https://www.asiaone.com/singapore/singaporean-man-gets-stranded-jb-after-losing-passport-warns-others-be-careful
Tan stayed at a petrol station convenience store overnight on Jan 7 before lodging a police report for his missing passport the next day.
PHOTO: TikTok/6ixthlane
A short trip across the Causeway for supper with his friend turned into quite the nightmare for one Singaporean.
A TikTok user, surnamed Tan, detailed his experience being stranded in Johor Bahru after losing his passport earlier this month.
Tan, who declined to reveal his full name, told AsiaOne that he and his friend rode their motorbikes to Johor Bahru on Saturday (Jan 6) night to have supper and planned to return to Singapore within two to three hours.
However, while at a petrol station convenience store near the Causeway, Tan realised that his passport was no longer in his pocket.
Telling himself not to panic, Tan said he first called the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) hotline for advice on what to do next.
At their suggestion, he reported the loss of his passport to the Immigrations and Checkpoint Authority (ICA) and submitted a form for a Document of Identity (DOI).
The next step was to wait for the Consulate-General of Singapore in Johor Bahru to give Tan a call once it opens in the morning.
Tan said that he was also told to lodge a police report but he posted that he could not set off to a police station as it was raining heavily and they had no raincoats.
Tan and his friend remained in the convenience store overnight as they waited for the rain to subside.
Sensing that the process might take longer than expected, the duo checked into a hotel on Sunday morning to freshen up and rest.
Tan lodged a police report for the missing passport on Sunday evening but there was still no call or news from the Consulate-General.
"Still a bit stressed, no passport how to go home?" Tan said.
Tan said he finally got a call from the Consulate-General late Monday (Jan 8) morning asking him to "come down as soon as possible".
To Tan's relief, he managed to get an approved Document of Identity, which would allow him entry into Singapore.