S'porean in JB for supper loses passport, ends up having unplanned 3D2N trip

Impromptu vacay.

Julia Yee | January 25, 2024, 04:04 PM

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Oh no.

Was what ran through one Singaporean's mind when he found his passport missing, while on a trip to Malaysia.

The man, Mubeen, had originally planned to duck into Johor Bahru for a quick supper and a joy ride on his motorcycle.

He crossed the Tuas Checkpoint at around 10pm on Jan. 6 with some friends, he told Mothership.

When they made to head home at around 1am, however, he realised that his passport was missing.

What ensured was a flurry of panic and anxiety, ending in Mubeen documenting his quest to get home in a TikTok video.

Misplaced identity

Mubeen realised he'd lost his passport when he was at a petrol station on the way to the Tuas Checkpoint.

"I go [to Johor Bahru] quite often and always do my checks, so I guess I got complacent and may not have zipped my pants properly," said Mubeen.

Once he was sure that the passport wasn't on him, he and his friends split up to check the roads they had traversed.

"We went up and down our exact route about three times in the rain and could not see [my passport] on the road nor at any pit stop area," he said.

After downing a hot chocolate from the convenience store to calm his frazzled nerves, the man called the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) hotline to figure out his next steps.

Step 1: Apply for Document of Identity (DOI)

He was advised to report the loss of his passport on the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) website.

He also applied for a Document of Identity (DOI), a temporary travel document that can be issued to facilitate a one-way return to Singapore, should one need to return urgently.

At this point, it was about 5am on a Sunday.

Image via @6ixthlane/TikTok

He then needed to wait for a call by the Consulate General of the Republic of Singapore, which would allow him to go and collect the documents.

According to MFA's website, as there are some administrative procedures involved in issuing a temporary travel document, their offices may not be able to issue the document immediately.

This means travellers might have to extend their stay in Malaysia.

Step 2: Make a police report

Realising that he would be staying longer in the area, Mubeen checked into a hotel.

Image via @6ixthlane/TikTok

"At that point, we were cold, wet and tired," Mubeen recounted.

"We bought clothes, ate, and tried to make the best out of the situation and enjoy Malaysia the rest of the night. I'm grateful to my friends for making it fun when it could be a awful situation."

"Since here already why not chill, right?" he quipped.

After taking a nap, the man lodged a police report regarding his missing passport.

Image via @6ixthlane/TikTok

When he was "chilling" in the hotel pool on the morning of Jan. 8, Mubeen finally received a call from the Consulate General.

Image via @6ixthlane/TikTok

He said he headed down to the Singapore Consulate-General in Johor Bahru and got his DOI in about 20 minutes.

Step 3: Get special pass for Malaysian customs

The Singaporean wasn't quite home free yet.

He still needed to obtain a special pass from the Setia Tropika Immigration Office, which would allow him to clear customs on the Johor Bahru side.

Unfortunately, when he went to the immigration office, they told him that he had to make an appointment online.

The earliest available slot turned out to be three months later, in April.

MFA states that as the DOI is an emergency travel document, travellers will need to abide by local immigration regulations on the use of the DOI to exit the country.

Deciding to "F that sh*t", Mubeen tried his luck at the Woodlands Checkpoint anyway.

"I was distraught and furious, and some friends told me to try my luck, and I saw online that some people could just go through Malaysia customs [without the special pass]," Mubeen shared.

"There was no way I was staying for three months."

At the checkpoint, he was escorted to a room and questioned for about "a good hour", but was let through in the end.

Image via @6ixthlane/TikTok

The whole debacle took about two days.

What to do if you lose your passport overseas

According to ICA, Singaporeans who misplace their passports in Malaysia should make a police report immediately at the nearest local police station.

They must then bring the police report and two passport-sized photographs to the Singapore High Commission in Kuala Lumpur or Consulate-General of The Republic of Singapore in Johor Bahru to obtain a replacement travel document.

A temporary travel document will be issued to facilitate a one-way return to Singapore.

For exiting Malaysia with a temporary travel document, travellers may be required to apply for a special pass from the Malaysian Immigration Headquarters nearest to their point of departure.

They may apply for a new passport upon returning home.

As for the man who lost his passport in Johor Bahru, he ended his video by reminding people to be careful with their passports.

"No point passport so strong [but] cannot use," he said.

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Top images via @6ixthlane/TikTok