Picture this: you’re enjoying the incredible vacation you’ve been planning for several months. You made sure to take all the necessary precautions to print backup copies of your flight itineraries, hotel confirmation, and ground transportation details.
However, halfway through your fantastic trip, you realize you can’t find your U.S. passport. Panic starts to set in. Dealing with a lost or stolen passport while traveling abroad can feel helpless. A million questions are probably crossing your mind, such as what do I do first? Can I call the U.S. government from abroad? How am I going to get back to the United States again?
Before you fret, there is good news; there are several steps you can take to rectify the situation and deal with your lost or stolen passport like an expert. Explore our top tips for navigating this scary situation so you can get back to enjoying your vacation. These tips will also ensure that you’ll be well-prepared the next time you travel out of the country! Let’s get started.
Step #1: Find the Nearest U.S. Embassy.
Once you realize that you have a lost or stolen passport, find the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate in the country you’re visiting before you do anything else. They are the organization that will help issue you your new passport. To locate them, head somewhere with an internet connection, such as a coffee shop or hotel, and consult the following online resources:
- U.S. Embassy Website
- Contact information for the U.S. embassies and consulates is also available on the U.S. Department of State’s website.
- You may also wish to contact the Office of Overseas Citizens Services, U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C, at 1-888-407-4747.
Once you’re at the embassy, you’ll want to ask to speak to the Consular Section to report your lost or stolen passport. They will guide you through the process and let you know the exact steps you need. If you’re scheduled to leave the country you’re visiting soon, let them know so they can set things in motion as quickly as possible.
The Process
When you lose your passport in a foreign country, you will be given a one-year limited passport to return to the United States. You will have one year from the issue date of the limited passport to mail it back for a regular 10-year passport.
To initiate that process, you need to provide a few things.
- proof of citizenship
- an updated photo
- the letter mailed to you accompanying the limited passport
- Form DS-5504
- A copy of your ID.
Suppose you delay beyond the 1-year validity of the limited passport. In that case, you will need to take the extra step of visiting a passport office to verify your identity rather than just mailing it in.
PRO TIP: RESEARCH WHERE THE NEAREST US EMBASSY IS BEFORE A TRIP.
Before you take off for your next trip overseas, consider researching where the nearest U.S. embassy is relative to your vacation destination. This will ensure you’re prepared and know exactly where to go if you’re dealing with a lost or stolen passport again.
Step #2: File a Police Report for Your Lost or Stolen Passport
If you are confident that your passport was stolen rather than misplaced, be sure to file a report at the local police station. That way, local authorities can begin looking for whoever took it and, ideally, help prevent them from stealing other passports in the future.
Also, in certain countries, you cannot get a new passport issued until you have officially reported your original missing, so this is an important step. If you’re unsure where to find the nearest police station, ask staff members at the U.S. embassy, and they can point you in the right direction.
PRO TIP: MAKE COPIES OF YOUR PASSPORT INFORMATION.
Although no one can foresee a lost or stolen passport, it’s always better to be over-prepared if you’re ever forced to deal with this situation while on a trip overseas. As you’re packing for your next trip out of the country, make photocopies of your passport information and driver’s license.
Pack those backup copies in a different bag than your original ones in case you lose your purse or luggage. That way, when dealing with a lost or stolen passport, you will still have the backup copies to prove to the U.S. embassy that you are who you say you are when filing for a new passport.
In addition, be sure to take pictures on your phone of all these documents (passport and driver’s license) and email them to yourself. That way, you will always have a stored copy that you can access.
Step #3: Gather and Print the Required New Passport Paperwork
When experiencing a lost or stolen passport, a lot of paperwork comes along with rectifying the situation. If you can, get a head start on the process by printing a DS-11 and a DS-64 form from the U.S. embassy’s website before you head to the embassy. Fill out the form as best as you can, and also try to locate any other forms of identification you have on you.
While at the embassy, some of the additional paperwork and things you’ll need include:
- A new passport photo. In most cases, the embassy will let you know where you can go to get a new picture taken.
- Provide a written statement about where and when you may have misplaced your lost or stolen passport.
- Fill out a standard application for a new U.S. passport.
Suppose you have access to any of the following forms of identification. In that case, they will come in handy:
- A driver’s license
- Proof of travel such as a travel itinerary or copy of plane tickets
- Evidence of US citizenship such as a copy of your birth certificate
- Your copy of the recent police report you filed for your lost or stolen passport.
PRO TIP: SET ASIDE AN EMERGENCY ‘LOST OR STOLEN PASSPORT’ FUND
Unfortunately, dealing with a lost or stolen passport can be expensive. When you apply, you will be required to pay a fee for your new passport. You will also incur costs when you get a new passport photo taken. There may be additional costs for traveling to the local police station and finding the nearest U.S. embassy. Consider packing another “just in case” fund when you travel abroad if you have issues with your lost or stolen passport and need to pay some out-of-pocket, unexpected fees.
Step #4: Try to Remain Patient
This step may be the most challenging of them all! Although the U.S. embassy in the country that you’re visiting will do its best to help you as quickly as possible, it may take a bit of time to get your new passport. Also, it’s important to note that the embassy cannot issue a passport on weekends or holidays. There may be rare exceptions, such as a life-or-death emergency; otherwise, you will need to wait until Monday morning.
How quickly you will be issued a new passport will depend on your travel plans. In some instances, you may be able to obtain an emergency passport that will come in approximately 24 hours or so, which would get you back to the U.S. but would not be valid for travel anywhere else. In most situations, it will take at least several days to get your new passport delivered to the country you’re located in.
PRO TIP: CONTACT THE PASSPORT OFFICE ABOUT YOUR LOST OR STOLEN PASSPORT
If you’re within the United States and need a replacement passport, The Passport Office can help. Our experienced professionals specialize in walking people through dealing with a lost or stolen passport situation. We will have the correct paperwork filed and your documents prepared for processing in a few easy steps.
Begin the process for an expedited passport online, or get your new passport in Miami, Orlando, Hollywood, or Tampa! We look forward to assisting you!
