If Your Passport Was Lost or Stolen, Do This
The good news about losing your passport is that there are worse things that you can lose — for example your social security card, or a credit card, which have more immediate potential consequences on your identity.
The State Department states that “the U.S. passport book and passport card are highly secure documents with numerous security features designed to prevent successful counterfeiting.”
Once you report a U.S. passport stolen or lost, it immediately becomes invalid for travel, making it harder for criminals to steal your identity or travel under your name.
In fact, the department adds that they recommend not reporting your passport as stolen or lost if only the passport numbers were compromised. Instead, they suggest only reporting it stolen or lost if the physical passport book is missing.
The best way to protect yourself against possible identity theft with a lost or stolen passport is to report it immediately through the State Department. You can report your passport lost or stolen through the three options below provided by the State Department.
Online
You can use the State Department’s online form filler in order to fill out forms DS-64 and DS-11. DS-64 is a form you’ll need to report the status of your passport, and DS-11 is a form that will allow you to apply for a new passport.
By Phone
If you only want to report your passport lost or stolen, and do not want to replace it, you can call the Department toll-free at 1-877-487-2778 (TTY 1-888-874-7793).
Complete, sign, and mail Form DS-64 to the address on the form.
If you want to replace your passport/ apply for a new one you will still need to fill out Form DS-64 and mail it in.
Important to know: Once you have reported your passport lost or stolen, the passport is no longer valid and cannot be used for travel. Should you find your lost or stolen passport on your own, and try to use it for travel once it has already been reported, you may have issues traveling abroad.
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