What If Your Passport Is Lost or Stolen?

What happens when you’re all set for your long-awaited trip and you suddenly realized that your passport is nowhere in sight.  Thankfully it may be a false-alarm for most of us— you may have placed it in a different spot and forgot or it may be in plain sight and you just missed it.  But for some, the passport is really lost.  So what do you do when you only have a few days or maybe none to get your passport replaced?

Regardless of where you are in the world when you discover that your passport has gone missing, it is crucial to report it as soon as possible to protect against identity theft.  According to the U.S. Department of State, more than 300,000 American passports are lost or stolen in the U.S. each year.  Being a savvy traveler does not mean this can’t happen to you.

What to do if you’re in the U.S.

Call a passport t agency or consider a passport expediting company.  After the panic and freaking out, call a passport agency right away and see if you can make an appointment that day.  If the agency can’t accommodate you the same day and you don’t have to leave for your trip for another few days, consider trying other passport agency locations near you if appointments are available.

You can also use an expediting service if you need your passport right away.  It may cost you a pretty penny but you’ll have the peace of mind of getting your passport soon.  RushMyPassport.com advertises that they can replace your passport in under 24-hours for a hefty fee if you want to get your new passport in one business day.  They also have their standard service for a not so hefty fee, which means getting your passport in 8 to 10 business days.  You can also check CIBTvisas, which offers emergency passport services for a fee.

Start gathering the necessary documentation    Whether you’re going to a passport agency or using a private service, you will need to provide a passport photo, show proof of citizenship, provide identification, and show a copy of your flight or travel itinerary.  You also will need to complete a DS-64 form (Statement about your lost or stolen passport) and a DS-11 (Passport Application) which you can find online.  Print the forms, complete and make copies of everything just in case.

What to do if you’re abroad

What happens if you’re already on your trip abroad when you realized your passport is gone?  Check one last time to make sure that your passport is really gone and can’t be found.  If for sure your passport is gone, immediately report it as lost and stolen.  Contact the nearest US embassy or consulate to report the loss by phone, email or even mail, regardless of the day or time.  Reporting your passport lost or stolen makes it invalid and therefore can no longer be used for travel, taking the opportunity away from someone who may use your passport illegally.  Embassies and consulates cannot issue passports on weekends and holidays but they have after-hours duty officers who can assist US citizens in an emergency when abroad.

Hopefully you remembered to bring copies of your passport information with you.  You will not be able to travel home with just a copy of your passport but a copy can help as you work on getting a replacement in the event your passport is lost or stolen.

Unless you are a victim of a disaster of serious crime where the passport fee may be waived and a limited-validity passport issued, expect to pay a passport fee when you apply for a full-validity passport

If your passport is not lost or stolen but simply expired, make sure to read our blog on Check Your Passport! to find out what to do and what steps you need to take to renew your passport.