in a fanny pack (available in my shop) to ensure I always knew where it was. When it’s not necessary to carry around, I leave it stored in my room in a secure spot. This rule seems to work for me, but when I’m only in a place for a long layover, I obviously have to carry it with me. In 2022, on my way to Egypt, I had a long layover in Saudi Arabia, and that’s when the horror began.

I had just landed in Riyadh after a 12-hour flight. I didn’t sleep much on the plane, and in NYC time, it was around 2AM, but in Riyadh, it was early in the morning. Safe to say, I was discombobulated. I had hired a guide to take me around Riyadh for my 10-hour layover since I solo traveled, and he was on his way to pick me up at the airport. I knew I needed caffeine since I had a long day ahead of me. I made it through passport control (which was quite intense; they finger-printed, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little nervous to get officially stamped into Saudi Arabia), and immediately found the nearest cafe in the airport. I ordered a double espresso, and headed outside to wait for my driver.

I didn’t tell many people I was going to Saudi Arabia, because I didn’t want to hear what a “dumb idea it was” or have anyone attempt to talk me out of it. Now that I was here, however, I wanted to tell someone. I decided to text my friends Julie and Megan. I snapped a selfie under the “Arrivals” in Arabic sign outside of the airport, to tell them I was in Saudi Arabia. As I snapped a selfie, I realized my hands felt… light. Wasn’t I just holding a bunch of stuff? I thought. Then, it hit me. I had printed out my visa and appropriate paperwork just incase I did not have cell service when in Saudi Arabia, and I realized my printed visa along with my passport were no longer in my possession.

I started verbally saying, “Noooo, no, no, no, no!” and worst-case scenarios began to run through my head. I wondered, Is there even a US Embassy here for me to get a replacement passport? Am I going to be stuck here for days and miss my entire Egypt trip? And of course, I dreaded the idea of telling my loved ones (like my parents) that not only did I go to Saudi Arabia, but I’m now stuck in Saudi Arabia with no passport.

I knew I had just gotten IN to Saudi Arabia, meaning I at least had it past passport control, and the only place I had stopped afterward was the cafe. I immediately ran back into the airport, heading straight to the coffee shop, which was a good 10 or so minute walk (felt like hours, to be honest). I SPRINTED, and when I got there, there was a long line of people. When I had gone there originally, there was no line. I headed straight toward the counter where the cashier was helping some customers, and there it was: my visa on white printer paper with my American passport, face-up, sitting there on the counter.

To say I dodged a bullet is a huge understatement. I got extremely lucky that no one stole my passport, and it was the first of many lessons learned in Saudi Arabia on just my short layover.

Have you ever lost your passport abroad? Do you have any travel horror stories? Let me know in the comments!

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