Lost Passport in Dallas: Replacement Steps Before Your Trip (2026)

Discovering that your U.S. passport is missing shortly before an international trip can be stressful, but there is a clear process to protect the lost passport and apply for a replacement.

The first thing to understand is that reporting a valid passport lost or stolen does not automatically replace it. Once you report it, the U.S. Department of State cancels the passport, and you generally need to apply in person using Form DS-11 for a replacement.

For travelers in Dallas, Richardson, and throughout DFW, acting quickly is especially important when international travel is approaching.

AA Passport & Visa Expedite Services can help you review the replacement requirements through our Lost & Stolen Passport service.

Step 1: Make Sure the Passport Is Actually Lost

Before reporting a passport as lost or stolen, check carefully.

Once a valid U.S. passport is reported lost or stolen, the Department of State cancels it. Even if you later find the passport, you cannot use it for international travel.

Check:

• Your luggage
• Home or office
• Vehicle
• Hotel or accommodation
• Recent travel bags
• Safe or document storage
• Anywhere you recently used the passport

If the passport has simply expired, do not report it as lost or stolen. The Department of State specifically says expired passports should not be reported through the lost/stolen process.

Step 2: Report Your Valid Passport Lost or Stolen

If the passport is truly missing, report it promptly.

The Department of State provides several options.

Report It Online

The fastest option is the Department of State’s online Form Filler.

According to current government guidance, an online report can result in cancellation of the passport within 1 business day, with confirmation sent by email.

Report It By Mail

You can also complete Form DS-64, print and sign it, and mail it according to the form instructions.

This method takes longer because the report must reach the Department of State before the passport can be canceled.

Report It When Applying for the Replacement

You can provide the lost or stolen passport details when completing Form DS-11 for your replacement.

You should explain:

• Where the passport was lost or stolen
• When it happened
• Any other relevant circumstances
• Details of a police report, if you filed one

If you filed a police report, include a copy. A police report is not listed as mandatory in every lost-passport situation, but the Department of State asks for it when one exists.

Step 3: Apply In Person for a Replacement Passport

A lost or stolen valid passport cannot simply be renewed through the normal DS-82 renewal process.

To receive a replacement, you generally need to submit Form DS-11 in person.

Dallas-area acceptance facilities can include:

• U.S. Post Offices
• Clerks of court
• Public libraries
• Other authorized passport acceptance facilities

Some locations require appointments, so check before visiting.

Step 4: Prepare Your Replacement Documents

A replacement passport application generally requires the same core items as another DS-11 passport application.

Prepare:

Form DS-11

Complete the application but do not sign it until instructed by the acceptance agent.

Make sure you provide complete information about your lost or stolen passport.

Proof of U.S. Citizenship

Acceptable evidence can include documents such as:

• Certified U.S. birth certificate
• Certificate of Naturalization
• Certificate of Citizenship
• Consular Report of Birth Abroad
• Other acceptable citizenship evidence

If you cannot provide standard citizenship evidence, a file-search option may sometimes be available for an additional government fee.

Government-Issued Photo ID

Bring acceptable physical identification such as a driver’s license or another approved ID.

Photocopies

Bring the required photocopies of your citizenship evidence and identification.

Passport Photo

You also need a compliant U.S. passport photograph.

Dallas-area travelers can use our Passport Photos Dallas service if they need a new photo before the application appointment.

How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Lost Passport in 2026?

For an adult applying using Form DS-11, the current government fees are:

Optional services currently include:

Expedited processing: +$60

1–3 day return delivery for a passport book: +$26.87

The return-delivery option does not apply to passport cards.

These are U.S. government and acceptance-facility fees and are separate from any AA Passport & Visa professional service fee.

How Long Does a Replacement Passport Take?

Current Department of State processing times are:

Routine: 4–6 weeks

Expedited: 2–3 weeks

These processing times do not include mailing time. The Department of State notes that mailing can add additional time before and after processing.

If your trip is several weeks away, expedited service may provide enough time depending on your exact departure date.

If the trip is much closer, you may need an urgent appointment instead.

What If Your International Trip Is Within 14 Days?

If you need to travel internationally in 14 calendar days or less, the Department of State allows eligible applicants to seek an appointment at a passport agency or center.

You must have proof of urgent international travel, and appointments are subject to availability.

This is different from a normal passport acceptance-facility appointment.

A passport acceptance facility accepts regular DS-11 applications.

A passport agency or center handles qualifying urgent-travel cases.

Is There an “Emergency Passport” in Dallas?

People often search for “emergency passport Dallas,” but it is important to understand what this usually means.

Within the United States, travelers with qualifying urgent international travel generally seek an appointment at a U.S. Department of State passport agency or center.

The Department of State does not charge a separate fee simply to book an appointment, and it warns travelers about third parties claiming to sell government appointment slots.

If a U.S. passport is lost while you are already abroad, the process is different. A U.S. embassy or consulate may issue a limited-validity emergency passport when there is not enough time to obtain a regular passport.

What Happens If You Find the Passport Later?

Do not travel with it.

Once you report a valid passport lost or stolen, the Department of State cancels it. Finding the passport later does not reactivate it.

Use the new replacement passport after it is issued.

This is why you should make a thorough search before officially reporting the document missing.

What If Both Your Passport Book and Card Are Missing?

If you have both a passport book and passport card and both are lost or stolen, report both documents.

If only one is missing, report only the document that was actually lost or stolen.

Be accurate when identifying which travel document is missing.

Do You Need a Police Report?

A police report is not required in every ordinary lost-passport situation.

However, if you filed one because the passport was stolen or lost under suspicious circumstances, provide the report information and a copy with the application when requested.

If theft involved other identification, credit cards, or personal information, you may also need to address those issues separately.

Lost Passport Before a Flight: What Should You Do First?

If departure is approaching, use this order:

1. Confirm the passport is truly missing.
2. Report the valid passport lost or stolen.
3. Check your international departure date.
4. Prepare Form DS-11 and replacement documents.
5. If travel is more than 14 days away, use the appropriate regular or expedited application route.
6. If travel is within 14 days, check eligibility and appointment availability at a passport agency.
7. Bring proof of international travel if seeking urgent service.

Do not wait several days hoping the situation will solve itself if you have confirmed the passport is gone.

Common Lost Passport Mistakes to Avoid

Avoid these problems:

• Reporting an expired passport as lost
• Continuing to search after reporting it and then attempting to use it
• Assuming Form DS-64 alone gives you a new passport
• Trying to renew a lost valid passport using DS-82
• Forgetting to explain where and when the passport was lost
• Forgetting a police report if one was filed
• Waiting until the day before travel
• Assuming an urgent appointment is guaranteed
• Paying someone to “sell” you a government passport-agency appointment
• Forgetting that mailing time is separate from processing time

Understanding these points can save valuable time when travel is approaching.

Lost Passport Help in Dallas and DFW

AA Passport & Visa Expedite Services helps travelers in Dallas, Richardson, Plano, Irving, Arlington, Frisco, Garland, McKinney, Fort Worth, and throughout the DFW Metroplex review lost or stolen passport replacement requirements.

We can help you organize the application, supporting documents, passport photo, and replacement requirements before submission.

Visit our Lost & Stolen Passport service page or call 972-231-1600 for assistance.

You can also read our related guide: What to Do If Your Passport Is Lost Before International Travel.

AA Passport & Visa Expedite Services is a private passport and visa assistance company and is not a U.S. government agency. Government passport appointments, approvals, and issuance decisions are controlled by the U.S. Department of State.