Stolen Pass Port? Never Fear Because A Replacement Service Is Near

Some people take their passports with them whenever they travel, even within the United States. This does not present a problem until the day when they realize their passport has been stolen. Identity theft is such a problem these days that a stolen American passport in the hands of the wrong person may yield damaging results for many years.

Stolen passports may be reported to the federal government via telephone and the passport holder will need to complete a form stating how and when the passport was stolen. In order to replace the passport, the individual will need to complete an application for a new passport book. The processing time for these applications can take up to eight weeks. In many situations, this is not feasible, so the alternative of using an independent service to get a new passport within one to two business days will be the best option.

These online services have a wealth of information and forms posted on their Web sites. They will require that the applicant complete the government forms for passport application and stolen passport reporting. The companies usually require an applicant to complete an order form and possibly a confidentiality form. Each of the forms may be downloaded and printed wherever the traveler may be.

The applicant will need to provide documentation proving identification and citizenship. These include a birth certificate and driver's license. If the traveler does not have the birth certificate on hand, it will need to be sent to them via an overnight courier. If the identifying document is not readily available, several forms of secondary identification will be acceptable. All acceptable documents are clearly listed on the government and processing service Web sites.

Two identical color U.S. passport photos measuring 2x2 inches must also be provided. The photos must be recent and taken from a full front view. There are requirements regarding permitted attire so it is best to refer to these guidelines or have a professional photographer take the photos, in order to make sure that they will be usable.

The applicant should then contact the processing company to find out the best method to get the documentation, photos, and application to the company based on where the applicant is located. FedEx and UPS have offices worldwide, so they are usually a safe option. These carriers also provide package tracking which is a must in a situation such as this.

The cost for processing a replacement passport will vary depending on the private company selected. The fees tend to be about $300 for overnight processing, in addition to the standard $120 government charges. The government and processing company must be paid separately and several forms of payment are acceptable.

A stolen passport does not need to be the cause for a ruined vacation because there are service providers who can assist with USA passport replacement. The traveler can rest assured that the stolen passport will be canceled. The new passport will be in the traveler's hands within the next day, if desired, and the trip may resume as if this whole nasty situation never occurred.