India is an ideal destination for your next vacation.
It has a lot in store for its visitors, and you are sure to love every moment spent there.
However, losing your American passport when here or anywhere abroad can be quite dreadful.
If you are someone who likes traveling to India from the USA, you must know how vital your passport is for you.
You need your US passport and Indian visa to enter the country.
Therefore, this most crucial document should be on the top of your packing check-list. Also, you must ensure to keep it safe.
However, there are times when you may lose your American passport in India due to unexpected circumstances.
In such a case, you need to act calm and follow the following steps:
1. Report Your Lost American Passport
As soon as you see that your passport is missing, this is the first step you need to follow.
There are chances of someone stealing your passport.
Therefore, doing this prevents criminals from misusing it. Thus, filing a police report with the authorities of India is a must for you.
Usually, US passport security features prevent such crimes as it is difficult to forge.
Further, the RFID Chips in this enables the authorities to know if someone makes any changes to your passport.
However, by filing a missing report when you lose your American passport in India is an excellent idea.
It will keep you on the safer side. Also, you may need this report while filing for your new American passport.
This report is a confirmation of the fact of you losing your passport or somebody stealing it.
However, this step will not speed up the process. But, do not miss it out.
2. Find the nearest US Consulate or Embassy
Another essential step you ought to follow for your lost American passport is to find your nearest US embassy in India.
It is a must to report your stolen or lost passport to this particular consular section.
It will help you get a new passport, and then you can easily catch direct flights from the US to India.
However, for this, you need to know the US embassy that is the closest to you.
So, here is a list of all the US embassies in India. Also, you can find their address and contact number here.
Refer to this list to find the one nearest to your location.
- US Embassy in India
Address: Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi – 110021
Phone Number: 011-91-11-2419-8000
- US Consulate General Chennai
Address: Gemini Circle, Chennai 600 006
Phone Number: 044-2857-4000
- US Consulate General Hyderabad
Address: Paigah Palace, 1-8-323, Chiran Fort Lane, Begumpet, Secunderabad 500 003
Phone Number: 040-4625-8222
- US Consulate General Kolkata
Address: 38A, J.L.Nehru Road, Kolkata – 700 071, West Bengal, India.
Phone Number: 91-33-3984-6300
- US Consulate General Mumbai
Address: C-49, G-Block, Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra East, Mumbai 400051
Phone Number: (91-22) 2672-4000
Further, make sure before you contact it online or offline, you have a missing report for your American passport.
Also, you need not worry about the security of your passport after this due to the US passport features.
And you need to remember that the embassies do not work on US and Indian National holidays.
3. Contact the Embassy or Make an Appointment Online
Embassies of your country will help you if your US passport needs any changes. Also, this should be your go-to place in case you lose your American passport in India.
Thus, after you locate the nearest US embassy or consulate to you, make sure to contact them immediately.
Also, you can do so online rather than visiting it. However, if your travel plans are for the next week, you do not need an appointment. You can directly bring your documents to the local Embassy or Consulate.
Once you contact the embassy, they will help you with the next steps. Thus, you can easily apply for a new American passport.
4. Complete Your Passport Application Form
The first step you need to follow after contacting the US embassy is this. Thus, to acquire a new American passport, you need to fill out the passport application form. You can get it quickly on the official website. Also, you can fill this form online.
5. Fill in the Form Ds-64
In order to board direct flights to India again, you must get your new American passport at the earliest.
For this, along with the passport application form, you have to fill the Ds-64 form, as well. It is actually the statement concerning your lost or stolen passport.
Further, filling out this form is essential. It will invalidate your passport and thereby prevent others from misusing it.
6. Print Your Application
Once you fill out both the above-given forms, you need to complete this step.
This is nothing but the printing of your application, which includes the passport application form and the Ds-64 form.
Also, make sure to do it before you visit the embassy to pay for your American passport.
7. Gather All Your Documents for Passport Replacement
Be it passport changes or acquiring a new American passport, you will need certain documents for that.
Therefore, while you pack for your flight to India, make sure to have these documents handy. You are sure to need them when such unfortunate situations arise.
Further, to replace your lost American passport, you will need the following documents:
- Police Report: You will need the police report of your lost American passport in India. Therefore, you must report about losing your passport as soon as possible. Also, you need to keep a copy of it with you for the record.
- Identity Proof: When you gather your stuff for your trip, make sure to get your proof of your identity, as well. Also, there must be proof stating your US citizenship, if possible.
- Passport-Sized Photograph: It should be a recent one. Also, the dimensions need to be 2″x2″ (or 5 cm x 5 cm). Further, you must get a colored photograph and against a white background. Make sure you do not have your glasses on in it. If for some reason, you cannot remove your glasses, you will need a written note from your doctor for the same.
- Your Printed Application: It is the print of the two forms that you will fill out for your lost American passport replacement. Also, make sure you do not use a two-sided copy for it.
Besides, you will have to sign the forms and the documents, as well. However, do not do so beforehand.
You will have to do it in the presence of your consular or embassy officer.
8. Pay the Fees
After all this, you will have to pay an amount of $145 for the replacement of your lost American passport.
This fee is the same for that of a first-time adult passport. If you apply it in person, you may pay with cash.
Also, you may do so in both dollars and rupees. And this is as per the existing exchange rate. Also, you can pay in the form of a demand draft or by credit card, as well.
Further, the embassy will not accept any personal. And this fee amount is nonrefundable.
In addition to this, when you pay as a demand draft, make it in favor of the embassy or consulate you have to pay.
Also, you must generate these by computer. The office will not accept handwritten forms.
9. Wait
Be it US passport changes in 2020 or a lost American passport replacement, all you can do is wait after completing all the steps.
Typically, the processing time for this is nearly seven to ten business days.
Therefore, do consider this timeline before you apply for the replacement of your lost American passport.
However, if you need your passport on an urgent basis, you can apply for an emergency passport.
Also, once the embassy has your passport ready, they will notify you about the same. They will do so by sending you an automated email.
10. Collect Your Passport
Having your American passport is really important for you to get on cheap flights from the USA to India.
Also, you will need it in order to return to the USA. Therefore, getting a replacement for it when you lose it in India is essential.
After you complete all the steps and receive a confirmation about your new American passport, the next step is to collect it.
Further, you can get it with the help of a courier service. Also, you can opt for a pick-up. For this, you will not need an appointment.
You just need to visit the embassy while it is open. If you choose the former service, you need to keep the following in mind:
- At the embassy, you will have to purchase a courier envelope. You have to get it from the FedEx agent for INR 450.
- Also, you can pay this fee as cash or by credit/debit card.
- You can also do this by a demand draft. This should be in favor of FedEx Express TSCS (India) Pvt. Ltd.
- Further, make sure to provide your email id to FedEx. By this, you can quickly receive tracking updates through email.
- After the processing of your new American passport, the ACS Unit will pass on your sealed courier envelope to FedEx.
- After this, you will be able to check the status of your delivery.
- Also, you need to keep your old-canceled passport or the report handy. You will get a new one only after you show it.
11. Lost Indian Visa Along With the American Passport
When you book cheap business class tickets to India, you will need your American passport and Indian visa to board it.
Also, for your exit from India, you will need the same. Therefore, if you lose both of these together, you need to apply for both.
Along with applying for your new replacement American passport, apply for an exit visa too.
You need to do this with Foreigner’s Regional Registration Office, Government of India. Further, this whole process will take at least 2-3 business days.
Moreover, you will not be able to leave India without this visa. Also, you need to keep in mind that you cannot get an exit visa on weekends or Indian holidays.
Thus, this may delay your exit even further.
12. Plan Properly
All of us know how tiring and dreadful it is to lose your American passport in India or anywhere else. Therefore, make sure to plan well to avoid this.
As soon as you start packing for your journey, make sure to have multiple copies of all your essential documents with you, including your passport.
You can give a few to your family, as well. And save them on the Google drive. Also, once in India, take care of your American passport well.
Further, before you travel to India, register yourself with the US embassy in India, in advance.
And if you still face such a situation, refer to our guide for the replacement of your lost American passport.
