As you are jetting off to faraway destinations and having fun, you might find yourself faced with the question of, “What to do if you lose your USA passport in another country?” at some point in time. A lost passport overseas might seem like the end of the world, but it truly isn’t. While you will have to follow a few steps to receive a replacement and get back home, it isn’t like you are going to be stuck in this new destination forever! And we’ve also discussed ways to safeguard your passport when traveling internationally – we think is the first step for making sure your passport is always safely secured.
Steps to Take When Replacing a Lost Passport
The first thing you should do when you realize that you do not have your passport is to report lost or stolen passport. This is very easy to do, and you have three different options. The simplest option for reporting a lost passport is to go online and submit the report on form DS-64 online. You can also mail that form in or call the toll-free number, but those will not solve your problem as quickly.
However, when you are dealing with a lost or stolen passport abroad, you must contact the closest US embassy or consulate. You will speak with the Consular Section and tell them that you need to replace the lost passport. They will ask numerous questions and will need to know your travel plans and how long you have until you return to the US.
Once they have all the necessary information, they will let you know where you need to go to have your passport photo taken. They will also set an appointment up for you, so you can meet with them to fill out the lost passport form and file for your lost passport replacement.
Items You Will Need for Replacing a Lost Passport
Remember back to when you applied for your passport and you needed a bunch of documentation? Well, you are going to need to share some documentation when you are asking about replacing a lost passport too. These items include:
- The passport photo we mentioned above
- Identification–This can be a driver’s license
- Evidence of US citizenship–This is usually in the form of a birth certificate or a copy of your lost passport
- Travel itinerary
- A police report if you filed one
Your Appointment at the US Embassy or Consulate
When you arrive at the US embassy or consulate, you will be asked to complete both the DS-11 and DS-64 forms. The first one is the application for passport, while the second one is the statement regarding a lost or stolen passport.
Once all this information is filled out, the US embassy or consulate will work as quickly as they can to get you your replacement passport. Depending on your travel plans, this can take as little as twenty-four hours and as long as a few days. It is important to note that you cannot get a replacement passport on weekends or holidays unless it is an extreme emergency.
Fees for Replacing a Lost or Stolen Passport Abroad
Most of the time, the cost to replace lost passport will be the regular fees you would pay when applying for a passport at any other time. If you are unable to pay those fees, you will need to provide the names of people who can pay them for you.
There are certain situations where you may not need to pay those lost passport renewal fees. Those scenarios include:
- If you are a victim of a serious crime
- If you are a victim of a disaster
- If you are unable to obtain the money to pay for the fees before continuing travel-A limited validity passport would be issued in this scenario and the fee would then need to be paid when applying for a new replacement passport after returning home
Length of Time Replacement Passports are Valid
Once you have your replacement passport, it will be valid for a full ten years if you are an adult. Replacement passports for children will only be valid for five years. The only reason why your new replacement passport would not be valid for this long is if a limited-validity passport was issued.
If you have a limited-validity passport, basically a passport that will get you home, you must turn that passport in when you get home and a new ten-year replacement passport will be sent to you.
As you can see, it is not that difficult when it comes to replacing a lost passport, but it will be stressful. Thankfully, there are steps in place if you ever need to deal with what to do if you lose your USA passport in another country. Simply follow those steps and you should have your new replacement passport in no time at all!
