Posts Tagged ‘lost passport’

Replacing A Stolen Or Lost Passport

Wednesday, September 28th, 2011

When even the most experienced traveler loses his or her passport, panic may ensue. However, replacements are easy to obtain and may even be expedited so that travel plans may continue as scheduled. The US State Department recommends the immediate reporting of a stolen or lost US online passport in order to avert an identity theft situation.

Form DS-64

People should start by filling out Form DS-64. The form has spaces for personal information, the card and book numbers for old passports and a paragraph explaining where, when and how the documents were lost. People must also explain any actions they took in an attempt to recover their passports. The form may be mailed to the State department, if travelers are not immediately seeking new documentation and the address is available on the State Department website.

Form DS-11

Those applying for new passports should submit their DS-64, along with Form DS-11. Form DS-11 should be left unsigned and signed only in the presence of the acceptance agent. To provide proof of US citizenship, citizens will have to bring identification to the agency. Acceptable forms of identification include a driver’s license, government or military ID or a naturalization certificate. Certain secondary forms of ID may also be accepted including a social security card, an employee ID card or a letter from an identifying witness. Applicants should also be prepared to pay the accompanying fee.

Photocopies Of ID

Applicants must photocopy their identifying documentation. The photocopy should have images of both the back and front of identifying documents and should be printed on white 8 1/2 by 11 inch paper. Images may be increased in size but may not be decreased in size. Also, images may only appear on one side of the page and the page must be clear of other markings or images.

Photograph

For replacement passports, the State Department will need a photograph. Each photograph must reflect an applicant’s current physical appearance and must meet strict State Department guidelines. For most photos, the State Department recommends using a professional photo service.

In Person Or Online?

Applicants replacing lost or stolen passports must apply in person. If scheduled to travel within two weeks, people may set appointments with a regional passport office. Appointments are made using an automated process after which applicants are given an office address, appointment time and confirmation number. Applicants should bring all documentation, including a copy of their travel itinerary or e-ticket and should expect to pay the regular fee plus an additional rush fee.

Expedited Services

Travelers may use a private expediter to secure a lost passports replacement. Before hiring any expediter, applicants should verify the company’s telephone number in addition to asking for a thorough explanation of rates. Often, customers post helpful comments about their experiences with expediters online, which will help applicants with the screening process.

Whatever the circumstances, losing a passport may be an unsettling experience. Reporting the loss right away and replacing documentation quickly will ensure that people experience no delays or identity theft issues because of the stolen or lost U S online passport. To find more detailed information, people may check the US Department of State website or contact their nearest agency. You can always get an expedited new pass port.

Why There Is No Reason To Freak Out After Losing Your Passport

Thursday, October 14th, 2010

People lose their passports all time, either during the hectic packing and preparing process before a long vacation or while jumping from metro to metro in Paris. A passport getting lost or stolen is a fact of life that you must learn to take with a grain of sand. Better prepare yourself before traveling by researching what to do in the event that you find yourself with a lost United States passport and an encroaching flight plan.

If you have lost your pasport documents while still in the United States, then you are one of the lucky ones. Dealing with any sort of passport mishap is always easier on U.S. soil. All you have to do is fill out a form and send it to the Department of State. This form can be found online at the official website of the U.S. Department of State.

Losing your passport while traveling in a foreign country is scary because you feel like you are trapped far from home with no way of going anywhere. However, if you have done your research before hand (which is recommended), you know that all you have to do is go to the Embassy to apply for a temporary passport. Make sure you contact the authorities if your passport was stolen because you don’t want some thief going around pretending to be you.

Before you can travel anywhere without your passport, you will need to fill out a brand new application. Because embassies are no longer allowed to issue legitimate passports, they will award you with a temporary one that you can replace once you arrive in the United States again.

However, if you get your bank cards and driver’s license stolen along with your passport, there is nothing the Embassy can do to replace those. That will prove to be an issue when you have no way of proving that you are who you say you are when you go to apply for a temporary passport. But don’t fret as you won’t be stuck in a foreign country forever. The embassy has ways of dealing with situations such as these but the process is just a lot slower. To ensure that this doesn’t happen to you, bring photocopies of everything you think could be important in the future, just to be safe.

Another smart idea is to keep a journal where you have all of your important identification numbers written down. If you are incredibly unlucky and lose not only your passport but your ID and your bank cards and all of the photocopies you made, hopefully you will still have a sheet of paper with your passport number written on it.

To cover yourself financially, talk to a friend before leaving on your trip. See if she or he can loan you some money for a new passport if you are unlucky enough to lose it. Plan ahead for disaster and you will have peace of mind on your trip.

Everybody knows that accidents happen and no matter how hard you try to avoid pick-pockets or to keep your things organized, you can end up with a lost United States passport. Keeping yourself organized before your trip by making photocopies of everything and copying down any important information will save you time in the long run should anything go wrong.