The Process For Reporting And Replacing A Lost Passport

Losing a passport is a very serious matter. A passport is a document that verifies a persons identity and acts as a travel pass. It allows people to enter countries and then re-enter their own country. Without this document international travel is not permitted. When someone has a lost passport it is very important to report it as lost and hurry the process to replace it.

Recovered Documents

Lost passports should be returned to the Department of State immediately upon recovery so that they can be destroyed. Fortunately for people whose lose this document prior to travelling, there are services that are provided to help them get replacement in a short time-within 24 hours. This is referred to as emergency passport services meant to process emergency passports.

Replacement

In the replacement process, the first thing is to visit the Department of State offices or their website. This is where you get started with the information about the replacement and all the paperwork required. Expedited passports take up to four weeks while the regular ones take about 8 weeks.

Expediting

However, for people in need of the document urgently, services are available to help them get the document within a shorter period than mentioned above. Contacting a private service provider is the best way in which one can approach this. The provider will help you get the document in 1-2 business days.

Paperwork

The paperwork that is involved is essentially the same but with an exception of 1-2 forms that might be required by the private company for indemnification purposes. An additional fee is charged over the government charges but the small charge required is nothing compared to the service you are getting.

Documentation

All the identification documents required for the replacement are clearly stated in the provider's website. You should ensure that all the required documents are available. The lost American passport application form for the passport is also on these sites and should be completed as required.

Acceptable Forms

Among the identification documents that will be required is the birth certificate, which proves that one is a US citizen. Other details that will be required are the actual age of the applicant, birthplace and the social security number. Remember that the birth certificate provided should be original and in cases where certified copies are used, they should have the entity's official seal or else they will be rejected.

Assistance In A Foreign Land

In cases where the document gets lost during a trip, you will be required to show the plane ticket or travel itinerary. Two color photographs are also required and they should meet the required specifications failure to which they are rejected. You can ensure that you have the required size by having them taken by a professional photographer.

A lost United States passport is a hassle to deal with; however, it is a situation that is easily rectified. By staying calm and filling out the necessary new pages for pass port papers, a lost or damaged passport can easily be replaced.