Lost Passport

Editor's Note (UPDATED February 25, 2023) -- U.S. passports are taking up to seven weeks to process using the government's expedited service.  It is possible to get a passport in less time by scheduling an appointment with the Passport Agency by calling 877-487-2778 and appearing in person at their office.

The procedures to replace a lost passport are similar to the process you followed to obtain your original passport.  However, you first need to notify the U.S. Passport Agency that your passport is missing so they can cancel it.  An American passport is a highly secure document that is difficult to forge, however, it is still important to move quickly to replace your missing or stolen passport.

There are three ways Metro Atlanta residents can report a missing passport:

Further details about reporting a lost or stolen passport are provided by the U.S. State Department at https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/have-passport/lost-stolen.html.

How to Replace a Lost or Stolen Passport

If your passport disappears while you are outside the United States, you will need to apply in person at the U.S. Embassy or consulate in the country where the passport was lost.  For more details about this process, visit  https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/passports/replacing-your-passport-after-the-storm.html.

However, if you are still in Georgia, there are three options for obtaining a new passport in Atlanta.  You may visit a passport acceptance facility; appear at the Passport Agency downtown; or use a private passport service to expedite delivery.  

Option 1: Appear at an Acceptance Facility

The most common way to obtain another passport is visiting a passport acceptance facility.  This link allows you to find the closest facility to your home or office: https://iafdb.travel.state.gov.  For those located in Metro Atlanta, we recommend using the Dekalb County Clerk of Superior Court: https://dksuperiorclerk.com/passports/.

You will need to submit Form DS-64 (statement of lost passport) and Form DS-11 (application for a new passport).  These forms are available online at https://pptform.state.gov.  You can complete the form online, print it out, and take with you to the acceptance facility. (Do NOT sign the passport form in advance, as a government agent must witness your signature.) You may also fill out the forms by hand at the passport acceptance facility.

No appointment is necessary at the Dekalb County Clerk of Superior Court.  However, many other locations do require appointments.  You will also need to bring a method for paying the necessary fees (which are the same as applying for a new/renewal passport).

You will submit supporting documentation along with form DS-11.  The required documents (also listed at https://dksuperiorclerk.com/passports/) include:

  • Your long-form birth certificate or a government-certified copy of that certificate. {If you need to order a new copy of your birth certificate, we recommend using VitalChek (https://www.vitalchek.com), a private company with an easy-to-use process and is relatively inexpensive.}
  • For naturalized citizens, their original certificate of naturalization.
  • A photocopy of the proof of citizenship listed above.
  • State-issued driver’s license or similar approved identification.
  • A photocopy of the ID document above.
  • One photo that meets all passport image criteria, and properly attached to the application. (See https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/photos.html.)
  • A check or money payable to the U.S. Department of State.  The basic passport fee is $130.  Additional charges apply for expedited service and other options.  For a full list of fees, please visit https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/fees.html.
  • A separate $35 payment via check, money order, cash or debit card, which is paid to the passport acceptance facility for the identity verification process. (Check with the specific facility for the exact forms of payment they accept.)

Passport acceptance facilities are government offices but they do not actually issue the passport.  These facilities will verify your documents and forward them to the State Department’s Passport Agency.  The normal turnaround time for renewals by mail is eight to eleven weeks.  Expedited service within seven weeks is available for an added fee.  You can also pay extra for return delivery in two days (rather than the typical first class mailing).

Option 2: Apply in Person at the U.S. Passport Agency

If you need to travel within the next month, you can apply in person at the U.S. Passport Agency downtown (230 Peachtree St #1000, Atlanta, GA 30303).  You can ONLY apply in person here if you can prove the need to travel within the next two weeks – or four weeks, if you are traveling to a country that requires a visa.  You will complete Forms DS-11 and DS-64, and make an appointment directly with the Atlanta Passport Agency.  Note that the agency is busy during the summer travel season and around the holidays, so give yourself plenty of lead time.

For your appointment, bring the documents listed above under Option 1, as well as:

  • Your appointment confirmation number
  • Proof of travel plans, such as your flight itinerary, hotel reservation or cruise tickets
  • Methods of payment.  The agency takes major credit cards, debit cards, cash, checks and money orders. In addition to normal costs, there is an additional $60 expediting fee.
  • Contact information, directions, and other details about the Atlanta Passport Agency are available at https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/get-fast/passport-agencies/atlanta.html.

Visiting the Passport Agency is more expensive and may be less convenient than using an acceptance facility.  However, if you need a passport quickly, the extra effort is worthwhile.  Unlike a passport acceptance facility, the Passport Agency can issue your new passport – often on the same day or the following day.

Option 3: Use a Private Passport Service

The third option is to use a private passport expediter such as Visa Supply to speed up the turnaround time.  For this option, you still need to visit a passport acceptance facility so a government official can verify your identity and documents.  Normally the facility can only forward your documents to the State Department for processing.  However, if you are using a courier service such as Visa Supply, the acceptance facility will seal your documents in an envelope and return them to you.  You will then take that envelope back to our office so we can ship it to one of our couriers in San Francisco, Seattle, Houston, or Washington, D.C. so we can expedite your passport application.

Our office is conveniently located in Sandy Springs, just two miles outside of I-285 on the Roswell Road exit.  If you want Visa Supply to help you, you must FIRST visit our office so we can take your passport photo; help you prepare your DS-64 statement and the DS-11 application; plus review your documentation.  You can take these documents to the Dekalb County Clerk of Superior Court, and then return the sealed envelope to Visa Supply so we can expedite your application with the Passport Agency.

Since Visa Supply is a private company, we charge a fee for our services (in addition to the government’s $190 expedite fee for a passport book).  Beyond the convenience of using our office, we make sure your application form is filled out correctly.  We also take your passport photo and will ensure that it meets the government’s specifications.  Our basic service starts at $100.  Customers receive their new passport (along with the old one) within seven weeks; for additional fees we can also get passports renewed in as fast as one week.  Please call us for the latest details.

Helpful Hints

  • Always keep a photocopy of your passport (or take a cellphone photo) of the data page from your passport.  This can help expedite getting a new passport if you are in another country.
  • If you lost your passport while traveling outside the United States, there is no need to panic.  The U.S. Embassy or Consulate will help you get another passport, so you will not be stranded.  Still, the sooner you visit them in person, the sooner you can get a new passport and resume your travel plans.
  • Once you report your passport missing, the government will cancel it.  Even if you find the passport later, it is still invalid.
  • If you have any visas in your passport, they will not be valid once you report your passport was stolen.  You will have to reapply for new visas once you obtain a new passport.
  • Similarly, if you have a passport card, it will no longer be valid after you report the loss. (Or, if you report that your passport card is lost, the passport will also become invalid.)
  • Global Entry members do not need to reapply for the program if their passports are lost.  However, they will need to visit the Global Entry website and update their personal information with their new passport number.
  • Consider getting a second passport if you frequently travel out of the country.  This will allow you to return home without the extra hassle of overseas replacement, canceled visas, and updating Global Entry.
  • Keeping your Social Security number secure is much more important that securing your passport number.  The passport number has no significance to any entity aside from the State Department.  No one can simply use your number to travel to another country: they must present the physical passport book or card.

For more helpful hints when your passport is lost or stolen, please see this article:  https://www.afar.com/magazine/what-to-do-if-youve-lost-your-us-passport.

Atlanta and Georgia residents with questions about obtaining replacing a lost or stolen U.S. passport can schedule a telephone call through our website.  Our free consultation will guide you through your options and each step in the process.