① New Role of McDonald’s in Austria
When you lose your passport while traveling abroad, it can be quite alarming. Most travelers would think to visit the local police station first when they lose their passport. However, if you are an American traveling in Austria, you can head to McDonald’s instead.
In 2019, the U.S. Embassy in Austria announced, “Starting today, if American citizens traveling in Austria cannot find a way to contact the embassy, they can visit the nearest McDonald’s store.” They added, “McDonald’s staff will assist them in contacting the U.S. Embassy for consular services such as reporting lost or stolen passports, travel-related assistance, and emergency rescue.”
In essence, McDonald’s is supporting part of the consular work of the U.S. Embassy. The news that McDonald’s is providing embassy-related services caused quite a stir. It’s not well known if this service is being provided worldwide by McDonald’s.
So why has McDonald’s taken on the role of a ‘mini embassy’ for Americans? It was at the request of Trevor Traina, the U.S. Ambassador to Austria, a businessman from Silicon Valley. McDonald’s spokesperson Wilhelm Baldia said, “It was carried out at the request of the U.S. Consulate” and added, “It was because of the brand’s great reputation among Americans.”
The U.S. Embassy shared a photo of Ambassador Traina and Isabelle Kuster, the managing director of McDonald’s Austria, shaking hands. McDonald’s is well-known among Americans, and with 195 stores across Austria, it is easily accessible to travelers.
Meanwhile, as this news broke, former President Donald Trump’s love for McDonald’s was again highlighted. His favorite food is the McDonald’s “Big Mac,” and he has served McDonald’s burgers and fries at White House luncheons.
② McDonald’s, Loved by Americans
With McDonald’s supporting part of the consular work of the U.S. Embassy, the workload of McDonald’s staff in Austria has increased. McDonald’s spokesperson Wilhelm Baldia said, “The staff will assist in contacting the embassy hotline 24 hours a day.” However, he clearly stated that services such as reissuing passports are exclusive to the embassy.
The U.S. Embassy also introduced McDonald’s staff as an additional means for Americans to connect with the embassy in an emergency. Their role is limited to that, and the embassy staff resides in the restaurant. Whether such a policy is being implemented in other countries is not decided.
Social media users responded with comments like, “Are they going to start issuing Mac Passports at McDonald’s now?”, “Americans do love McDonald’s,” and “At McDonald’s? That’s interesting.”
③ If You Lose Your Passport While Traveling Abroad
A passport is the only form of identification that proves your identity when traveling abroad. If you lose your passport while traveling abroad, you must report the loss quickly due to the risk of being used for illegal purposes. Once you report a lost passport, authorities immediately invalidate it, so even if you find it again, you cannot use it.
The South Korean passport has a high potential for exploitation in various international crimes. It has visa exemption agreements with 112 countries and a high level of foreign recognition. In the 2023 Global Passport Power Ranking by Passport Index, the South Korean passport ranked third in the world. It also ranked third in the 2023 Henley Passport Index by the international exchange advisory firm Henley & Partners.
Over the past 10 years, more than a million passports have been reported lost. The most were lost in the Philippines, followed by France, the U.S., and Italy. This shows that passport theft is common in the Philippines and major European tourist destinations.
If you lose your passport, you should go to the nearest police station to your residence and report the loss. You must get a travel certificate or passport from the embassy or consulate. The required documents include two passport photos, passport number, passport issue date, and flight ticket. If you prepare a copy of your passport before departure, it will be much easier to reissue it abroad if you lose it.
Reissuing a passport takes a long time, so it’s a good idea to do it if you’re traveling for a long time. If your trip is short, you can get a travel certificate, which takes about 1 to 3 days. You should always check and take care of your belongings to prevent passport loss.
By. Kim Min Jae
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