Request for File Search

U.S. citizens who have misplaced the primary evidence document of their national citizenship and have at one time been issued either a Report of Birth Abroad or a Passport are able to request a file search. Anyone who has lost their primary evidence of U.S. citizenship will have to make this request before they can be issued a new passport.

A File Search Fee will be required if you are unable to provide primary evidence of citizenship and submit a written request for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad or a previous U.S. passport. A record of these documents can be substantiated in order to prove citizenship for the issuance of the passport. (This is required when the applicant cannot show evidence of their U.S. citizenship).

A search fee of $150.00 will be charged in addition to all other applicable application fee(s). Overseas applicants and those whose passport has been lost or stolen will be exempted of the File Search Fee.

Anyone who has received a U.S. passport card or book previously will have a record of this issuance on file which can be located using a file search. Once completed, the document retrieved in the search can serve as evidence of citizenship and may be used for the purpose of authentication.

Unfortunately, because of the remote chance that this record may not be found- no guarantee that it will be found can be made. For that reason it is especially important that each individual take special care not to misplace their primary evidence of citizenship.

Should you submit a request for file search and the Passport Service fails to locate the record you need, and shows no previous Report of Birth Abroad or passport, your new passport application can not be completed, and you will lose your $150 application fee as it is not refundable.

Applicants whose need is not urgent will be directed to obtain their primary citizenship evidence document before submitting their application for their new passport.

The Request File Form requires the following information and can be downloaded here.