by Becky Robbins

Created on: August 04, 2011   Last Updated: August 05, 2011

There is no need to feel like you are trapped in a foreign country if you have lost your passport. When traveling, if you reach in your bag and find your passport missing, the first step is to head to the closest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

Once you have reported your passport as lost or stolen, you will complete Form DS-64, the Statement Regarding a Lost or Stolen Passport. Once this form has been submitted, the passport will be invalidated. A recovered passport cannot be re-validated, so after submitting your Form DS-64, you will want to begin the process of requesting a new passport.

The passport application process may vary, so check the local Embassy or Consulate website to obtain instructions for applying from outside of the United States.  You will still complete the same Application Form, as you would use in the United States. The supporting documents, showing citizenship and identity, vary depending on the type of application being submitted. Be sure to check your Application Form to ensure you are submitting the correct documents. The fees and passport photo requirements will not change. However, be sure to have some cash in either U.S. dollars or the local currency on hand. Local Embassies and Consulates are not able to accept a personal check, so cash is best. In some cases, they may be able to accept a credit card.

When overseas, there is no way to expedite the processing of the passport. Overseas passport requests are processed in the United States. The completed passport is then sent to the local Embassy or Consulate. This will not be an issue if you will be in that location for a long period of time. However, this can be a terrifying thought if you are not scheduled to be in that location for a longer period of time.

If there is an urgent need for you to travel from the location abroad, check with the local Embassy or Consulate about issuing a limited validity emergency passport. A limited validity emergency passport can usually be issued within 24 hours if the application is complete. This emergency passport application must be made in person by the applicant. Bring proof of travel, if you are traveling within 15 working days, which could include a travel itinerary with proof of it being paid. All application requirements, such as fees and photos, are the same for the limited validity passport as they are for a full-validity passport. Once you return to the United States, you will want to head to your local Passport Agency to submit an application for a full-validity passport. If you bring your limited validity passport and it is still valid, you may be able to save yourself the cost of passport application fees a second time.

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