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Lost / Damaged Passport Replacement

If your passport has been Lost or Stolen, the first thing to do is report it to the U.S. Department of State. If you are not planning on applying for a new passport you can call to report the loss or theft:

  •  1-877-487-2778 (TTY 1-888-874-7793)
  • Operators are available 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., ET, Monday-Friday, excluding Federal holidays

Table of Contents

Lost, Damaged, Stolen Passport Information – Without Replacement Application

You can complete a DS-64 form that explains what happened to the passport; whether it was lost, stolen or even damaged. You can obtain this form at any local post office or print it from your computer and fill it out in black pen. If the passport is damaged you will have to include the damaged passport in addition to a completed and signed DS-64 form.

If wanting to report a lost or stolen passport without replacement, you only need to mail in the completed and signed DS-64 to:

U.S. Department of State
Passport Services
Consular Lost/Stolen Passport Section
1111 19th Street, NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20036

Passport Replacement Instructions

Passport Form DS-64
Form DS-64

Regardless of reason you need to replace a passport, you will still need a completed and signed DS-64. If the replacement reason is because it was damaged, you must submit your damaged passport with the application. Along with the DS-64, you will need to also follow the exact same steps as applying for a new passport.

Lost / Stolen Passport – Helpful Tips

A few things to keep in mind when reporting your passport lost or stolen (does not apply to damaged passports):

  • Once your passport has been reported lost or stolen by telephone or a DS-64 form is received by the Passport Agency, your lost or stolen passport will be invalidated immediately and can no longer be used to travel. Once a passport is reported lost or stolen, it cannot be re-validated.
  • If you recover the passport after you have reported it lost or stolen, please submit it to the address listed above. When you submit it, if requested – it will be cancelled and returned to you. If a return is not requested, it will be destroyed.
  • The information you provide when reporting it lost or stolen is entered in a Consular Lost/Stolen Passport System. Keep in mind that misplacing your passport repeatedly can cause you to be issued a replacement passport that will only be valid a year at a time or in extreme cases, be denied all together.

Passports not received or lost in transit

If you have checked the Online Passport Status System or contacted the National Passport Information Center and they have informed you that your new passport has been mailed out, but you have not received it after ten business days, you should contact the National Passport Information Center to report the non-receipt of the passport. If you do not report the non-receipt of your passport within 90 days from the date the passport was issued, you will be required to reapply and pay all applicable fees.

Expediting a Lost / Stolen Replacement Passport

A replacement passport will be processed according to the official Department of State passport processing times. The fastest option to replace a lost passport will be to visit a Regional Passport Office or pay an expediting company to do it for you.

For passports lost or stolen overseas, please contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

Common Questions & Answers about Lost / Damaged Passports

I found a passport, what should I do with it?

Please mail the found passport, using a sturdy envelope, to:
U.S. Department of State
Passport Services
Consular Lost/Stolen Passport Section
1111 19th Street, NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20036

Can I continue to use my passport if it has been damaged?

You will need to apply for a new passport if your passport has been significantly damaged, especially the book cover or the page displaying your personal data and photo. You will need to report your passport damaged and re apply for a new one. Water damage, a significant tear, unofficial markings on the data page, missing visa pages (torn out), a hole punch and other injuries may constitute “damage”. Normal wear of a U.S. passport is understandable and likely does not constitute “damage”. For instance, the expected bend of a passport after being carried in your back pocket or fanning of the visa pages after extensive opening and closing. In most cases of normal wear, you may renew your passport by mail.

If a passport was reported as lost and was later found, can it be used for travel?

Once you report your passport lost or stolen it cannot be re-validated. You will have to re-apply for a new passport if you intend to travel.

The application form is asking for my previous passport number.

You must put nine zero’s and estimate the date of issuance.

Will losing a passport multiple times case delays when re-applying or renewing?

When you lose your passport it is reported and kept on record. When you repeatedly misplace your passport not only can it cause delays when you are re applying but it can also cause the State Department to issue you a passport that is only valid for a year. This usually happens if you have lost multiple passports in a short amount of time or you have used the DS-64 form more than two times.

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