A public service announcement: Check your glove box. I understand the desire to keep your passport in the glove box. I used to love the idea of spontaneously deciding to go somewhere fabulous, and just driving to the airport and being ready to go. All of my actual travel has been much more deliberate. However, if you do keep your passport in the glove box, or the center console, or any other part of your car, please make sure you get it back out when you dispose of the car. We’ve had 2 U.S. passports brought in to the consulate by people who had purchased cars at auction and had them shipped to Nigeria, and then found the passports in the glove box (today was the second one). I’m glad that these 2 passports ended up in the hands of people who weren’t inclined to do nefarious things with them.

If you do leave your passport in your car when you sell it at auction, you should contact the State Department to report it lost. You can do it online, no muss, no fuss, here. If you lose your passport when you’re overseas, you should contact the nearest Embassy or Consulate. We can print you a temporary passport on the spot.