Replace a Lost or Expired US Passport Before Booked Travel
Choose the correct routine, expedited, or urgent route, assemble acceptable documents, submit the application, and receive a usable passport before departure.
Free preview: 3 of 17 steps
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The first hour
Guide 4 of 4
Who it's for
US citizens who hold or recently held a US passport and have a booked, documented international trip that requires a valid passport before departure — including travelers whose passport is lost, stolen, damaged, expired, or too old to renew by ordinary channels.
About this playbook
This guide walks a US citizen through replacing a lost, stolen, or expired passport in time for a booked international trip. It starts by pinning down which of the three federal routes applies — routine mail-in, expedited mail-in, or an urgent in-person appointment at a passport agency — and which form the rules allow, DS-82 or DS-11. Then it covers assembling the application package step by step: the loss report, the photo, the form, the photocopies, and the fees. Submission follows through the door that matches the chosen route, and the closing phases track the application, inspect the delivered passport, and recover when the passport has not arrived before departure. The guide does not cover first-time passports for minors in depth, passport card-only decisions, or replacing passports for travel within the United States or its territories.
What you'll do, step by stepFree preview
Only a sample is open: 3 of 17 steps can be read in full. The rest unlock when you buy.
Phase 1: Choose the Route That Matches Your Deadline
3 stepsPhase 2: Assemble the Application Package
5 stepsPhase 3: Submit the Application
3 stepsPhase 4: Track the Application and Receive the Passport
3 stepsPhase 5: Recover When the Passport Has Not Arrived
3 steps
Details
What you need first
A specific departure date and proof of international travel (an itinerary, ticket, or reservation) if the urgent route may apply. A US Social Security number, a mailing address, and the ability to pay by check or money order for mail-in or by debit/credit card in person. For lost passports, the passport number or approximate issue date speeds things up but is not required.
