The U.S. Department of State says that lost United States passports should be reported to the Department of State immediately. This can be done by phone, by mail or in person. Their toll free number, 1-877-487-2778, has operators available from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m. Eastern Time every weekday except for federal holidays. A TTY number, for those with speech or hearing difficulties using text communication devices, is also available. This number is 1-888-874-7793.
A form must be filled out to report a lost or stolen passport by mail or in person. Form DS-64 can be printed off the Department of State Web site or picked up from an Acceptance Facility or Passport Agency. If a new passport is desired, the form must be brought in person to one of these two places, with Form DS-11, the application for a new passport. If a new passport is not desired, the form can just be sent to U.S. Department of State, Passport Services, Consular Lost/Stolen Passport Section, 1111 19th Street, NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20036. If a new passport is needed for imminent travel, it could also be necessary to request expedited service, which has additional fees.
If the passport may simply be misplaced, and could be found again soon, it may be a good idea to wait before reporting that it is lost. When passports are reported lost, they are immediately invalidated. Passports can not be revalidated and can never be used for travel again. This could be a lot of unnecessary hassle if the passport is soon found.
If a United State passport is lost or stolen while abroad, travelers should contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate and inform them if departure was scheduled soon. The consulate or embassy will collect information to verify the traveler's identity -- including interviewing them, looking at other forms of identification and perhaps contacting friends and family in the United States -- and try to provide a new passport quickly. In preparing for a trip, having photocopies of a passport can be useful for this reason. If a new passport can not be provided before travelers must leave, the consulate or embassy may provide them with a letter to help them enter the United States without a passport. If it is possible that the passport could be recovered, it may also be worth it to contact the local authorities.
