How to Replace a Lost Passport

Co-authored by Valery Cury and Jennifer Mueller, JD

Last Updated: February 1, 2023

As a critical document, you should report a missing passport as soon as possible. As you report the lost passport, you can also apply for a replacement. This is true regardless of whether you lost the passport domestically or abroad.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Method One: Replace a Lost Passport in the United States

1
Make an appointment to apply in person. Call the nearest Passport Agency or Passport Application Acceptance Facility and schedule an appointment the apply for a new passport in person.
- If you are traveling abroad within two weeks, you need to schedule an appointment within the next five business days at a Passport Agency or Center. You can find a list of Passport Agencies here: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/requirements/where-to-apply/passport-agencies.html
- If you are not traveling abroad within two weeks, schedule an appointment with any authorized Passport Application Acceptance Facility. You can find a list of Passport Application Acceptance Facilities here: http://iafdb.travel.state.gov/
2
Complete and submit Form DS-11. This is the Application for a U.S. Passport. When you lose your passport, you must reapply for an entirely new passport using the standard form. Fill out this form by hand or print it after filling it out on your computer. Bring the completed form to your appointment.
- You can find Form DS-11 here: https://eforms.state.gov/Forms/ds11.PDF
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3
Complete and submit Form DS-64. This form is the Statement Regarding Lost or Stolen Passport. You must bring the completed form to your appointment, and you can either complete the form by hand or on the computer. Forms completed on the computer must be printed out prior to your appointment.
- You can find Form DS-64 here: https://eforms.state.gov/Forms/ds64.PDF
4
Bring all the necessary documents to your appointment. You need to submit the necessary identification along with both forms when you go to your appointment.
- The documents you need include:
  - Proof of your U.S. citizenship (example: birth certificate)
  - Proof of your identity (example: driver's license)
  - A recent color photograph meeting passport requirements (full front view, measuring 2 by 2 inches [5 by 5 cm] in size])
- You will usually need to pay a fee for your replacement passport, as well. Passport fees are not indefinitely fixed, so you should check on the current fee by visiting: https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/information/fees.html
  - As of 2014, the fee for a standard adult passport book would be $135 (including an execution fee).

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Method Two: Replace a Lost Passport Abroad^{[1]
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1
Contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. You will need to replace your lost passport before you can return to the United States, so instead of using a domestic Passport agency, you must schedule an appointment with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.
- To locate the nearest embassy, check here: http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/country.html
  - Navigate to the country or geographic area you are visiting.
  - Once you view the specific country's webpage, look under the "Embassies and Consulates" section to find the nearest location.
2
Inform the Consular Section of any noteworthy details. This is the section of the embassy or consulate equipped to handle passport troubles.
- Make sure that you specify whether or not your passport is merely lost or if it has been stolen.
- Let the staff know the details of your travel plans, especially if you need to leave the foreign country within a short period of time.
3
Take a new photo. Usually, you will need to take a new photograph for your replacement passport. If you call the consulate or embassy, the staff should be able to direct you to a location where you can obtain that photograph.
- You will need this photo before you can advance through the process, so you should try to have it before you visit the Consular Section in person.
- The photograph must be a full frontal view of your face and in color. It should also measure 2 inches by 2 inches (5 cm by 5 cm) in size.
4
Bring all other necessary documents. Aside from a valid photograph, you will also need to show the consulate staff valid identification, evidence of your U.S. citizenship, your travel itinerary, and a police report (if applicable). You will need to complete Forms DS-11 and DS-64, as well.
- A driver's license or expired passport can serve as identification, and a photocopy of your missing passport or birth certificate can serve as evidence of your U.S. citizenship.
- Prove your travel itinerary by showing airline or train tickets.
- A police report is not strictly required, but it can help confirm your circumstances with the consulate. Only spend time filing and obtaining a police report if doing so will not delay your travel plans.
- Find Form DS-11, Application for a Passport, here: http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/212239.pdf
- Both Forms DS-11 and DS-64 can be completed at the time of your application if you cannot complete them beforehand.
- You may need to pay a fee for your replacement passport, as well. Check on the current fee by visiting: https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/information/fees.html
  - As of 2014, the fee for a standard adult passport book would be $135 (including an execution fee).
5
Specify what you need. If you do not need to obtain a replacement passport urgently, you can obtain a standard replacement passport. If you have urgent travel plans, however, you will need to request a limited-validity emergency passport.
- A standard replacement is valid for a full ten years for adults or five years for minors.
- An emergency replacement can be produced more quickly and will only allow you to return to the U.S. or continue on your trip as scheduled. You will need to turn in your emergency passport upon re-entry to the United States if you want to receive a standard replacement.
6
Call on a business day unless you have an emergency. The majority of U.S. embassies and consulates will not issue passports on weekends or holidays. Each one has after-hours duty officers, however, so you can still contact the embassy or consulate after hours if you have a life-or-death emergency or have been the victim of a serious crime.
- Duty officers will only respond to serious emergencies. For instance, if you need to get home to the United States for urgent medical treatment, the officer will likely help you obtain your replacement passport.
7
Know how to assist a friend or relative abroad. If you are currently in the United States and a loved one tells you that his or her passport is missing, you can help your loved one by contacting the Office of Overseas Citizens Services at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C.
- Contact the office by phone at: 1-888-407-4747
- The office should be able to put your loved one in touch with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Your loved one will need to complete the rest of the process in person and on his or her own with the assistance of the consulate staff as usual, however.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Method Three: Report a Lost Passport without Replacing It^{[2]
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1
Report the lost passport by phone. The quickest way to report a lost or stolen passport if you do not intend to replace it is by calling the U.S. State Department toll free at: 1-877-487-2778
- If using a text telephone or teletype terminal (phones for the hard of hearing), call toll free at: 1-888-874-7793
2
Complete and file Form DS-64. Alternatively, if you want to maintain a written paper trail of your report, do so by printing and completing Form DS-64, Statement Regarding Lost or Stolen Passport.
- Find Form DS-64 here: http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/212245.pdf
- If you are only reporting the lost passport and not asking to replace it, you do not need to file Form DS-11, Application for a U.S. Passport.
- Mail the completed Form DS-64 to:
  - ATTN: CLASP
  - U.S. Department of State
  - CA/PPT/S/L/LE
  - 4th Floor
  - 1150 Passport Services PL
  - Dulles, VA 20189-1150
3
Report the non-receipt of a passport sent via mail. If you recently applied for a new U.S. passport and have not received it, you should contact the National Passport Information Center.
- Wait until you receive notification that your newly issued passport has been mailed to you. If you do not receive it within ten business days of this notification, you can seek help.
- If you do not report this non-receipt within a 90-day period after the date your passport was issued, you will need to reapply and pay the fees again.
- Contact the National Passport Information Center by phone at: 877-487-2778
  - Call TTY at: 888-874-7793
  - Send an e-mail to: NPIC@state.gov
4
Mail in any lost passports you find. If you find a passport that belongs to someone else, you should place it in a sturdy envelope and mail it to the U.S. Department of State.
- Send the passport to:
  - ATTN: CLASP
  - U.S. Department of State
  - CA/PPT/S/L/LE
  - 4th Floor
  - 1150 Passport Services PL
  - Dulles, VA 20189-1150

Expert Q&A

Question

How do you replace a damaged passport?

Valery Cury
Immigration Attorney
Valery Cury is an Immigration Attorney based in Santa Ana, California. With over seven years of experience, she specializes in affirmative cases. Valery earned her Master’s Degree from Brooklyn Law School and her Bachelor’s Degree in Law from Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra in the Dominican Republic. She is licensed to practice in the State of Connecticut. She’s also a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and the Dominican Bar Association (DBA).

Valery Cury

Immigration Attorney

Expert Answer

Fill out an application online and submit a request for a new passport to be issued to you. If you have the damaged passport with you, be sure to send that in so they can issue a new one for you.
Question

How do I replace a foreign passport in the United States?

Acurry628

Community Answer

Find your home country's closest consulate or embassy. Contact them by phone or visit them in person and they should be able to assist you.
Question

What if I can't find my birth certificate?

Community Answer

You can usually obtain a copy of your birth certificate from the government of the state or country in which you were born.

Warnings

After you report a missing passport, that passport is automatically canceled. Even if you find it later, you will still be unable to use it for either traveling purposes or as a valid form of identification. It cannot be re-validated.

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Report a lost passport immediately to minimize the risk of identity theft.

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