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Learn How to Deal With Lost Or Stolen Passports

When you lose your passport, or if it is stolen from you, you need to act quickly. Also, you need to know what you have to do next. There are crucial steps you need to take, especially considering that your passport contains your personal information. And you should know that identity thieves thrive on stealing other people's personal information. So let us show you what to do, and how to do it quickly.

Once you realize you have lost your passport, give the US Department of State a call immediately. Alternatively, you could also send them a form that reports the loss of your passport. Calling their office is fast and convenient. However, you might not be able to contact them especially during weekends and federal holidays. So what you need to do then is to send your report by mail.
To send a report of a lost passport by mail, you will have to fill in Form DS-64. This form will contain your statement regarding the loss of your passport. And as such, you will have to make sure you have covered everything about your report, as well as the important details that will shed more light into your loss.

You will then have to submit your completed DS-64 once you fill it in completely. You can either send it through the mail or submit it to the passport office in person. You will have to present it in person if you are also submitting your form to apply for a new passport.

The Form DS-11 is what you'll need to fill in if you are to apply for a new passport. You should download this form from the US Department of State's website, an option that means you no longer need to visit the passport office to obtain a copy. You have the choice of either typing the data first on your computer then printing it out, or printing it out first then filling in the information by hand.
Your passport is invalidated once you report you have lost it or it was stolen from you. The Department of State does this in order to prevent cases of identity theft. Once again, your passport contains your full name, birth date, address, and other relevant information that criminals could use to perpetrate a crime. Also, keep in mind that once your passport is invalidated, you could no longer request its revalidation. Thus, you will have to apply for a new passport.

In case your passport is stolen in a foreign country, the need to act quickly becomes more and more important. That is why you need to report that loss as soon as possible to the US Consulate or Embassy nearest you. They will then assist you on getting a replacement passport.

When dealing with a lost or stolen passport, what's important is that you should report it to the American passport agency immediately. The sooner it is invalidated, the fewer chances it can be used by criminals for identity theft. So act quickly and stop potential problems in their tracks.

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