A Few Different Passport Replacement Methods
People may need to replace a passport
for a variety of reasons. The most common reasons people need to
replace a passport are that the passport has been lost, it has been
stolen, damaged, or the passport has expired. The method of passport
replacement is unique to the specific reason for passport replacement.
A lost or stolen passport can be a disaster, especially if it is
lost or stolen outside of the country. For domestic passport
replacement of a lost or stolen passport, the applicant first needs to
contact the State Department to inform them about the missing passport.
This can be accomplished by calling the relevant number listed on the
State Department website.
Once the passport has been officially reported missing, the
applicant must fill out an official missing passport form, in person,
at an application center. A new passport application must be filled in
addition to this form. Once these two documents have been sent out for
processing the applicant can expect their replacement passport in four
to six weeks.
If a passport is lost abroad it is a different situation. In order
to get a new passport overseas the applicant must report the passport
missing at an embassy or consulate office. Staff members at the embassy
will be able to guide a citizen through the necessary steps to get a
new passport.
Damaged passports and expired passports require similar protocol.
An expired passport is any passport that is over ten years old, as
passports are only valid for ten years. The expiration date should be
visible on the bottom portion of a passport’s photo page.
To replace an expired passport simply fill out the relevant
passport renewal paperwork and mail the paperwork, old passport, and
copies of relevant identification to the passport-processing agency.
The State Department recommends that all packages be sent by a
traceable delivery service in a sturdy weatherproof envelope.
Applicants must follow a similar process to replace a damaged
passport. They must fill out a damaged passport replacement form and
then mail the damaged passport, copies of ID’s, and the replacement
form to the passport-processing agency.
The U.S. government requires
that all damaged and expired passports be returned. This is necessary
to prevent counterfeit passports. It is possible to have the stamp book
portion of old passports returned after the sensitive information has
been removed.
In most situations where a passport is damaged abroad, it is not
necessary to replace it. As long as the passport number is still
visible it should be valid. However, passport trouble abroad due to
passport damage can be taken care of at a U.S. embassy.
There are several different methods
for passport replacement, and each method is specific to the reasons
behind the replacement, and the location of the replacement. Because
passports expire, everyone that travels will need to replace their
passport several times in their lifetime. It is always good to plan
ahead and get a new passport well before any upcoming international
travel plans.
- Article Word Count: 394
- |
- Total Views: 14
- |
- permalink