A stolen passport can feel like an invasion of privacy. A
passport contains a wealth of personal information and losing it can
feel like the loss of identity. Not to mention that without a passport
no travel abroad may take place until it has been replaced. Someone who
has his or her passport stolen while on vacation faces the added worry
of wondering if re-entrance into the home country will be permitted.
This situation could end up costing the traveler much more money and
time than was ever intended when departing on vacation.
Stolen passports may be reported to the federal government via telephone and the passport holder will need to complete a form stating how and when the passport was stolen. In order to replace the passport, the individual will need to complete an application for a new passport book. The processing time for these applications can take up to eight weeks. In many situations, this is not feasible, so the alternative of using an independent service to get a new passport within one to two business days will be the best option.
These online services have a wealth of information and forms posted on their Web sites. They will require that the applicant complete the government forms for passport application and stolen passport reporting. The companies usually require an applicant to complete an order form and possibly a confidentiality form. Each of the forms may be downloaded and printed wherever the traveler may be.
The applicant will need to provide documentation proving identification and citizenship. These include a birth certificate and driver's license. If the traveler does not have the birth certificate on hand, it will need to be sent to them via an overnight courier. If the identifying document is not readily available, several forms of secondary identification will be acceptable. All acceptable documents are clearly listed on the government and processing service Web sites.
The person will also need to provide two new passport photos. These photos must adhere to certain guidelines in order to be used in a passport, so if traveling it may be best to have a passport photographer take the photos. These photographers know exactly what to do and locating one can be done via Internet or phone book search.
The applicant should then contact the processing company to find out the best method to get the documentation, photos, and application to the company based on where the applicant is located. FedEx and UPS have offices worldwide, so they are usually a safe option. These carriers also provide package tracking which is a must in a situation such as this.
These private companies charge additional fees for processing passport applications but it is a small price to pay in order to get back home. The fees range from approximately $150 for three-day processing to $300 for next-day processing. These charges are in addition to the government fees for passport processing. Several forms of payment are accepted, so the traveler should not have a problem making payment as long as the funds are available.
Stolen passports may be reported to the federal government via telephone and the passport holder will need to complete a form stating how and when the passport was stolen. In order to replace the passport, the individual will need to complete an application for a new passport book. The processing time for these applications can take up to eight weeks. In many situations, this is not feasible, so the alternative of using an independent service to get a new passport within one to two business days will be the best option.
These online services have a wealth of information and forms posted on their Web sites. They will require that the applicant complete the government forms for passport application and stolen passport reporting. The companies usually require an applicant to complete an order form and possibly a confidentiality form. Each of the forms may be downloaded and printed wherever the traveler may be.
The applicant will need to provide documentation proving identification and citizenship. These include a birth certificate and driver's license. If the traveler does not have the birth certificate on hand, it will need to be sent to them via an overnight courier. If the identifying document is not readily available, several forms of secondary identification will be acceptable. All acceptable documents are clearly listed on the government and processing service Web sites.
The person will also need to provide two new passport photos. These photos must adhere to certain guidelines in order to be used in a passport, so if traveling it may be best to have a passport photographer take the photos. These photographers know exactly what to do and locating one can be done via Internet or phone book search.
The applicant should then contact the processing company to find out the best method to get the documentation, photos, and application to the company based on where the applicant is located. FedEx and UPS have offices worldwide, so they are usually a safe option. These carriers also provide package tracking which is a must in a situation such as this.
These private companies charge additional fees for processing passport applications but it is a small price to pay in order to get back home. The fees range from approximately $150 for three-day processing to $300 for next-day processing. These charges are in addition to the government fees for passport processing. Several forms of payment are accepted, so the traveler should not have a problem making payment as long as the funds are available.
A stolen passport
does not need to be the cause for a ruined vacation because there are
service providers who can assist with passport replacement. The traveler
can rest assured that the stolen passport will be canceled. The new United States passport
will be in the traveler's hands within the next day, if desired, and
the trip may resume as if this whole nasty situation never occurred.
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