Getting your passport lost can happen to even the most experienced of travellers. More than 300,000 American passports are lost or stolen in the U.S. each year.
For many, this is a false alarm - a passport slipped into a different part of your bag or is sitting somewhere in plain sight. For others, it really is lost or stolen.
But don't panic. It may be a big inconvenience, but it is really easy to get a new one. You probably don't know what to do, but these simple steps will help you replace your missing passport in no time:
1. Report to the local police station
The very first thing you should do is head over to the nearest police station and report your lost document.
After making every attempt to recover the missing passport, you must obtain a police report from the police station near the location the loss occurred or nearest you. This will also protect you in case anyone tries to misuse your passport or identify theft. You may need to provide copies of the original documents.
The police will give you a report detailing the incident. This will describe the steps you should undertake, and you should also make multiple copies of it, in case you need it more than one along the way. Make an extra copy for your own records.
2. Request Replacement of a Lost/Stolen Arrival/Departure Record (Form I-94)
To file for a Form I-94, see Application for Replacement/Initial Nonimmigrant Arrival-Departure Document at the DHS, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website and see Arrival-Departure Record at the DHS, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) website.
3. Contact your country's embassy
The next thing to do is head over to your country's embassy. Contact the local embassy or consular section for the country of your citizenship for information about the procedure for replacement.
Once you arrive at the embassy, present them with your official police report. Email the Consular Section at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate outside the United States, which issued your passport.
Let those working in your embassy know when you intend to leave the country, so they'll be able to help you obtain a temporary emergency travel document to help you travel.
You will be filling up Form DS-11, an application for a U.S. Passport/passport card. Only sign the DS-11 until you are in the presence of a Consular officer. Fill up Form DS-64 a Statement of Loss in front of a Consular Officer. Then the aforementioned police report documenting incidence of theft, your proof of U.S. citizenship (i.e. U.S. birth certificate, Naturalization Certificate, Consular Report of Birth Abroad, Certificate of Citizenship, previously issued U.S. passport), photo identification, two identical passport-sized (5cm x 5cm) photos, and a return envelope.
In case that you are replacing a damaged passport/passport card you need: Form DS-82, an application for a U.S. passport, your damaged U.S. passport/passport card, two identical passport-sized (5cm x 5cm) photos, and your application fee payment.
We hope you are calm now with these tips.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
