I lost my passport on the evening of 16th June. Despite having a fractured hand, I had to wait for three days at the BLS Passport Office. I finally received the Emergency Certificate (EC) from the Consulate on 19th June.

I informed to the consulate about British Airways denying my boarding on Emergency Certificate. The consular told : ‘Sorry we have no role in this’.

British Airways denied me boarding the flight Barcelona > London > Mumbai. The ticket was booked after getting confirmation from Consulate and Passport Office in Barcelona that I will be allowed to travel back to India. British Airways marked me as ‘No Show’ and No refund.

Consulate shifted to a new location resulting in delay in issuing ‘Emergency Certificate’.

BLS Passport Office in Barcelona

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A little more guidance and coordination could have spared me much of this tragedy. I share this not just as a personal account but as a sincere appeal to ensure no other traveller suffers a similar fate.

In these five days, I endured financial loss, excruciating physical pain, and deep mental stress — made worse by the lack of timely, clear, and compassionate support from those meant to help Indians abroad in moments like this.

With my fractured hand, I turned to the Emirates counter and found that they would accept the EC for a direct connection via Dubai. I booked the earliest available flight that evening and finally reached Mumbai on 20th June.

This critical detail had been overlooked by everyone involved including Consulate and Passport office in Barcelona. Marked as a ‘No Show’, I desperately sought help from the Consulate, only to be told they had no role in the matter and to contact my travel agent.

On 19th June, I collected the EC and rushed to the airport. At the check-in counter, British Airways staff told me I could not travel on the EC because I would transit through London Heathrow — which required a transit visa even for passengers staying within the same terminal.

At 4:00 PM, after hours of waiting, I was finally asked to submit my return ticket. With options rapidly disappearing, I managed to book a British Airways flight for the next day, 19th June. I was reassured that I would face no problem returning home.

Between hospital visits and pain, I still returned to the BLS office, hoping to resolve my travel issue. I spent the entire day waiting, pleading for an update, but was advised not to book any flights until the EC was confirmed.

Then came another blow. On 18th June, I slipped in the hotel bathroom and fractured my hand.

I was told the Consulate was relocating offices, and their systems were impacted. Hence they cannot commit when Emergency Certificate will be issued. I missed my flight which was scheduled in the afternoon.

By 17th June, I had visited the BLS office and submitted my EC application first thing in the morning. Unfortunately, with no clear information on when the document would be issued — and despite the urgency of securing a seat back to India.