Here's What Happens If You Lose Your Passport On Vacation

When traveling internationally, your passport is everything. It's how you prove your citizenship and the way you get in and out of another country. It's your identification, and it has a lot of important information on it. (In fact, once your passport expires, you shouldn't throw it away, since it can still be used as ID for some time.) It's vital to make sure it stays safe. However, sometimes things happen, and you may lose your passport, or it could get stolen. It's a scary prospect, but there are steps you can take if the worst happens so you're not stranded in a foreign country. There are also things you can do to prepare, just in case. 

The first thing to do if your passport is lost or stolen is to make sure it's actually gone. According to the U.S. State Department, once it's canceled — within one business day of being reported missing online — you can't use it to travel. (You'll get a confirmation email once it's been nullified.) That means if you find it, or realize it wasn't among the things that were taken, you're going to have to go through these steps anyway. Once you've confirmed that it's really gone, report it missing using the online form. Then, look up the closest U.S. embassy or consulate here and contact them. If your phone is stolen as well, it's worth asking to call from your hotel. Once you have that information, you can proceed with the next steps.

Call the consulate or embassy and let them know what happened and how soon you plan to travel. You can report and fill out forms online, but you have to show up in person to get a new passport. You'll need a 2-by-2-inch passport photo. (Bringing an extra on trips is a good idea.) You'll also need ID like a driver's license or expired passport, proof of citizenship (such as a birth certificate or a photocopy of your passport), and your travel itinerary. This is why travel pro Rick Steves reminds everyone to travel with a backup scan of any travel documents, which you can email to yourself. One commenter in Reddit's r/solotravel suggests emailing them to a trusted friend as well. They also mention that if you don't have a copy of your passport, you can ask your hotel for the one they have on file. 

You should also fill out the DS-11 form for a new passport online, and you'll need to prepare the passport fee. If you don't have money (if it's stolen, for instance), you may be granted emergency financial assistance. You may also be able to do a free file search at the embassy or consulate for any needed documents, such as a birth certificate. If you have everything, you will likely be issued an emergency passport, which is valid for one year, within one business day. You can exchange it for a permanent one when you return home. If the embassy or consulate determines you've been the victim of a "serious crime or disaster," you may be given a free temporary passport (though you'll pay the fee for the permanent one later). Finally, there is another way you can lose your passport, and it involves not paying a debt. Keep this in mind before you plan your next trip.