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 companies require that a few forms be completed in addition to the standard government passport application and stolen passport reporting form. The forms and instructions are housed on the company and government Web sites. The forms may not be submitted online because they require a handwritten signature, but they may be completed online then printed.

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 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.

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 American Passport does not need to be the cause for a ruined vacation because there are service providers who can assist with pasport 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.