You will have to replace the passport before returning to the United States. Contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate for assistance. Contact information for U.S. embassies and consulates is also available in our country information pages. Ask to speak to the Consular Section to report your passport lost or stolen.
You will have to appear in person at the U.S. embassy or consulate to apply for a new passport. If you are scheduled to leave the foreign country soon, please provide consular staff with the details of your travel. We will make every effort to assist you quickly. If there is not enough time to get you a regular passport, the Consular Section may be able to give you a limited-validity emergency passport, which may be valid for up to one year.
If a loved one tells you their U.S. passport was lost or stolen overseas, you can call the Office of Overseas Citizens Services at 1-888-407-4747. They will be able to help you put your loved one in touch with the closest U.S. embassy or consulate.
Please bring with you to the embassy/consulate:
Even if you cannot present all of these documents, consular staff will do their best to help you. They will help you get a new passport quickly.
Police Report:
A police report is not mandatory but can help confirm the circumstances of the loss or theft. If you lose your U.S. passport, we recommend you tell local police. But you can skip the report if you are concerned about delaying your travel.
Passports last ten years for adults, five for minors. Need a quick fix for urgent travel? Get a limited-validity emergency passport, which is valid for up to one year. You can exchange it for a full-validity one after your trip. You may also receive a limited passport if you have lost multiple passports or borrowed money from the State Department to fund your trip home. A consular officer can provide additional information.
Replacement passports cost the same as any other passport. If you are unable to pay for a new passport, you can give the consular staff the names of people who might help. See our information about Financial Assistance to U.S. citizens Abroad and Sending Money Overseas to U.S. Citizen in an Emergency.
If you have been a victim of a serious crime or disaster and cannot afford a new passport, you may be eligible for a free limited-validity emergency passport. If you want a full-validity passport, the regular fee applies for replacements.
Most U.S. embassies and consulates cannot issue passports on weekends or holidays. All U.S. embassies and consulates have after-hours duty officers. They are available to assist with life-or-death emergencies of U.S. citizens abroad. Contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate after-hours duty officer for help. Do this if you have an emergency, need to travel, or have been the victim of a serious crime. In most cases, a replacement passport will be issued the next business day.
No. If you reported your passport lost or stolen, it is no longer valid for international travel. A foreign country may deny your entry if you try to use that passport. Or you might not be allowed to leave if you are already abroad. If you want to travel after reporting your passport lost or stolen, you need to apply for a new passport.
