How to Replace a Lost Passport
A lost passport is enough to put the brakes on any vacation. Without this vital document, international travel is not possible. So if you find yourself tearing your house apart and still unable to find that lost passport, make sure you begin the process to replace it immediately. The process for replacing a lost passport is fairly simple, but be aware that it is a two-step process.
If you are overseas and you lose your U.S. passport, it is crucial that you contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate right away. They may be able to provide you with a photo-digitalized emergency passport for $135 that is valid for a year and will at least get you home.
Over 250,000 U.S. Passports were lost last year, so you’re certainly not alone. Of course, this doesn’t make you feel any better, so read on to find out how to replace your lost U.S. Passport. There are two steps: report and replace.
As we mentioned previously, the first thing you must do is report your lost passport to the U.S. State Department. Once you report your passport as lost, it will be considered invalidated. This means that even if you find it, it is no longer valid. You will need to go through with the replacement. You have two options to report your lost passport:
Call 1-877-487-2778 (TTY 1-888-874-7793)
U.S. State Department operators are available from 8am-10pm ET, Monday-Friday with the exceptions of Federal Holidays.
Submit the DS-64 Form. This form is an official statement regarding a lost or stolen passport. It will need to be sent to:
U.S. Department of State
Passport Services
Consular Lost/Stolen Passport Section
1111 19th Street, NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20036
The next thing you must do is replace your passport. In order to replace it, you’ll need to also complete the Form DS-11. This is the application form for a U.S. Passport. You will need to submit this form and the previously mentioned Form DS-64 in person to a passport agency. Keep in mind that average passport processing times through the U.S. State Department is 4-6 weeks. If you need your passport sooner, you may want to consider using a registered expediter service. Fastport Passport can replace a lost passport in as little time as 24 hours.
