Passport gone at RCB? Here’s your way home.
Lost or stolen at Richards Bay Airport, Richards Bay: this is the nearest help for your passport, the number to call, and what each government asks you to bring.
Nearest help from RCB
- US: US Consulate General in Durban, 162 km away.
- UK: British High Commission in Pretoria, 508 km away.
- Canadian: Canadian High Commission in Pretoria, 506 km away.
- Australian: Australian High Commission in Pretoria, 507 km away.
- Indian: Indian Consulate General in Durban, about 162 km away.
- Mexican: Mexican Embassy in Pretoria, 504 km away.
Your embassy or consulate, by passport
US Consulate General, Durban
162 km from RCB in a straight line
Also in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town.
British High Commission, Pretoria
508 km from RCB in a straight line
Also in Cape Town.
Canadian High Commission, Pretoria
506 km from RCB in a straight line
Australian High Commission, Pretoria
507 km from RCB in a straight line
Indian Consulate General, Durban
About 162 km from RCB to central Durban, in a straight line. Street address on the official site.
Also in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town.
Mexican Embassy, Pretoria
504 km from RCB in a straight line
Distances are straight-line from the terminal area; the drive is longer. Directions open Google Maps from RCB. Where we only know a post’s city, the distance is to the city centre.
Get the right document, first time
Emergency passport
Report it with Form DS-64, then apply in person at a US embassy or consulate on Form DS-11. If you need to travel before a full passport can arrive, ask for a limited-validity emergency passport, valid for up to a year.
Emergency travel document
Apply online for an emergency travel document if you need to travel within 6 weeks. It costs £125, isn’t refunded, and is usually ready to collect 2 working days after you apply.
Emergency passport
Contact the nearest Government of Canada office as soon as you can; if you urgently need to travel, you can apply for an emergency passport there. Replacing a lost or stolen passport that was still valid costs an extra CAN$45 on top of the passport fee.
Emergency passport
Contact the nearest Australian embassy, high commission or consulate, or the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on +61 2 6261 3305. With a genuine, urgent need to travel you can apply for an emergency passport, valid for up to 12 months.
Emergency Certificate
Report the loss to the local police and the nearest Indian embassy, high commission or consulate at once. To return to India, the mission usually issues an Emergency Certificate after it verifies your nationality and details.
Emergency passport
File a report (acta) with the local police, then go to the Mexican embassy or consulate with proof of nationality and photo ID. Consulates can issue an emergency passport for travellers who must get home; it costs 30% more than an ordinary passport.
Border rules in South Africa
- Passport validity: the safe standard for South Africa is a passport 1 month beyond the day you leave. Entry rules for your passport.
- South Africa visa and travel authorisation: who needs one and the official fee.
Richards Bay Airport
- Codes
- IATA RCB · ICAO FARB
- Serves
- Richards Bay, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa
- Airports nearby
- MZQ Mkuze (124 km), DUR Durban (135 km)
- Country help
- Every embassy and consulate in South Africa
Check the airline desk and the airport’s lost property before you report the passport: once reported, it can’t be used again even if it turns up.
Phone stolen with it? You’ll need data to reach the embassy, your airline and your bank. A travel eSIM for South Africa installs in minutes on a replacement phone.
Questions people ask
Where is the nearest US embassy or consulate to RCB?
US Consulate General in Durban, 162 km away. Distances are in a straight line from Richards Bay Airport. There are also US missions in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town.
Where is the nearest British embassy or consulate to RCB?
British High Commission in Pretoria, 508 km away. Distances are in a straight line from Richards Bay Airport. There are also British missions in Cape Town.
Where is the nearest Canadian embassy or consulate to RCB?
Canadian High Commission in Pretoria, 506 km away. Distances are in a straight line from Richards Bay Airport.
What’s the emergency number at RCB?
We haven’t verified South Africa’s emergency numbers yet, so we won’t print one. 112 reaches emergency services across Europe and much of the world from most mobile phones, often with no SIM.
Can I fly out of RCB without my passport?
Not on an international flight. You need an emergency passport or emergency travel document from your own country’s embassy or consulate first. Check with your airline before you rebook.
Can Num get me a new passport?
No. Only your government issues passports. Num finds your nearest mission, lines up the documents you’ll need, and helps you rearrange the trip around it.
NUM is not a government agency and does not issue passports or travel documents. Only your government can, and its fees are paid to it directly. Embassy and consulate locations come from the governments’ own office lists where we have them, and from public data (Wikidata, Wikipedia’s lists of diplomatic missions, the UK Foreign Office’s list of posts, and © OpenStreetMap contributors under the ODbL); confirm opening hours and appointments on the mission’s own site. Steps checked on government pages, 6 Nov 2026.