How Do You Replace a Lost or Stolen Passport Abroad?

The abroad rule in one table

| First act | Report the passport lost or stolen immediately, to protect against identity theft. The online form filler cancels within 1 business day, plus a confirmation email | | Where | Apply in person at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate | | If time is short | The consular section can offer an emergency passport valid for up to 1 year, exchanged for a full-validity passport after the trip | | Bring | One passport photo, identification, proof of U.S. citizenship, a travel itinerary, and Form DS-11 with the loss detail | | Validity, full | 10 years for adults, 5 years for children under 16 | | Validity, emergency | Up to 1 year | | Fees | Replacement passports generally cost the same as any other passport. Dollar figures come from the domestic fee schedule | | Timing | In most cases a replacement passport is issued the next business day. Most embassies and consulates cannot issue passports on weekends or holidays |

What makes abroad different

Abroad, the embassy or consulate is the whole track. There is no mail renewal and no acceptance facility. The applicant appears in person, and consular staff work with whatever documents are at hand: even without all documents, consular staff will do their best to help quickly. A police report is not mandatory, but it can help confirm the circumstances of the loss or theft.

The second difference is the emergency passport. When there is not enough time to receive a regular passport, the consular section can offer an emergency passport valid for up to 1 year, which can be exchanged for a full-validity passport after the trip. Some foreign destinations may not accept a limited-validity passport, so check the destination's entry and exit requirements before traveling on one. A limited passport can also result from losing several passports or borrowing money from the State Department for the trip home.

The process, step by step

1. Report the lost or stolen passport immediately with the online form filler. After reporting, the passport is not valid for international travel. The next foreign destination may deny entry, or may not allow departure if already abroad.
2. Contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Appear in person, and if scheduled to travel soon, give consular staff the trip details.
3. Bring one passport photo, 2 by 2 inches or 5 by 5 centimeters, obtained in advance to speed up the process; identification such as a driver's license or expired passport; proof of U.S. citizenship like a birth certificate or a photocopy of the missing passport; and a travel itinerary from airline or train tickets.
4. Complete Form DS-11 with detailed information about where and when the most recent passport was lost or stolen, a copy of the police report if one was filed, and an extra sheet if more space is needed. Incomplete loss detail can pause the application and trigger a DS-64 request.
5. If the trip is too soon for a regular passport, ask about the emergency passport, valid up to 1 year. Exchange it for a full-validity passport after the trip.
6. If unable to pay, ask about emergency financial assistance for U.S. citizens abroad. If unable to show proof of citizenship, a free file search may help get an emergency passport. A victim of a serious crime or disaster who cannot pay may qualify for a free limited-validity emergency passport, while a full-validity replacement still carries the regular fee.

After-hours duty officers cover life-or-death emergencies at every embassy and consulate, even when the consular section cannot issue passports on weekends or holidays.

Related passport guides

A lost or stolen passport at home follows the domestic report-then-replace track. A limited-validity passport is replaced under the change or correct track once home. Living abroad long-term follows the living-abroad track. For every passport track side by side, see the U.S. Passport Guides by Situation directory.

Source

The report rule, the in-person consulate track, the emergency passport, and the fee and timing statements on this page come from the U.S. Department of State: the Lost or Stolen Passport Abroad page and the Replace a Limited-Validity Passport page. Dollar figures come from the State Passport Fees page as verified for the first-time track. Facts verified 2026-10-27.

This page explains how the process works and what the official rules say. It is general information, not legal advice. For a dispute about your specific situation, talk to a lawyer or your government agency.