U.S. Passport Holders Must Apply in Person to Replace Passports Reported Lost or Stolen

U.S. passport holders replacing a passport they reported missing must apply in person for a new document, not use routine passport renewal. The U.S. Department of State directs applicants to use Form DS-11 for the replacement.

The procedure applies to the specific passport being replaced. If it later turns up, it cannot be used for travel, and applicants in the United States must file at an authorized acceptance facility. Applicants abroad should contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.

The rule concerns the reported document. A holder who needs a replacement must submit a new application.

The passport being replaced cannot use the routine renewal route

The department’s adult application instructions direct holders whose passport was reported missing or taken to apply in person. The mail and online renewal routes are not options for replacing that document. The instructions cover passport books and cards.

The guidance predates 2026. A DS-82 instruction sheet dated December 2010 already directed applicants with a reported passport to use DS-11. The current adult passport instructions also list a reported passport among the reasons an adult may not qualify for renewal.

That restriction applies to the document being replaced. It does not itself provide a replacement passport.

A passport that turns up remains invalid for travel

The State Department says a holder who finds the reported book or card must notify the department and send it in for cancellation. The document has already been invalidated.

“It has been invalidated. You cannot use that passport book or card for travel.”

The department also cautions: “Reporting your passport lost or stolen does not replace it.” A separate application is necessary to obtain a new travel document.

Holders can report a missing passport through three routes

A valid passport that goes missing can be reported in three ways. The reporting step and the replacement application are separate.

1. Online: Use the State Department’s Form Filler tool. The department says it cancels the document within one business day and sends an email confirmation.
2. By mail: Submit Form DS-64 with a photocopy of both sides of a photo ID. Cancellation can take several weeks.
3. With a replacement application: Complete DS-11 and explain what happened. Cancellation can also take several weeks through this route.

Applicants who cannot present a valid or potentially valid passport with a new application must submit both DS-11 and DS-64. The department may pause an application if the applicant leaves out relevant details, then request the lost-passport statement.

Replacement applicants must file in person and bring supporting documents

In the United States, applicants submit the application at an authorized passport acceptance facility. Complete and print the form, but do not sign it until the acceptance agent asks. The State Department’s instructions say applicants should describe where and when the passport went missing.

Bring the required documents:

• Physical evidence of U.S. citizenship, such as a birth certificate or naturalization certificate, and a photocopy of that evidence.
• A valid photo ID and a photocopy of its front and back. Bring a second photo ID if the first is from a different state than the state where you apply.
• One passport photo that meets the department’s requirements.
• A copy of any police report filed about the missing passport.

The application has two charges: a passport application fee paid to the Department of State and an acceptance fee paid to the facility. Expedited processing adds $60 to the application fee. Facilities may also charge for faster Priority Mail Express shipping; the price varies by area.

Routine processing takes 4-6 weeks; expedited processing takes 2-3 weeks. Those estimates exclude mailing. The application may take up to 2 weeks to reach the department, and delivery can take another 2 weeks after processing finishes.

Applicants traveling internationally can make an appointment at a passport agency or center once they are within 14 days of travel. People applying outside the United States should contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate for instructions. The U.S. Embassy in Korea requires applicants there to appear in person for a replacement.