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I am a Pakistani citizen on a student visa in the USA. I am on a grace period to leave the country. Just a week before my 60-day grace period ends, I lost my passport. I want to return to my country to avoid an illegal stay in the USA. What are my options?

hmakholm left over Monica
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sam
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2 Answers2

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You will need a travel document to board your flight back to Pakistan. Call the nearest Pakistani embassy or consulate in the USA immediately. They can help you get a new passport or emergency travel document.

ajd
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    That's the key word here: emergency travel document. An embassy can usually issue those quite fast in emergency situations like this. – Mast Jul 18 '18 at 11:44
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In addition to ajd's answer: also immediately contact US law enforcement and immigration authorities.

As a foreign national you are required to have a passport on you, so you're in violation of the law by not having one right now. Not sure how they'll act on that, most likely you'll have to present documentation from your embassy or consulate within a certain time frame showing that you're in the process of obtaining a replacement document to prevent arrest.

We had something similar in Spain, though being from another Schengen country there was no overstay risk. Contact the police, contact your consulate or embassy, and hope for the best.

jwenting
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    "As a foreign national you are required to have a passport on you" -- [citation needed] – hmakholm left over Monica Jul 18 '18 at 10:46
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    @HenningMakholm From Do I Need to Carry Documents While I’m in the USA?: "The short answer is: yes. Any alien within the borders of the United States must carry their documents with them at all times." – TripeHound Jul 18 '18 at 11:50
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    @TripeHound That doesn't seem to be talking about passports specifically. That sounds like it's talking about different documents. – JMac Jul 18 '18 at 12:24
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    @jwenting: I have lived as a foreign national in the US for 15 or so and I have never ever carried Green Card or Passport unless I needed them for travel. Having a passport or green card lost, stolen or damaged is very expensive and cumbersome to fix. – Hilmar Jul 18 '18 at 14:00
  • @Hilmar I'm talking about having one, not carrying it around at all times. If you're a foreigner in a country you need to have available to produce travel documents from your country of origin recognised by the country you're in, which means generally a passport and often visa or residence permits. If that passport is lost, stolen, or lapses, it's your responsibility to get a new one – jwenting Jul 18 '18 at 14:02
  • @JMac it explicitly means passport. You need a valid identification document, which for a foreign national means a passport (some exceptions, like in the EU there's the European identity card people can get in lue of a passport, and I think in the US it's enough for Canadians to carry a driver's license). – jwenting Jul 18 '18 at 14:04
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    @jwenting There's no requirement to carry your foreign passport. The requirement is a alien registration document which is a green card or I-94 for non-immigrants. According to the link, a printout of the electronic I-94 qualifies, as well as a stamped passport. – user71659 Jul 18 '18 at 14:52
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    You write "you are required to have a passport on you" and when called out, in a comment "not carrying it around at all times". I can't read this in any way that are not mutually exclusive. – pipe Jul 18 '18 at 15:32
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    @jwenting The word is "lieu," btw. – Azor Ahai -him- Jul 18 '18 at 15:33
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    "on you" means carrying it, not merely having access to it. – Acccumulation Jul 18 '18 at 20:52