A thief may use a stolen passport to travel, commit fraud, access bank accounts, and perpetrate other crimes using your information. The biometric data like fingerprints and facial images on your passport make it easier for the thief to forge your identity. Prevent these from happening by keeping your passport in a safe place at all times.
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What happens if someone steals my passport?
You become exposed to identity theft and fraud if your passport was stolen. A thief may use the credentials or identification on your passport to rob your bank accounts, make fake accounts under your name, or commit more serious crimes, such as terrorism and drug trafficking.
Report your stolen passport to the passport acceptance agency to prevent these crimes from happening.
What do I do if my passport got stolen?
The most important thing to do after your passport was stolen is to report it to the authority. Here are your options:
- Report it online by visiting the official website of the U.S. Department of State;
- Report it by contacting 1-877-487-2778 (TDD: 1-888-874-7793); or
- Report it by sending an accomplished Form DS-64, Statement Regarding A Lost Or Stolen U.S. Passport Book And/Or Card, and a photocopy of your government-issued photo identification to ATTN: CLASP, U.S. Department of State, CA/PPT/S/TO/LE, 44132 Mercure Cir, P.O. Box 1227 Sterling, VA 20166-1227.
Once reported, your stolen passport will be canceled or invalidated. Then, the data reported will enter into the national database, reducing the chance for the thief to use your information.
What if my passport is stolen abroad?
If your passport was stolen abroad, you may not be able to board a flight back to the United States as planned. Contact or go to the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate to report your stolen passport and get a limited validity emergency passport.
To apply for a limited validity emergency passport, you need to prepare the following:
- Form DS-64;
- Form DS-11, Application Form for New U.S Passport;
- Citizenship evidence;
- Photo identification;
- Passport photo;
- Passport fees; and
- Travel itinerary.
Submit all the documents to the consular officer.
What do I do if my passport got stolen at the airport?
You cannot board a flight without a passport. If your passport was stolen at the airport, report it immediately to a consular officer.
You may also consider explaining your situation to an airline representative at the counter for an immediate response, especially if the thief is still on the premises. It will also help them alert other passengers to take precautionary measures.
If your stolen passport was not recovered, you need to apply for a new passport. Here are the requirements:
- Form DS-64. Accomplish Form DS-64 to notify the passport acceptance facility that your U.S. passport was stolen.
- Form DS-11. If you do not have a valid U.S. passport other than the one stolen, use Form DS-11 to apply for a new one. You cannot submit your application by mail, so you need to go to the passport acceptance facility to submit your application.
- Form DS-82. If you have a valid U.S. passport other than the one stolen, use Form DS-82, U.S. Passport Renewal Application for Eligible Individuals, to renew your passport. You may submit your application by mail.
- Citizenship Evidence. Submit an original copy and a photocopy of any valid documents proving your citizenship in the United States, such as your birth certificate or baptismal.
- Photo Identification. Submit an original copy and a photocopy of your driver’s license or any government-issued identification.
- Passport Photo. Submit a valid passport photo that is clear and colored with a plain white or off-white background.
- Passport Fees. You need to pay $35 for every application. If you apply for passport card replacement or renewal, you need to pay a $30-application fee. For the passport book replacement or renewal, there is a $110-acceptance fee. If you need to replace your passport immediately, you might want to avail expedited service with an additional $60 fee.
Do I need to file a police report if my passport got stolen?
Filing a police report for your stolen passport is optional. However, it may help you find the thief and recover your stolen passport.
My passport and my other IDs were stolen. How can I replace my passport?
You need to submit complete requirements to replace your stolen passport. If the stolen IDs were your primary ones, you may use the following secondary IDs:
- Out-of-state driver’s license or enhanced driver’s license with photo
- Learner’s or temporary driver’s permit (without a photo)
- In-state, fully valid non-driver ID (without a photo)
- Out-of-state, non-driver ID
- Temporary driver’s license (without a photo)
- Social Security card
- Voter registration card
- Employee work ID
- Student ID
- School yearbook with identifiable photograph
- Selective Service (draft) card
- Medicare or other health cards
- Expired driver’s license
- Form DS-71, for an Identifying Witness
Submit any two secondary IDs with the following requirements to replace your stolen passport.
- Form DS-64;
- Form DS-11;
- Citizenship Evidence;
- Photo Identification;
- Passport Photo; and
- Passport Fees.
My expired passport was stolen. Can I just apply for a new one?
Yes, you can. If you have another expired passport that is valid other than the one stolen, you are eligible for passport renewal by mail. Otherwise, you need to submit a new passport application in person.
Bring the following requirements to your local passport acceptance facility:
- Form DS-64;
- Form DS-11;
- Citizenship Evidence;
- Photo Identification;
- Passport Photo; and
- Passport Fees.
Will the replacement passport be issued with full validity or only the remaining validity left on my stolen passport?
Replacing your stolen passport is like applying for a new one — you get the maximum validity period. The validity period depends on your age when your passport was issued. If you were age 16 or older, your passport is valid for ten years. If you were under 16, your passport is valid for five years.
How much does it cost to replace a stolen U.S. passport?
The cost for passport replacement depends on the passport type. You need to add a $35-acceptance fee to the following fees:
- $110-application fee to replace a passport book
- $30-application fee to replace a passport card
- $140-application fee to replace both passport book and card
You may add $60 for the expedited service. It can take up to 12 weeks to process your passport application from the day you submitted it. The routine service is free, but it takes 18 weeks of processing time.
How many times can you lose a passport?
There is no exact limitation as to how many times a person can lose his or her passport. However, securing your passport will save you money and energy. When you apply for a new passport due to loss or theft, you will undergo an interview with a passport acceptance agent. You need to provide a valid explanation and submit documents to apply for a new passport.
How quickly can I replace a lost passport?
If you are in the U.S. and need to travel in ten weeks or less due to life-or-death emergencies and other valid situations requiring an urgent flight, you can replace your lost passport as quickly as eight business days.
Go to your local passport agency to make an appointment and submit your passport application with the documents that prove your situation, such as death certificates, a letter from a healthcare professional, or documentation from a mortuary.
You can also opt for a private passport agency that offers an expedited service for $399 that takes up to six weeks of processing time.
Can I keep the same passport number if my stolen passport is replaced?
No, you will be given a different passport number once you applied for a new passport.
What to do if I lost my passport and I fly tomorrow?
The first thing to do is to report your passport stolen to the passport acceptance facility. It will also help if you come prepared, so bring all the requirements to submit a new passport application.
If you are in the U.S., you will be issued a rushed passport if you have a life-or-death emergency or urgent international travel plans within 72 hours. However, it is not guaranteed that you can make an appointment. Support your request by submitting evidence regarding your situation for a higher chance of approval.
What happens if your passport is stolen on holiday?
Most U.S. embassies and consulates usually do not operate on weekdays or holidays. Thus, you cannot report your situation to the passport acceptance facility to promptly cancel or invalidate your stolen passport. Consider filing a police report to take immediate action.
If you are outside the U.S. and your passport was stolen, you may still go to the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate during holidays. There are after-hours duty officers who will assist you.
How do I get my stolen passport?
Although you may file a police report to track the thief, it is uncertain that you will get your stolen passport back. You may submit another passport application to get a new passport.
I thought my passport got stolen so I applied for a replacement. But I found my passport, turns out I just misplaced it. What should I do with it?
Keep your old passport and do not use it in any transactions. Once you reported your passport stolen or lost, it is not valid anymore.
Can a wife/husband withhold her/his partner’s passport?
Yes, depending on the situation. A wife or husband may withhold his or her partner’s passport for a reasonable purpose, not with the intent of depriving its possession or use.
Anyone who deprives someone to use his or her property has committed theft and may be charged with penalties.
If the reason for withholding a passport is a dispute, instead of filing a case in court, he or she can request the passport acceptance facility to cancel the passport and apply for a replacement.
Can you keep someone else’s passport?
Yes, if you are an immediate family of the owner of the passport and he or she gave you consent to temporarily keep it. If not, you need to return the passport to the owner.
The 18 U.S. Code section 1544, Misuse of Passport, says that willfully or knowingly giving your passport to someone to use it in a way that violates restrictions is illegal. You may be subjected to imprisonment and other penalties if used to commit crimes.
If you found a lost or stolen passport, mail it in a sturdy envelope to the address below.
U.S. Department of State
Consular Lost and Stolen Passport Unit (CLASP)
CA/PPT/S/TO/LE
44132 Mercure Circle
PO Box 1227
Sterling, VA 20166-1227
How bad is a stolen passport?
A stolen passport is a very serious matter that needs an immediate response to prevent a thief from using it to commit crimes. If not prevented, you may be exposed to identity theft and fraud.
What is the penalty for stealing a passport?
An individual who steals a passport will be faced with multiple cases. Aside from the penalties for stealing the passport, he or she will be charged with other applicable penalties if used to commit fraud, identity theft, terrorism, drug trafficking, and other crimes.
Theft is a federal crime with a minimum of one-year imprisonment or a $500 to $1,000 penalty for first-time offenders. Identity theft charges one-year imprisonment or a $1,000 to $5,000 fine.
If the stolen passport was used to facilitate terrorism or drug crimes, the penalty may be a death sentence or life imprisonment.
Why would someone steal a passport?
Criminals steal someone’s passport to perpetrate crimes like identity theft and fraud. They may use your information to gain control and rob your bank accounts or make one under your name. Some use a stolen passport to have a clean identity to travel to other countries to operate an illegal business.