Lost United States Passport – Recovering It May Be Easier Than You’d Think
Anyone who has the tendency to lose things knows that losing a passport usually happens at the worst possible time. The bags are packed, the travel clothes are ready for the drive to the airport, and then the realization sets in that the lost passport is nowhere to be found. The stress begins to mount and in the blink of the eye, a peaceful upcoming vacation turns into a situation that causes a meltdown.
A lost passport can be replaced via the normal method of going to the Post Office and going through their procedures. The only issue with that is that their normal time frame for replacement is about 8 weeks for the standard service and 4 weeks for the expedited one. This does not bode well for the traveler that needs to leave immediately or even sooner.
There are other alternatives available and they may be found by doing an Internet search. Private service providers offer replacement passport processing within one to two business days. The paperwork required is essentially the same, with the exception of one or two forms that the private company may require for indemnification purposes. These companies do charge an additional fee over what the government charges, but it is a small price to pay for having a new passport when necessary.
The provider Web sites contain detailed instructions regarding all additional identifying documentation that must be provided. The applicant should print out these instructions and use them as a checklist in order to gather and photocopy the necessary documents. The passport application, which may also be found on the provider sites, should then be completed.
The identifying documents that are required include a birth certificate from the city, county, or state in which the individual was born. Certified copies that do not contain the entity’s official seal will not be accepted. Therefore, obtaining the proper type of birth certificate is something that must be done prior to being able to get a new passport.
The other identifying document that the applicant will need to photocopy and submit is his or her driver’s license. The government and processing service require that the driver’s license issue date be at least six months prior to the date of passport application. If an applicant has a more recent issue date, he or she may provide alternative forms of documentation.. These are listed on the government and provider Web sites, as are the details regarding additional identification that must be included with the passport application.
Some of the other information that must be provided includes a travel itinerary or plane ticket. Two identical color photographs must be supplied with the paperwork. These photos must meet certain requirements because they will be used in the passport itself. Again, it is important to check the list of required documents in order to review the specifications for these photos.
Once everything is gathered, photocopied, and completed as necessary, it should be sent out as one package via a traceable mailing method like FedEx or UPS. To speed receipt, the package may be sent via next day air service. This will enable the quickest processing period for replacement of a Lost Pass Port. A new passports application will be mailed to applicants whose stress-free vacations may then begin.
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