Travel Advice - What to do if you lose your passport
All forms mentioned in this article can be
downloaded from the Web site of the U.S. Department of state (
http://travel.state.gov
).
If your passport is lost or stolen while you are
still in the U.S., you will need to apply for a new passport in person
and report the loss of your passport on Form DS 64 (if your passport is
still valid).
If you do not want to apply for a new passport
immediately, you may report your lost or stolen passport by completing
Form DS-64 and mailing it to:
- Department of State, CLASP Section, Suite 500,
1111 19th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20522
- Alternatively, call (202) 955-0487 or (202)
955-0488.
If you are abroad and lose your passport, report the
loss of your passport immediately to local police authorities and the
nearest U.S. Embassy or consulate. You will need to speak to the
American Citizen Services Unit of the Consular Section of the Embassy.
If your travel plans have you departing the country soon you will need
to provide the Consular Section with details regarding your departure
schedule.
- In order to continue your travels, you will need
to complete a new passport application. Since September 11, 2001,
embassies cannot issue new passports. Instead, you will be issued a
temporary passport that must be re-issued when you return to the United
States.
- The officer at the embassy must be reasonably
satisfied as to your identity. It is always useful to make a Xerox
copy of the Passport Information pages in your passport and keep
multiple copies with you while you travel (including one in your money
belt).
- Having a copy of your passports information helps
expedite the process but you will have to provide:
1. Personal Data
(including, but not limited to) :
• Your name • date of birth • place of birth •
passport number (if available) • date and place where your passport was
issued
2.
Affidavit Regarding Loss/Theft of the Passport/Police Report:
When you report the loss, theft, or misplacement
of your passport, you must execute an affidavit fully describing the
circumstances under which it was lost or stolen. A police report is not
mandatory but may be required when the embassy/consulate believes a
problem may exist such as possible fraud.
3. Citizenship Verification and Name Clearance:
The U.S. embassy/consulate will attempt to confirm
your previous passport issuance through its Passport Verification
System.
4. Proof of Identity:
You will also be asked for some proof of your
identity. If all your personal papers were lost or stolen with your
passport, your identity can be established in a number of ways. In most
cases, the problem of identity can be resolved quickly.
Note: the normal passport fees are collected from
applicants for replacement passports. Applicants who have had all of
their money stolen will be asked to provide names of persons they feel
would be able to assist them financially, if there is sufficient time.
U.S. passports are not routinely issued by U.S.
embassies and consulates abroad on weekends and holidays when the
embassy/consulate is closed. Embassies should have an off hours duty
officer who may be able to help. Usually, you will have to wait until
the embassy re-opens after the weekend. If you are scheduled to
travel directly to the United States, the duty officer may be able to
assist in issuing a transportation letter to the airline and alerting
U.S. Customs and Immigration to the fact that you will be attempting to
enter the United States without a passport.
Remember to place a piece of paper with your
current, local, travel address in your passport so that, if the
passport is lost of stolen and later found, it can be returned to you.
- We recommend that you place several "sticky"
notes in the back of your passport and fill one out each time you are
going to be at a local address for a few days and place the "sticky
note" with your local contact number in the front of your passport.
- Also, make sure that your U.S. local address is
entered (in pencil – in case you move) in the appropriate section in the
front of your passport.
- Finally, see our section on the using a
money belt
to protect you travel document and funds.
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