Passport Lost…Let’s Go

Hello,
You lost your passport? While on vacation? Outside the United States? Yikes!!! My biggest fear when traveling is that I will lose my passport and can’t prove my identity and be thrown in a foreign jail. Yes, I watch too many movies, but it could happen. Is this you too? You’ve invested upwards of $150 to obtain your passport so you do want to have it for the full 10 years allotted. No worries at all because September is Passport Awareness month and I’m going to share with you tips on safeguarding your passport and replacing it if stolen while traveling outside the U.S.

Safeguard Your Passport

1 – Don’t carry your passport around with you unless absolutely necessary.
2 – Be sure to have a copy at home or with a loved one.
3 – Use the safe in your room to house your passport.

Replacing Your Passport

1 – Don’t delay reporting your passport lost, report it right away because you can not come back home without it!
2 – Find the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate for assistance.
3 – Share your travel plans with the consular staff so they know how soon you need a replacement passport.
4 – You need a new photo and the consular staff will tell you where to get it before you actually visit the consular section.
5 – The consular staff will ask for one or more of the following documents:
A Passport Photo
Identification
Evidence of U.S. citizenship (birth certificate, photocopy of your missing passport)
Travel Itinerary (airline/train tickets)
Police Report, if available
DS-11 Application for Passport (may be completed at time of application)
DS-64 Statement Regarding a Lost or Stolen Passport (may be completed at time of application)
6 – Expect to pay the usual fees for passport replacement, the replacement passport is generally good for 10 years.

And if you don’t have a passport, find out more here.

Have any Fall travel plans? Do tell!

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