Lost Your Passport? Here’s What To Do
If your passport has been lost or stolen, you must report it to the U.S. Department of State as quickly as possible. A stolen passport can be used to steal your identity, so it’s essential to do everything in your power to prevent this from happening.
Both reporting your missing passport and requesting a new one are the two key steps in rectifying the situation of a lost passport. Here are the processes you should take to ensure the loss is dealt with efficiently.
Reporting A Lost Passport
As mentioned, you should report a lost passport immediately. You can do this by either calling the U.S. Department of State or completing the DS-64 Form.
This is formally known as a Statement Regarding A Lost Or Stolen U.S. Passport Book And/Or Card. For the purposes of speed and detail, this is likely to be the most efficient way of reporting your lost passport in the long run. Once you’ve filled it in, you must mail it to the address provided.
Once you’ve reported a missing passport, the passport in question is no longer valid. So, if you were to find your passport after reporting it, you won’t be able to reuse it. Therefore, while it’s important to report your lost passport as quickly as possible, don’t neglect searching for it before doing so.
Replacing A Lost Passport
If you lose your passport in the U.S. and don’t have any immediate travel plans, follow the above reporting process and complete the regular DS-11 Form (along with required supporting documents). This must be submitted to an authorized passport acceptance facility.
But if you’re planning to leave the country within two weeks after losing your passport, you’ll need to make an appointment to visit a regional passport agency office instead and complete all relevant forms.
And finally, if you lose your passport whilst overseas, you’ll need to contact your nearest U.S. Embassy for help in replacing it.
Having a lost or stolen passport is never easy, but if you’re quick and follow all necessary steps, getting a replacement isn’t so complicated.