earlyoap

Hi All
We have finally got to Tarifa on fact finding mission to move out here. But have hit a few problems. When we stopped to get some fuel after ferry wife's handbag along with my wallet got robbed out of the car the bag also had all our other papers in it passport and so on.
New cards where sent out to us but after a week we are beginning to think they have got lost in the post. We will give it till Monday then arrange for more to be sent.
So here is what am asking
Is there any one near/in Tarifa that could help. We have tried everything.
What we are asking is there some one that could meet us. Son in UK would them send them cash via Western Union they could use there photo ID to go to post office son in mean time would send me PIN via email.
We have been living off cash that a hotel gave us as a sort of cash back thing. We can not apply for Emergency Passport till tomorrow Sat and they will take a few days to sort. We are fast running out of cash even on our budget till we could get some more once cards get here.
Hope some one can help or give advice.
I have put off ask on this forum as we do like to ask or put people out
rob

earlyoap

Also forgot to say the flat we our staying in does not have Internet so can only look at this site when we have WiFi

rachelk

Oh, I'm so sorry to hear this. I'm too far away I think but there must be some people on here closer to you than I am. Hopefully someone will turn up soon.

Why the delay with the passports? I was able to get one in a matter of hours, albeit at the consulate in Málaga. You could try there? I went in to apply, they told me to come back in a couple of hours and it was ready.

Good luck, hope you find an easy solution.


Edited to add - if it helps, the consulate in Málaga is very close to the bus station, quite easy to find.

Dxf

Hola
The Malaga consulate no longer can issue passports - but I believe they can issue emergency travel documents and they will also help with getting you money. They have an emergency number - USE IT

The Consulate was set up for such emergencies (as well as other things)

Davexf

rachelk

Yes, sorry, mine was an emergency passport to get me home, not a full passport.

I made an appointment online for the priority passport appointment for the week I got back to the UK - it was surprisingly straightforward to sort out. I was lucky enough to be in Málaga at the time though

earlyoap

We where told we could not get Emergency paper till 4 weeks before we head back go back 1st week in March. As for new passports we have no one to countersign pics so cant go down that route.
I would willingly drive to Malaga was going to ring yesterday but they closed a 13.00 was going to ask if UK government could have money sent to it and they give us the cash
DXF on here said there was an Emergency number will look for that. But does any one on here have it.
Please believe me this is not the sort of post we where post. We where thinking more on the lines is this or that guy agood estate/letting agent

Dxf

Hola
I've just listened to the British Consulate recorded message and there is no longer an emergency number

rachelk

Ah, I see, and without the photo ID you can't receive WU transfers?

Really sorry you're having this experience and hope you get it sorted quickly. Then at least you have another few weeks to make some better memories to push this one out of your mind.

-----------------------------------------
It doesn't help you now but might be of interest to others - since my 'incident' I now have a 'holiday money' card - there are various available and mine is with the Post Office. Of course, it costs commision to load it BUT I rarely use it, it's there for emergencies and they offer as part of their guarantee that it it's lost or stolen they will Courier another one to you wherever you are, so you're not waiting for the post to bring new cards.

Fredbargate

Hi earlyoap
I could go to Western Union in La Linea for you.

earlyoap

Is that where you live we could get there

earlyoap

Hi again
Our son whats to post us a card out we use for our business. He will post it Global Express next day delivery. Does any one one here know if we will need photo ID to receive it at apartment we are stay at or will a signature do
rob

earlyoap

Also so every one knows in the UK where we live is on a single track road. There are no round abouts, traffic lights or Dual Carriage ways for 70 miles. So the thought of driving to Malaga is filling me with dread. it took 3 days and 2 over nighters to get here from Bilbao
This is why I am trying to avoid the Malaga trip
rob and Les

mikelincs

Sounds like you were targeted by the robbers, a Brit car just off the ferry needing fuel, and you nip in to the shop leaving all your valuables on show in the car (why didn't you have your wallet with you at least? ) I realise it's a real problem for you now but it should publicise the fact that you should NEVER leave your valuables in your car, no matter how short a time you were going to leave it.

earlyoap

I had put my wallet in wifes handbag as it has some papers in for a job I had to do on net as soon as we stopped. The maddening thing is I never do that I always put it in glove box. Just dont know why I put it in her bag that day.
As you say we had just drove off Ferry pulled in to first service area we seen. I got out of car to use rest room while wife took our dog to stretch its legs she was no more than 30ft from car. Some guy started taking and messing with dog saying he would let it of its lead to run. the wife was saying no go away. when we both got back to the car bag was gone.
as much as a pain as it is am glad neither of us seen and challanged them would hate to think what may have happened.
Also where we live in UK no one locks there cars. In fact one local leaves his front door keys in his front door all the time so he know where they are.
It was just we had got off ferry out of Bilbao got on motorway and relaxed for 1 min

mikelincs

Unfortunately you are just the people they target, I NEVER left my car unlocked, even if I was only going to pay for petrol at a garage, the sense of that was proved to me by a friend filling up, leaving his keys in the car while he went to pay, the next thing was he saw his car driving away, it was found the next morning, burnt out having been used in a robbery so 20 miles from where it was taken.