The disappearance of packages containing passports has police worried they were stolen for identity fraud.
The New Zealand Post parcels went missing between Auckland and the Indian High Commission in Wellington.
Mt Albert woman Vicki Whatley said she and her partner sent their passports to the High Commission on a "Track and Trace" courier run so they could travel to India for a two-week holiday, beginning on Saturday.
The passports were sent on February 11 and were never returned to them as expected.
When Ms Whatley did not get the passports back, she contacted the High Commission on February 16 and was told the package had never arrived in Wellington and that 13 others were missing.
High Commission staff were reluctant to speak when contacted about the matter last night, fearing for their jobs.
But it is understood 13 courier envelopes, possibly containing more than one passport, went missing between February 10 and 13.
Ms Whatley said the inconvenience meant she and her partner had to get urgent visas which required return flights to Wellington and $160 of air points.
They had to pay for urgent passports at $300 each.
They also lost $300 of non-refundable accommodation at a Hong Kong hotel, where they had planned to stop on the way.
"At first they said it was sent Track and Trace, so we can only compensate you $250," she said of New Zealand Post.
"Then, when I sent my receipts down, they said: `OK, it's over $250, therefore we're going to pay you absolutely nothing'."
