A passport can be your ticket to relaxing vacations and exotic travel. But lose your passport and you could be stranded in a foreign country or find your plans for a long-awaited trip abroad in jeopardy. With the proper paperwork you can replace your passport and be quickly on your way.
If you're in the U.S. and can't find your passport, you'll need to obtain form DS-64, Statement Regarding a Lost of Stolen Passport, from the nearest Passport Agency. You can also print out this form online. You'll also need form DS-11, Application for a U.S. Passport.
As when you applied for your original passport, you'll need two identical passport photos measuring 2-by-2 inches. These should be color photos taken within the past six months, showing a full face front view, in normal attire.
Along with the required forms and picture, you'll need your certified birth certificate, naturalization certificate or certificate of citizenship. A certified birth certificate has the raised, impressed or multicolored seal of the official registrant. A short form birth certificate or one without this seal doesn't meet the requirements of the passport office.
If you are a woman who changed her name upon marriage, you'll also need your marriage license.
You must apply for this passport in person. Bring a form of identification with you. This can be a driver's license or military ID, a naturalization certificate or a government ID. In addition to bringing this form of ID with you, you need to make a photocopy of it on plain 8 ½-by-11 inch paper. You'll hand this in with the application form.
Finally, you'll also need a credit card, check or money order for the applicable passport fee. The fee for replacing a lost passport is the same as for a brand-new passport.
If you lose your passport while traveling, you should contact the closest U.S. Embassy or Consulate as soon as possible. Ask to speak to the American Citizens Services Unit. The Consulate or Embassy officer will assist you in completing the application for a new passport.
The officer will ask you to provide proof of your identity. If all your identification has been stolen or lost, you'll be asked to provide your name, birth date, address and information about when and where your passport was issued and the officer will attempt to verify your identity this way. You may be asked to attend a personal interview with the consulate or embassy representatives. You may bring witnesses to the interview who can vouch for your identity. You'll be asked about your travel itinerary. If you suspect your passport was stolen, you may be asked to file a police report.
You'll need to complete the forms for a new passport and provide the proper photographs and fees. You may be charged a fee to expedite the application. In hardship or disaster cases, these fees may be waived.
If you have relatives or friends in the United States, it's a good idea to ask them to contact Overseas Citizens Services at the U.S. Department of State and report your lost passport. They will relay this information to the Consulate or Embassy nearest you and this will serve as additional verification of your identity.
When traveling, it's a good idea to make a photocopy of your passport's front page. Keep this separate from your passport. If you can produce this page when applying for the new passport, this will speed things up considerably.
Your lost passport will be canceled and you'll be issued a new passport with a different passport number. If you find your old passport, you're supposed to send it in or destroy it. Don't try to use it again, or it may be treated as a stolen passport. In any case, you won't be allowed to travel on a passport that's been canceled.
