Travel guides / When things go wrong

Lost or stolen passport abroad: what to do

Losing your passport abroad is stressful, but embassies handle it every day. Report it quickly, gather a few documents and contact your country's embassy or consulate.

1. Make sure it is really gone

Check your bags, the hotel safe and the last places you used it. If it was stolen, report it to the local police; a police report is often useful for insurance and for the embassy, even when it is not required.

2. Contact your embassy or consulate

Find the nearest embassy or consulate of your country and look for its passport services page. It will tell you whether you need an appointment and what to bring.

US citizens

• Report the loss with Form DS-64 (statement regarding a lost or stolen passport).
• Apply for a new passport with Form DS-11. Fill it in but do not sign it until the consular officer asks you to.
• Bring a passport photo, proof of identity (such as a driver's license), proof of US citizenship if you have it (a copy of your lost passport helps), your travel itinerary and a police report if you filed one.
• If you must travel soon, the embassy may issue a limited-validity emergency passport, valid for no more than a year, which you later replace with a full passport.

Indian and Bangladeshi citizens

Contact the nearest Indian or Bangladeshi high commission, embassy or consulate. They can issue a replacement passport or an emergency travel document to get you home. Requirements differ by mission, so follow its website; a police report, photos and a copy of your old passport usually help.

Before every trip

• Keep a photo of your passport's photo page and your visa on your phone and in your email.
• Carry a printed copy separately from the passport.
• US citizens can enroll in the free Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) so the embassy can reach them in an emergency.

Handy tools

• Find your embassy
• Emergency numbers

Keep reading

• Flight delayed or cancelled: your rights and refunds
• Lost, delayed or damaged baggage: what to do
• REAL ID: do you need one to fly in the US?

Sources

• U.S. State Department: Lost or stolen passports abroad
• U.S. State Department: Smart Traveler Enrollment Program
• Indian passport services abroad (Passport Seva)

Rules, fees and processing times change. Check the official sources above before you travel. Last checked October 2026.