Have you lost your passport? Check what to do next!

May 15, 2019

While travelling abroad, a passport is the most important document on your packing list and it’s the most important thing to protect throughout the trip as without passport you can’t get back to your country. Right? It is really frustrating if your passport will get lost or stolen then this could turn your flawless trip into a potential disaster. But still, there are ways, following which you can protect your passport/valuable things or read out the tips which you need to follow if your passport is lost or stolen.

1) Proper planning:

There is no harm in advance planning! Before you leave your home, make some copies of your passport. Leave one at home for your family or friends and carry others with you but put it at a different place from your passport. Also, you can save image in Google drive if by chance paper would get lost, then you will able to access it from anywhere.

NOTE:

If you are planning to stay for two or more weeks then you should register with the U.S. embassy in the country your visiting.
Also, carry passport 2×2″ photograph with the white background that to be latest six months and valid ID proof. So, all these can speed up the replacement process.

2) Report it:

Stolen passport can be used for criminal purposes that are why it is important to report the file of missing passport and canceled your passport it as soon as possible. LS01 form (you’re outside the UK and lost or stolen passport is British passport) is available online or DS-11, which you can use to register your missing passport report and also inform about this to the local police/U.S. embassy. As the police report and crime number will help you in your application for a new passport.

3) Ready to pay the fee:

Cost of replaced passport and new passport is the same. So, you can make a new passport by contacting the embassy. And the ways to pay fee is either by credit card which can help you to score points or cash/personal cheque (only from US bank)

There some exceptional cases where replacement fees waived:

If you are the victim of a serious crime (for which you need a police report to prove it)
If you are the victim of a disaster (like a flood, hurricane, terrorist attack, etc.)

4) Necessary documents for a new passport:

Following documents are required for the new passport:

One passport photo
Valid id proof like driving license or an expired passport works
Evidence of citizenship like a birth certificate, copy of the missing passport, etc.
Copy of your return flight ticket or train tickets

If you will submit all the necessary documents then a replacement will be issued your next business day.

Your new passport will be valid for the next 10 years.

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