If you lose your passport abroad, you need to get a new one before returning to the United States.
Contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate for help. You can find contact info for U.S. embassies and consulates on our country information pages.
Ask to speak to the Consular Section to report your passport lost or stolen.
After you report your passport lost or stolen, it is no longer valid for international travel.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 they might not allow you 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.
Police Report
A police report is not mandatory but can help confirm the circumstances of the loss or theft.
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 give the consular staff the details of your travel. We will make every effort to assist you quickly.
If there isn’t enough time for a regular passport, the Consular Section can offer you an emergency passport. This passport may be valid for up to one year.
If a loved one loses their U.S. passport abroad, 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 or consulate:
Even if you cannot present all these documents, consular staff will do their best to help you. They will help you get a new passport in a timely manner.
Validity of replaced passports
Full-validity passports last 10 years for adults and 5 for minors under 16 years old.
Need a quick fix for urgent travel? You can get a limited-validity emergency passport, which is valid for up to 1 year. You can exchange it for a full-validity passport after your trip. You might also get a limited passport if you lost several passports or borrowed money from the State Department for your trip home. A consular officer can provide more information.
Replacement fees for lost or stolen passports abroad
Replacement passports generally 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.
Review our information about Financial Assistance to U.S. citizens Abroad and Sending Money Overseas to U.S. Citizen in an Emergency.
If you’re a victim of a serious crime or disaster and can’t pay for a new passport, you might qualify for a free emergency passport with limited validity. If you want a full-validity passport, the regular fee applies for replacements.
Replacement passport requests: Weekends or Holidays
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.
