How to Replace a Lost or Stolen U.S. Passport

To replace a lost or stolen U.S. passport, you have to do two things in order: report the missing document so the State Department cancels it, then apply in person for a new one using Form DS-11. You cannot renew by mail once a passport is reported lost or stolen. Routine replacement costs at least $165 for an adult passport book and takes four to six weeks, though faster options exist if your trip is close.

Report the Missing Passport First

Report the loss the moment you’re reasonably sure the passport is gone. Three ways work: the online form at pptform.state.gov, mailing Form DS-64, or handing DS-64 in when you apply in person. Phone reports are not accepted. Online is fastest, and the State Department cancels the passport within one business day and emails a confirmation.¹

Cancellation is permanent. If the passport turns up later behind a couch cushion, you cannot use it. Trying to cross a border with a canceled passport can get you detained or denied entry. There is no way to reverse the report, so if you’ve only misplaced it at home, look thoroughly before reporting.¹

A history of losing passports can affect what you get next. A consular officer may issue your replacement with limited validity rather than the standard ten-year term, decided case by case.²

What You Need to Apply

A lost or stolen passport has to be replaced through a first-time-style application, which means you’re proving both citizenship and identity from scratch.³ Gather these before you go:

Form DS-11, filled out but unsigned. The acceptance agent has to witness your signature.
Form DS-64, if you didn’t file it online. You can turn it in with your application.³
Proof of U.S. citizenship: an original or certified copy of your birth certificate (showing full name, date and place of birth, parents’ names, filed within one year of birth), or a naturalization or citizenship certificate. The State Department holds this document during processing and returns it separately by mail.⁴
A government-issued photo ID such as a current driver’s license or state ID. Bring the original and a photocopy; the agent keeps the copy.
One recent color passport photo, 2×2 inches, against a white or off-white background.⁵

On the DS-11 you also pick your product: passport book, passport card, or both. The card is wallet-sized and valid only for land and sea travel to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda. It cannot be used for international air travel. Fees differ by product, so choosing at the counter avoids a second application later.

If Your Citizenship Documents Are Also Missing

Losing a passport and a birth certificate together happens often, especially in a theft or after a disaster. If you can’t get a certified birth certificate in time, the State Department accepts secondary evidence such as hospital birth records, baptismal certificates, early school records, or other documents created within five years of your birth. Sworn statements from people with personal knowledge of your birth also work.⁴

If none of that is available and you previously held a U.S. passport or Consular Report of Birth Abroad, you can request a file search. The State Department will look through its own records to verify your citizenship. That adds a $150 fee and requires a written request submitted with Form DS-11.⁶

Applying In Person

You apply at a passport acceptance facility. Most post offices, many public libraries, and some county clerk offices serve that role. Some require appointments and some take walk-ins, so call first. The acceptance agent reviews your documents, watches you sign the application, administers an oath, and seals everything into a package addressed to a State Department processing center.

After it ships, your original citizenship documents come back to you separately from the finished passport, both by mail. You can track the application at passportstatus.state.gov using your last name, date of birth, and the last four digits of your Social Security number.

Fees

Replacement requires two separate payments: an application fee to the U.S. Department of State and an execution fee to the facility where you apply. Current amounts:⁶

Adult passport book (age 16+): $130 application + $35 execution = $165
Adult passport card: $30 + $35 = $65
Adult book and card together: $160 + $35 = $195
Child passport book (under 16): $100 + $35 = $135
Child passport card: $15 + $35 = $50
Child book and card together: $115 + $35 = $150

Personal checks and money orders payable to the U.S. Department of State are widely accepted for the application fee. The execution fee goes to the facility, and some accept credit cards or cash. Optional add-ons include expedited processing at $60 and 1-to-3-day delivery of the finished book at $22.05. The delivery upgrade applies only to books; cards ship standard First Class Mail regardless.⁷

How Long It Takes

Routine processing runs four to six weeks, plus mailing time in each direction. Demand rises from late winter through summer, so applying between October and December tends to move faster.⁸

Expedited service costs $60 and can be added at any acceptance facility. It brings processing down to two to three weeks, with mailing time potentially adding up to two more weeks on top of that. Pairing expedite with the $22.05 delivery upgrade trims time on both ends.⁹

Urgent Travel Within 14 Days

If you have confirmed international travel within 14 calendar days, or need a foreign visa within 28 days, book an appointment at a Regional Passport Agency or Center. These are specialized federal offices in major cities that handle urgent cases by appointment only. You schedule through the State Department’s automated system or by calling the National Passport Information Center.¹⁰

Bring printed proof of your upcoming travel, such as a flight itinerary, cruise booking, or hotel reservation, along with the standard replacement documents. The $60 expedite fee applies on top of the application and execution fees. Passport agencies can typically produce a document within a few business days, though volume at each location affects the timing.

Life-or-Death Emergencies

A narrower fast track exists for international travel because an immediate family member abroad has died, is dying, or has a life-threatening illness or injury. The State Department defines immediate family as a parent, child, spouse, sibling, or grandparent. Aunts, uncles, and cousins do not qualify. Traveling abroad for your own medical treatment does not qualify either.¹¹

You need documentation of the emergency: a death certificate, a statement from a mortuary, or a hospital letter on official letterhead signed by a doctor explaining the condition. Documents not in English require a professional translation. You also need proof of travel to a foreign country within two weeks, such as an airline ticket. Verified cases can receive priority scheduling and, in some situations, same-day issuance.¹¹

If You Lost It Abroad

Overseas, the first step is the same: report the loss online through pptform.state.gov so the passport is canceled. Then contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. You must appear in person to apply for a replacement.²

Bring whatever identification you still have, whether that’s a driver’s license, an expired passport, or even a photocopy of the missing passport, along with proof of citizenship if available, a passport photo, your travel itinerary, and a completed Form DS-11. A police report is not required, but bring a copy if you filed one. Consular staff can often issue a full replacement. If there isn’t enough time before your departure, they may issue an emergency passport valid for up to one year.¹² Some countries may not accept a limited-validity emergency passport for entry, so check with consular staff before onward travel.

Most embassies and consulates cannot issue passports on weekends or holidays, though duty officers are reachable for genuine emergencies. In most cases, a replacement arrives the next business day.²

If you’re stranded and can’t afford the fees, the State Department offers repatriation loans to destitute citizens. These cover transportation home, temporary food and lodging, and related costs. They are loans, not grants, and must be repaid. An unpaid repatriation loan can block you from getting a full-validity passport until the debt is settled.¹³

Replacing a Child’s Passport

Replacement for a child under 16 mirrors the adult process with one major addition: both parents or legal guardians must consent, and ideally both appear in person with the child. This two-parent rule exists to prevent international parental abduction and is strictly enforced.¹⁴

If one parent cannot attend, that parent signs Form DS-3053 (Statement of Consent) before a notary public and includes a photocopy of their ID. The notarized form must be submitted within three months of signing. Electronic notarization is accepted where state law allows. A parent outside the United States may need to notarize the form at a U.S. embassy or consulate, because in some countries a local notary will not be accepted.¹⁴

You also need a document proving the parent-child relationship if it’s not already on the child’s U.S. birth certificate. Foreign birth certificates, adoption decrees, custody decrees, and court orders all qualify. If your name has changed since the document was issued, bring proof such as a marriage certificate.

After a Theft: Protect Your Identity

A stolen passport puts more than travel at risk. It carries your full name, date of birth, and photograph, which is enough for various forms of fraud. Beyond reporting the passport to the State Department, consider a fraud alert or credit freeze with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. A credit freeze is free, lasts until you lift it, and blocks new accounts from being opened in your name. You can also file at IdentityTheft.gov, the FTC’s centralized site, which generates a personalized recovery plan.

If the theft happened overseas, file a police report with local authorities even though it isn’t required for the replacement application. That report becomes useful documentation if fraudulent activity surfaces later. Once your new passport arrives, keep a photocopy or digital scan of the information page. If it happens again, having that copy makes the next replacement significantly simpler.

1
U.S. Department of State. Report Your Passport Lost or Stolen
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U.S. Department of State. Lost or Stolen Passport Abroad
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U.S. Department of State. Passport Forms
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eCFR. 22 CFR Part 51 Subpart C – Evidence of US Citizenship or Nationality
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U.S. Department of State. Passport Photos
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U.S. Department of State. Passport Fee Chart
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U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
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U.S. Department of State. Processing Times for U.S. Passports
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U.S. Department of State. How to Get My U.S. Passport Fast
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U.S. Department of State. Make an Appointment at a Passport Agency or Center
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U.S. Department of State. Get a Passport if You Have a Life-or-Death Emergency
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U.S. Department of State. How to Replace a Limited-Validity Passport
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U.S. Department of State Foreign Affairs Manual. 7 FAM 370 Repatriation Loans
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U.S. Department of State. Apply for a Child’s Passport Under 16