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 passport in the hands of the wrong person may yield damaging results for many years.

The federal government maintains a hotline for reporting stolen passports. In addition to making this call, the victim will need to complete a form reporting the situation. There is no government-provided quick replacement service for stolen passports. The person will have to go through the same passport application process as those who are applying for their first passport. The standard processing time is eight weeks, and the expedited service takes four weeks. Many times, this will be far too long for someone to wait, especially if travel is planned in the near future. There are private companies that offer processing within 24 to 48 hours if necessary.

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.

Along with the standard forms, there will be a need to provide identification proving not only who you are but also the travel itinerary. These are simple and should be items that are handy like a driver’s license and plane tickets. They will request secondary items of proof but these are easily faxed to the hotel or a local copy shop, if necessary.

Two identical color passport photos measuring 2×2 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.

Once all the paperwork is rounded up, there will be an 800 number listed on the website that will needed to be called. The provider will then give the information as to where it should be sent and how. The majority will use some type of private courier such as FedEx or their local equivalent.

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.

Replacing a Stolen Passport can be relatively painless by using one of these providers. They help to expedite the return and can make an otherwise interrupted trip go smoother the rest of the way. The Internet holds the key to all of the U S passport providers and their websites, making them quite easy to find.