What to do if you lose your passport?
Your suitcase is inside out, and your hotel room is all wonky. As soon as you notice your passport is missing, panic sets in. A nightmare situation that may leave any tourist feeling helpless and thinking, “How will I get home?” How can I change it? What to do if you lose your passport? Will I have to alter my travel schedule? What else must I accomplish? You must file Form DS-11 if you want to receive a new passport to replace one that you has lost or stolen.
Depending on where you are, you can apply from either inside or outside of the United States. If you require a replacement passport and need to make an appointment to apply at a passport acceptance facility, do so if you depart the country in more than nine weeks. If your departure date is less than nine weeks away, you can make an appointment to apply in person for a new passport at a passport agency or center. To get a new passport while you are abroad, contact the American consulate or embassy closest to you.
What to do if you lose your passport?
1. Report the loss or theft passport to American authorities
The information you provide can help the authorities track down your lost or stolen passport if discovered; thus, reporting it to the U.S. government is just as important as reporting a stolen passport to the local police. You must report your lost passport immediately since doing so can help thwart identity theft and stop someone from using it to commit a crime.
You’ll need proof of the loss when you apply for a replacement passport, which typically requires you to provide your current passport as part of the renewal process, so it’s critical to report the loss as soon as possible. If you require assistance with the procedure, contact the Office of Overseas Citizens Services of the State Department.
2. Make a replacement request after lose passport
If you lose your passport while you’re away from home, you need to get a new one right away to get back home. If you are home but have trip plans soon, you must replace it before your vacation. You must appear in person in each of these situations by going to a passport office, embassy, or consulate abroad.
It may require some time if the offices are far away. You must appear in person to receive a replacement even if you can report it lost or stolen online using Form DS-64. You need to follow particular steps to replace your lost passport depending on where you are and when you plan to travel. To locate the closest passport acceptance facility if you reside in the U.S., enter your ZIP code.
You will require a different government-issued identification to prove your identity if you need to apply for a replacement while traveling overseas, such as a driver’s license. Making copies of your passport will be helpful, but you’ll still need to provide a legitimate official ID. You must complete the DS-11 form in order to apply for a new passport. You take recently your passport photos.
3. Pay up
Even though your lose passport wouldn’t have expired for several years, you will still need to spend additional money for a new one. Regular charges are made. If you’re in the United States, you can pay an extra cost to have it expedited. The approximate replacement cost, which varies depending on your circumstances and is approximately $130, can be calculated online.
The good news is that you won’t need to reapply or pay for the program if your previous passport had a Global Entry link. After receiving your new passport, check in to update the Global Entry system with your new passport number. If you utilize the popular Mobile Passport app, which is quicker to apply for and substantially less expensive, you must update it with the information from your new document.
4. Attend to a replacement’s arrival
Unfortunately, to travel abroad, you need a passport. With very few exceptions, your passport card becomes invalid if you report your lost or stolen passport . Only travel by land or sea between Canada or Mexico and the United States is permitted with passport cards. Additionally, getting a passport will take longer given that, according to the U.S. State Department, 2023 is on course to have the largest demand for passports ever.
Apply as soon as possible—at least three months before your upcoming trip—and be ready for delays. If you repeatedly misplace your passport, the State Department could issue you a temporary one, only valid until you return home and go through the steps to get a new, official one.
5. Verify your travel insurance advantages
Concierge services are provided by a few high-end cards, including The Platinum Card® from American Express and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, and they might be useful when you need assistance. The hard work, such as showing up in person to get a passport replacement, cannot be done by a concierge, but they may assist with any necessary changes to your flight and lodging arrangements.
Travel insurance could also help with extra expenses or airline change fees if a police report proves that a passport was stolen rather than lost. Only a few credit cards, notably the American Express Green Card, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card, provide this form of travel insurance.
More advice on managing passports
The ideal course of action is to prevent passport loss in the first place. Have a color copy of the photograph page of your passport, and keep the original in a secure location at all times, such as the safe in your hotel room. Take a photo of your phone as well. If your passport genuinely lost, you can write your email or phone number on the back of it. It’s best to remove your home address to guarantee your safety.
The conclusion For Lose Passport
Ensure your passport misplaced before filing a lost or stolen report. If you are abroad, find the closest location to get a replacement using the State Department website, and make arrangements to stay there until your new passport is granted. NerdWallet independently gathered all data regarding the American Express® Green Card. Through NerdWallet, the American Express® Green Card is no longer accessible.
