'Lost Passport, Visa, Cash': Indian Entrepreneur Recounts 48-Hour Ordeal In Spain
The incident happened when Mr Panchmiya and his team were "editing content for a couple of clients" at a Starbucks outlet.
"We had just landed in Barcelona after a heavy week at Ethereum Community Conference & Workshop (ETHCC) Cannes. It was a chill morning for us. Our team was at Starbucks, editing content for a couple of clients," wrote Mr Panchmiya.
"I stepped outside for a quick call, left my small black bag under the table, something I'd done a hundred times on trips like these."
Having only been gone a few seconds, Mr Panchmiya returned to his bag being gone which had his passport, visa, credit cards and a "good chunk of cash".
Despite approaching the authorities and begging them to show the CCTV, Mr Panchmiya was left hapless. With the Indian embassy shut down over the weekend, he was left with no option but to wait till Monday.
"Walked in as soon as they [embassy] opened. And I cannot thank them enough, they issued me an emergency certificate (a temporary passport) in just 4 to 5 hours. That same evening, I was back on a flight to India."
The entrepreneur said he was sharing his experience not to rant but to help people understand their options if they find themselves in a similar situation.
"If you travel often, especially around Europe, this can happen to anyone," he said. "Ask for an emergency certificate. If your flight is close, they can issue one in hours."
See the viral post here:
I lost my passport, US visa, and all my cash… in Spain.
Let me walk you through the worst 48 hours of my travel life and how I got out of it.
We had just landed in Barcelona after a heavy week at ETHCC Cannes. It was a chill morning for us. Our team was at Starbucks, editing… pic.twitter.com/A26oV08Y00
— Ayush Panchmiya (@lets_ash) August 2, 2025
Also Read | Auto Driver Drops Woman Passenger Midway, Questions Her Life Choices: 'Why'd You Take The Job...'
'Not to be rude but...'
As the post went viral, a section of social media users empathised with Mr Panchmiya while others questioned why he had kept the bag out of his sight with the important items.
"Not to be rude but Barcelona is literally the most renowned city for pickpocketing. Leaving a bag unattended with your passport in it is insane," said one user, while another added: "In general avoid traveling day to day with your passport on you. It's infinitely safer in your hotel lock box."
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