A Lost Passport is Costly and Valuable
You have lost your passport and you are wondering what it is going to cost you in terms of time and money. While it is true that it’s going to cost you, in the end you will learn a valuable lesson.
The first step to replacing a lost passport is to report it as lost or stolen. If your passport is stolen, you must report it to the police. You will need a copy of the police report as verification of the theft when you report the missing passport to the State Department.
Reporting: Any lost or stolen passport must be reported using form DS-64. Additionally, you will also need to fill out and submit form DS-11, the standard passport application form. If you are out of the country you must report a lost or stolen passport to the US Embassy or Consulate in that country. The State Department’s website has contact information for the US Embassies around the world.
Documents: To obtain a replacement passport you need the same supporting documents that you used to obtain your original passport: birth certificate, driver’s license, marriage license, divorce and custody papers as well as a photo id. You will need to prove you are up to date on your vaccinations and may need proof of your fiscal responsibility.
Photographs: If you take your photos yourself or have them taken elsewhere you will need two identical copies for your replacement passport. Seasoned travelers keep a spare set of two by two inch passport photos with them at all times. Some visa applications also require these types of photos.
Fees: There are fees involved in replacing a passport. Application fees must be paid at the time of your request. These fees start at $75 for adults and $85 for children and do not include a passport card. You may have to pay extra for the expedited service. The fee is $60 plus an overnight postage fee of $14.85.
Precautions: Leave a copy of your passport, documents, itinerary, and medical papers with a trusted friend or relative before you depart. This will help you provide the information required should you need to replace your passport. Keep your passport on your person at all times. Passports that kept in luggage, purses, or backpacks are easy to steal.
Take the time to secure your passport information before you leave the country. A lost passport is not the end of the world but it is costly to replace. Once you have replaced a lost passport you will have learned a valuable lesson, and that is that a little prevention is a whole lot cheaper.