If your passport is stolen, report it to the U.S. State Department right away so the document is canceled in federal and international databases, then apply in person for a replacement using Form DS-11. The report shuts down the stolen book so no one can use it to travel or prove identity in your name. The replacement application is a separate step; reporting alone does not produce a new passport.
Report the Theft to the State Department First
Cancellation is the priority. Once your passport is reported stolen, it is flagged in the Consular Lost and Stolen Passport database that border agencies use worldwide, and it cannot be used again even if you find it later. There are three ways to file the report:
- Online through the State Department’s Online Form Filler at pptform.state.gov. This is the fastest option. Cancellation happens within one business day and you get a confirmation email.
- By mail using Form DS-64 (Statement Regarding a Lost or Stolen Passport). Print it, sign it, and mail it to the address on the form. Include a photocopy of the front and back of your photo ID if you are not also applying for a replacement at the same time.
- In person, by providing the theft details on Form DS-11 when you apply for a replacement at a passport acceptance facility. This route can leave the old passport uncanceled for several weeks, so the State Department recommends filing online in addition.
Two things to keep in mind. First, cancellation is permanent. If the stolen passport later turns up in a coat pocket or a hotel drawer, it is still dead for travel. Second, there is no point in reporting an expired passport as stolen; it is already invalid.
1U.S. Department of State. Report Your Passport Lost or StolenFile a Police Report
Local police reports are not required by the State Department, but filing one is worth the time. If someone uses your passport to open credit accounts, cross a border, or commit fraud in your name, a police report with a date and case number is strong evidence you lost control of the document when you say you did. Creditors and investigators lean on that kind of contemporaneous record.
Give the officer whatever you know: when and where the theft happened, the passport number if you have it, and the circumstances. Keep the case number. If you end up applying for the replacement in person, State Department instructions say to bring a copy of the police report to your appointment.
1U.S. Department of State. Report Your Passport Lost or StolenApply for a Replacement in Person
You cannot replace a stolen passport online or by mail. The application has to be made in person at a passport acceptance facility, which is usually a post office, public library, or county clerk’s office. Use Form DS-11, the same form used for first-time applicants.
2USAGov. Apply for a New Adult PassportBring the following to your appointment:
- Proof of U.S. citizenship: a certified birth certificate, naturalization certificate, or a prior passport if you happen to have one. Bring the original plus a photocopy.
- A government-issued photo ID such as a current driver’s license or state ID. Original and one photocopy.
- One passport photo, two inches by two inches, in color, taken within the last six months against a plain white background.
- What you know about the stolen passport: number, date of issuance, and how the theft happened. Old airline bookings or digital scans can help you recover the number. If you already reported the theft using the online filler or DS-64, bring that confirmation.
Fill out DS-11 in advance but do not sign it. The signature has to happen in front of the acceptance agent, and a pre-signed form will be rejected.
3U.S. Department of State. Application for a U.S. PassportFees and Processing Times
A replacement adult passport book costs $165 total: a $130 application fee to the State Department and a $35 acceptance fee to the facility. Most facilities take personal checks or money orders; some take credit cards for the acceptance fee, but this varies.
4U.S. Department of State. United States Passport Fees for Acceptance FacilitiesStandard processing runs four to six weeks. Expedited processing takes two to three weeks and costs an extra $60 on top of the application fee.
5U.S. Department of State. Processing Times for U.S. PassportsIf You Have Travel Booked in the Next Two Weeks
Neither routine nor expedited processing will save a trip that leaves in a few days. Two faster tracks exist.
Regional Passport Agencies
The State Department runs passport agencies and centers in major cities that serve customers by appointment only. You qualify if you have international travel within 14 calendar days, or need a foreign visa within 28 calendar days. Call 1-877-487-2778 to schedule. Bring everything you would for a normal application, plus proof of your travel such as a flight itinerary or hotel reservation.
6U.S. Department of State. Make an Appointment at a Passport Agency or CenterLife-or-Death Emergencies
A separate track exists for genuine family emergencies. You must be traveling abroad within two weeks because an immediate family member has died, is dying, or has a life-threatening illness or injury. The State Department defines immediate family narrowly: parent, legal guardian, child, spouse, sibling, or grandparent. Aunts, uncles, and cousins do not qualify.
7U.S. Department of State. Get a Passport if you Have a Life-or-Death EmergencyIf Your Passport Was Stolen Abroad
Contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate as soon as you can. You will complete both DS-64 to cancel the stolen passport and DS-11 to apply for a new one, and you will need proof of citizenship, a photo, and any identification you still have.
8U.S. Embassy France. Report a Lost or Stolen PassportStandard processing at an embassy takes four to six weeks, the same as at home. If you need to get back to the United States before then, the embassy can issue a limited-validity emergency passport for the trip home, which you later exchange for a full-validity book.
9U.S. Department of State. How to Replace a Limited-Validity PassportIf the Stolen Passport Belongs to a Child Under 16
Children’s passports carry stricter consent rules. Both parents or legal guardians must appear in person with the child, and both must bring valid photo ID. The application fee for a child’s passport book is $100, plus the $35 acceptance fee, for a total of $135.
10U.S. Department of State. Passport FeesIf one parent cannot make the appointment, that parent completes and notarizes Form DS-3053, a Statement of Consent. The notarized consent expires 90 days after the signature, so do not have it signed too far ahead. Include a photocopy of the absent parent’s ID, front and back.
11U.S. Department of State. Apply for a Child’s Passport Under 16Protect Yourself Against Identity Theft
Your passport carries your full legal name, date of birth, photo, and passport number. That is enough raw material for serious identity fraud, so treat the theft as an identity incident and not just a travel problem.
Place a Fraud Alert
Call any one of the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion) and request an initial fraud alert. You only need to contact one; that bureau notifies the other two. The alert is free, lasts one year, and requires creditors to take extra steps to verify your identity before opening new accounts. If you have filed a police report or an FTC identity theft report, you can request an extended fraud alert good for seven years.
12Federal Trade Commission. Credit Freezes and Fraud AlertsConsider a Credit Freeze
A credit freeze goes further, blocking new creditors from pulling your report at all. It is free, but you have to place it separately at each of the three bureaus. Online or phone requests take effect within one business day, and you can lift the freeze within an hour when you need to apply for legitimate credit.
13USAGov. How to Place or Lift a Security Freeze on Your Credit ReportGet an IRS Identity Protection PIN
Tax refund fraud is a common use of stolen identity information. An IRS Identity Protection PIN is a six-digit number, refreshed each year, that must appear on your federal return; without it, a fraudulent return filed under your Social Security number gets rejected. Anyone with a Social Security number or ITIN can enroll through their IRS Online Account. If you cannot verify online and your adjusted gross income is under $84,000 ($168,000 for married filing jointly), you can apply by filing Form 15227.
14Internal Revenue Service. Frequently Asked Questions About the Identity Protection Personal Identification Number (IP PIN)File an Identity Theft Report With the FTC
Reporting the theft at IdentityTheft.gov produces a formal FTC identity theft report and a personalized recovery plan. That report carries legal weight and can be used to dispute fraudulent accounts, extend fraud alerts, and support police investigations. It takes about 15 minutes online, or you can call 1-877-438-4338.
15USAGov. Identity Theft