Losing a passport is a stressful experience every traveler dreads. But not to worry—we put together a quick guide for you so you know exactly what to do if you lose your passport, including how to replace it and what to do if you’re abroad when you lose it. Let’s dive in.
What Should I Do If I Lose My Passport While at Home?
If you lose your passport while you are in the U.S., you will need to fill out a form to report it as lost or stolen and then apply for a new passport using the DS-11 form. Here’s what to do:
Step 1: Report Your Passport Lost or Stolen. Once you report your passport stolen or lost, it will be voided by the State Department to prevent fraud. To report a missing passport, you will need to fill out the DS-64 form. You can do this online or via mail. You can also report a passport missing via phone (1-877-487-2778), but you’ll still need to fill out the DS-64 form to get a new passport.
Step 2: Apply for a New Passport.
If you lose your passport, you will need to apply for a new one, rather than renewing your old passport.
To do so, you’ll need to:
- Fill out the DS-11 form for a new passport
- Pay the $110 fee for a new passport, or pay $170 for an expedited new passport (expedited service is currently unavailable due to COVID-19)
- Take and provide two passport photos
- Provide evidence of citizenship, such as a birth certificate or expired passport, and a photocopy of the evidence
- Provide ID and a photocopy of ID
We offer a door-to-door passport service with Skip where we help you fill out passport forms, take your photos, and get you an appointment to take these items to an acceptance facility (places, like a post office, where passports are processed), or you can make an appointment to take them yourself. You cannot mail an application for a new passport if yours is lost or stolen.
What Should I Do if I Lose My Passport While Abroad?
If you lose your passport abroad, you should first find the nearest U.S. embassy. Then, you will need to go to the U.S. embassy or consulate to receive a replacement passport so you can travel home.
To replace your passport, you will need:
- The DS-11 form
- The DS-64 form (both forms will be available to fill out at the embassy, but it will be quicker to print them out and fill them out beforehand). Some embassies require the forms to be signed at the embassy, so leave the signature blank.
- One passport photo (the embassy can direct you to somewhere to get the photo taken if you don’t have one, but bringing it in advance will speed up the process).
- A form of identification such as an expired passport or a drivers’ license
- Evidence of citizenship, such as an expired passport, a photocopy of your passport or a birth certificate.
- The $110 fee to replace your passport, preferably in cash (in some circumstances, the State Department will waive the fees, such as in the case of natural disasters)
- A police report, if you filed one for a stolen passport
Usually, replacement passports are provided by the next day, but if you need a passport more quickly, you can get an emergency passport. Emergency passports are limited passports with fewer space for visas. They are often issued within a few hours. They are only valid for a year at the most and are designed to allow U.S. citizens abroad to return home. Once you get home you can replace your emergency passport with a regular one.
What Happens if I Lose My Passport Too Many Times?
If you lose your passport more than once, the State Department may decide to issue you a limited-validity passport, which is a passport that is valid for any period of less than ten years. Whether to issue a limited validity passport is up to the State Department’s discretion, as is the replacement of a limited validity passport for a regular one.
Conclusion: Don’t Panic if You Lose Your Passport
Even though it’s nerve wracking to realize you can’t find your passport, whether you’re abroad or at home, you can replace it as long as you provide the right information to the State Department. To be safe, bring a photocopy of your passport and your drivers’ license with you every time you travel, so you are prepared if you do lose it. If you need to replace a lost passport from home, we can help with our door-to-door passport service. As unpleasant as it is to lose your passport, it doesn’t have to derail your travel plans.
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