Article Highlights

  • Nearly 400,000 U.S., Canadian and U.K. passports are lost or stolen each year.
  • Replacement costs range from more than a hundred dollars to nearly three hundred dollars.
  • Report the loss immediately to local authorities and your country’s embassy or consulate. A lost passport can disrupt your trip, so quick action is crucial for continuing your travels or returning home.
  • Beware of scams and fake websites offering passport services—only use official government channels.
  • Services like Global Rescue can expedite the process of obtaining a lost passport replacement.
  • Prepare documentation and have photocopies of your passport and other essential documents to speed up replacement.

 

Hundreds of Thousands of Passports Lost Annually

Losing your passport while traveling abroad can be a nightmare for any tourist. Whether it’s a case of theft, a misplaced passport, or even a moment of forgetfulness, being without your most critical travel document can bring your trip to an abrupt and stressful halt.

Tourists frequently lose or report passports stolen, but exact statistics can vary depending on the country. On average, hundreds of thousands of passports are reported lost or stolen annually by U.S., Canadian, and U.K. travelers.

  • United States: The U.S. Department of State reported that around 300,000 U.S. passports are lost or stolen each year.
  • Canada: The Canadian government estimates about 60,000 passports are reported lost or stolen annually.
  • United Kingdom: The U.K. government receives about 20,000 reports of lost or stolen passports each year.

These numbers highlight the importance of safeguarding passports while traveling and knowing what to do if your passport is lost or stolen.

But if you find yourself in this situation, it’s important to stay calm, act quickly and follow a few essential steps necessary to replace a lost or stolen passport.

 

Stay Calm and Assess the Situation

The first thing to do when you realize your passport is lost is to stay calm. A panicked reaction can make it more difficult to think clearly and take the appropriate steps to resolve the situation. Carefully retrace your steps to see if you might have left your passport in a hotel, a restaurant, or any place you’ve recently visited. If your passport was stolen, try to remember any suspicious activity or individuals around you before the incident occurred.

Maredith Richardson, who experienced a stolen passport while studying abroad in Paris, recalls the sudden shock of realizing her bag—which contained her passport—was gone. “My bag was within my eyesight the whole time. One moment it was there, and then I turned away briefly – and it was gone,” she said. Unfortunately, in busy areas, theft can happen in the blink of an eye.

 

Report the Loss of Your Passport Immediately

As soon as you confirm that your passport is lost or stolen, you must report it to the local authorities and your country’s embassy or consulate. Filing a police report is a necessary step in many countries, not only to document the loss but also because some embassies will require it to issue a lost passport replacement.

If you’re in a country with a high crime rate or where scams targeting tourists are common, such as in parts of South America or Southeast Asia, getting that police report is critical. In contrast, in countries like Canada, the U.K., or Japan, authorities and processes for reporting a missing passport may be more streamlined and efficient.

 

Contact Your Country’s Embassy or Consulate

Once you’ve reported the loss to the police, your next step is to contact your embassy or consulate. They can guide you through the process of passport replacement. You’ll likely need to fill out forms, provide passport photos, and supply any available documentation that proves your identity, such as a driver’s license or a photocopy of your passport.

The time it takes to replace a passport varies depending on the country you’re in. In some countries, such as the U.S., Canada, or the U.K., embassies are well-equipped to handle a steady flow of lost passport cases, and you might receive a temporary passport within a few days. However, in more remote locations or countries with less developed diplomatic infrastructure, such as certain areas in Africa or Central Asia, the process can take significantly longer.

 

What Are the Costs?

The cost of replacing a lost or stolen passport while traveling abroad can vary depending on your country and whether you choose standard or expedited services. Embassies and consulates might also charge extra fees for emergency services, and travelers may incur additional costs for passport photos, document delivery, or courier services.

  • Replacement costs for a U.S. passport are $130 for adults, plus any consular fees and an additional $60 for expedited service.
  • For a Canadian passport, it’s $160 CAD, plus additional fees ranging from $110 CAD for urgent 24-hour pickup to $50 CAD for express pickup within 2-9 business days.
  • In the U.K., it’s £100 for replacement plus an additional fee of about £177 for same-day emergency passport services.

 

Beware of Passport Replacement Scams

In the digital age, travelers are more vulnerable to scams when they’re in distress. One of the most common scams involves fraudulent websites that claim to offer expedited passport services. These websites often appear legitimate, but their sole purpose is to steal your personal information and payment details.

Harding Bush, a former Navy SEAL and the associate director of security operations for Global Rescue warns, “One of the most insidious scams targeting travelers is the proliferation of fake travel document websites. These websites often masquerade as legitimate services that offer expedited passports or visas, but in reality, they aim to steal personal and payment information.”

Bush advises travelers to be wary of websites that don’t use official government URLs, such as those ending in “.gov.” “The website will not have a .gov address or may have a misspelling in the name—like govv.uk.com instead of .uk.gov—that you may not detect right away,” he explained. “Only the federal government can process passports, while various authorized companies can expedite visa applications for a fee.”

Always double-check the website’s legitimacy and remember: your country’s government is the only entity that can issue a lost passport replacement.

 

What You Can Do To Prevent Future Passport Loss

Losing a passport can be a stressful and time-consuming ordeal, but there are steps you can take to prevent it from happening in the first place:

  • Store your passport securely: Use a hotel safe when possible or keep your passport in a concealed, secure location.
  • Carry photocopies: Always have a photocopy of your passport and other important documents, including your travel insurance and visa.
  • Stay aware of your surroundings: Be especially vigilant in crowded areas, where pickpockets often operate.

 

The Global Rescue Connection

If you’re traveling with a service like Global Rescue, you can rely on their expertise to help navigate the complicated process of replacing a lost passport. Maredith Richardson experienced this firsthand when her passport was stolen in Paris during her study abroad program. She immediately called Global Rescue after her study program director recommended their services.

“Normally, when you need help with something there’s a 24-hour delay. Global Rescue responded to me within about 30 seconds,” she said.

Global Rescue’s services include streamlining the replacement process for a missing passport. Standard government processing can take up to six weeks, or two to three weeks with expedited service. However, Richardson’s lost passport replacement was handled in less than a week. “The Global Rescue team got it hammered out within a couple of hours and got me into the embassy for an urgent passport replacement appointment,” Richardson explained. “I didn’t have to do a single thing, except pull my documentation together.”

This level of efficiency can be a game-changer, especially when you’re in an unfamiliar country and overwhelmed by the administrative hurdles of replacing a passport.

 

The Importance of a Passport for Continuing Your Journey

A passport is not just a form of identification; it is your key to international travel. Without it, you can’t board flights, cross borders, or even check into hotels in some countries. A loss of passport can derail your trip entirely, leaving you stranded. This is why securing a replacement as quickly as possible is essential for both the continuation of your journey and your safe return home.

Remember, the time it takes to replace a missing passport varies by country and local resources, but the process can often be expedited with the right help. Whether through Global Rescue’s streamlined services or carefully navigating your embassy’s procedures, quick action is key to minimizing disruption.

Losing your passport while abroad doesn’t have to mean the end of your trip. By following these steps, staying vigilant, and relying on trustworthy resources like Global Rescue, you can get back on track quickly and continue your travels with minimal stress. Whether it’s a misplaced passport or a theft, preparation and knowing what to do can make all the difference.