Things to Do if You Lose Your U.S. Passport

---

Losing the passport during transit can be literally horrible. You might be left stranded at the airport or stuck in the country that you were about to leave. But losing your passport Los Angeles while traveling is not unusual. It may happen to anybody. But don’t panic if this happens to you. Being panicked won’t solve your problem. Better you keep yourself prepared beforehand so you can handle such a scenario efficiently. Once you get out of the initial shock of losing this important document, you need to follow some essential steps that are enumerated below.

1. Report the loss – The first thing you should do right after realizing the mishap is to report Bureau of Consular Affairs of U.S. State Department. Either you fill up Form DS-64 or call [phone]. If you call, then also you need to fill up the form later. Besides, file a missing report with local law enforcement authority.

2. Fix an appointment for replacement passport – Schedule an appointment with nearby U.S. consulate or embassy for an emergency passport if you want to travel soon. Otherwise, apply for a regular passport in case you’re going to stay in that country for longer. Visit the official website of U.S. State Department for the locations and contact info related to U.S. consulate or embassy. But if you’re in a country where there is no U.S. consulate or embassy for diplomatic reason, then go to the embassy of a country that offers the facility of ‘protecting power’. For example, U.S. citizens in Iran get this facility from Switzerland. You may contact your Los Angeles passport agency for useful suggestions.

3. Take a new photo for passport – Check the website of U.S. State Department to know about special photo requirements. Usually, you need to carry a new 2”x2” passport photo without eyeglasses. You may also contact a reliable passport agency like The Passport Office. They are the leader in all sorts of passport services including new passport, passport renewal, lost passport, damaged passport and child passport. They are also known for their expediting services that they exclusive offer to their American clients.

4. Keep essential documents handy – Apart from photo, you also need to carry some other important documents like identification card (it might be your state ID card or driver’s license), particulars of travel itinerary like lodging and flights, and proof of U.S. citizenship (it might be the photocopy of your lost passport). But even if you miss these documents, you can still survive. Make sure you keep the soft copies of such documents drafted in your email before you travel.

5. Submit required fees and filled out forms – Once you reach the consulate or embassy, you need to tender some important forms along with required fees. If you have already submitted Form DS-64, you can carry on with filling out DS-11 application form and explain how you have lost the passport. However, if you haven’t submitted DS-64 form beforehand, you need to do it at the onset followed by filling out DS-11 form. Now you need to pay quite a good chunk of money for passport replacement.

6. Get a regular passport – Emergency passport has a validity of one year. So you must exchange your emergency passport for the regular one as you get back to U.S. However, unlike passport renewal Los Angeles, there is no charge to be imposed on you this time.

These are the key steps you need to follow if you lose your passport while traveling to any other country. However, it is always recommended to be safe than sorry. So take the best measures leaving no chance for passport loss.

---