What should I do if I lose my passport while traveling?

A lost or stolen passport is stressful, but the steps to recover are well-defined. The State Department has a dedicated process for replacing a passport abroad, and the sooner you start, the faster you usually get back on the road. The same playbook applies whether the passport is gone from a hotel safe, a backpack, or a pickpocket incident.

Step one is to report it immediately. If you are abroad, the State Department advises U.S. citizens to go in person to the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate as soon as possible. Take any ID you still have, including a copy of the missing passport, a driver’s license, copies of your travel itinerary, and any other identity documents that prove who you are. The embassy will help you apply for a replacement passport, or if you need to fly home urgently, they can issue a limited-validity emergency passport, usually valid for up to one year, that gets you back to the United States.

If the loss is theft, file a local police report before going to the embassy. Most consulates require it for a replacement, and the report also helps if you need to claim travel insurance or alert your credit card company to fraudulent charges. Keep a copy of the report for yourself. The State Department also recommends filling out Form DS-64, the Statement Regarding a Lost or Stolen U.S. Passport, which invalidates the missing passport in the U.S. database so it cannot be used by anyone else.

If you are back in the U.S. when you notice the passport is gone, you cannot just walk into a post office and replace it. The State Department treats a lost passport as needing an in-person application with proof of citizenship, a new photo, and a Form DS-11. Processing takes 6 to 8 weeks for routine service, and there is an expedited option for an additional fee that brings it down to about 2 to 3 weeks. If you have immediate travel, an in-person appointment at a regional passport agency can sometimes issue a passport within 24 to 72 hours, but appointments are scarce and need proof of travel.

The best move is to lower the risk before you travel. Make a paper photocopy of the photo page and keep it separate from the passport. Take a photo of the passport page on your phone, and email it to yourself or save it to a cloud drive you can reach from any device. Store the passport in a hotel safe when one is available, and carry it on your body rather than in a backpack when going through crowded areas. Many experienced travelers also bring a second photo ID, like a driver’s license or a state ID, so they can still clear domestic security if the passport is temporarily misplaced.

If you realize the passport is missing while still in transit, alert the airline or airport police immediately. If you make it home before noticing, file the DS-64 online at the State Department and start the DS-11 application.

The State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, or STEP, is also worth using before international trips. It is a free service that lets the embassy contact you in an emergency, including for lost documents. It does not prevent loss, but it speeds up the verification step at the embassy because your trip is already in the system. Smart travelers also keep a backup credit card with no foreign transaction fees, and a small amount of local currency, so they can stay in a hotel or pay for a consular visit while waiting for documents. For related travel problem-solving, see the delayed luggage guide and the missed connection guide.