What to Do If You Lose Your Passport Before Travel

If you’ve lost your passport before international travel, or it’s been stolen or damaged, here’s what surprises most people: a replacement passport is treated as a brand new application. There’s no shortcut form. You start over, and an in-person appearance at a Passport Acceptance Facility is a required step, not optional.

Here’s exactly how it works through the Sameday Passport & Visa Los Angeles office.

First, What Kind of Case Is Yours

• Lost or stolen: A DS-64 form reports the passport so it can’t be used by anyone else.
• Damaged: Bring the damaged passport itself, plus a signed statement explaining how it was damaged.
• Have a passport card but lost the book? Bring the card in with you.

One thing worth checking first: if your old passport is still valid and just needs updating, a renewal is faster and cheaper than a replacement. Only go this route if the book is actually gone or unusable.

The Process, Step by Step

1. Fill out the DS-11, but don’t sign it yet. You’ll also need the DS-64, which Sameday Passport & Visa files together with your DS-11 as part of their service.

2. Bring proof of citizenship and ID. One of the following: a certified U.S. birth certificate, a previous undamaged U.S. passport issued in the last 15 years, a Certificate of Naturalization, or a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, plus a valid photo ID like a driver’s license or military ID.

3. Bring your flight itinerary, if you have one. If you don’t have one yet, that’s fine too.

4. Get your passport photo taken. Sameday Passport & Visa takes 2″x2″ white-background photos on-site, ready in minutes.

5. Have your Social Security number ready. It’s required as part of the application.

6. Changed your name recently? Bring a certified marriage certificate or court decree.

7. Applying by mail instead? You’ll need two Letters of Authorization plus a Service Order Form sent along with your documents.

The In-Person Step You Can’t Skip

Because a replacement is a new application, you have to physically appear at a Passport Acceptance Facility with your documents. There, you’ll pay a $170 government fee (personal check, cashier’s check, or money order made out to “US Department of State”) and a separate $25 execution fee (debit card or cash). Everything, including your check and original documents, gets sealed into a package and handed back to you.

That sealed package then needs to be dropped off at the Sameday Passport & Visa office to actually start the replacement process.

How Fast Can It Move

Once your file is in, Sameday Passport & Visa offers four speeds:

• 4 to 7 business days — $399, fastest
• 10 to 14 days — $299
• 21 days — $249
• 4 to 6 weeks — $199

Walk-ins are welcome Monday to Saturday, 8 AM to 2 PM, no appointment needed. Arrive by 2 PM and your application is filed that same day.

What It Actually Costs, Total

Your total comes from three pieces:

1. Government fee — $213.36 (includes the $35 execution fee for a lost/stolen replacement)
2. Sameday Passport & Visa service fee — $199 to $399, depending on speed
3. Optional FedEx return shipping — starting at $48

Real Questions People Actually Ask

Can I get it same-day? No, and it’s worth knowing why: as of 2021, federal rule changes ended true same-day passport issuance nationwide, for every business. What Sameday Passport & Visa can do is file your application the same day you walk in (if you arrive by 2 PM), and get you the fastest legally available turnaround: 4 to 7 business days.

Do I need an appointment? No. Just walk into the Los Angeles office at 11022 Santa Monica Blvd, Suite 100, Monday through Saturday, 8 AM to 2 PM.

What if my passport was damaged, not lost or stolen? Bring the damaged passport with you, along with a signed statement explaining what happened.

I don’t have my Social Security card on me. Do I need it? No, you just need to know the number for the application.

Before Your Trip

Losing your passport before international travel is stressful, but the process is well-defined if you know what’s coming: gather your documents, appear in person to get your sealed package, drop it at Sameday Passport & Visa’s Los Angeles office by 2 PM, and choose the turnaround speed that matches your travel date.

For the full document checklist and current fee breakdown, visit Sameday Passport & Visa’s Los Angeles lost passport page.