Lost Your Passport and Visa? Here’s How You Prove Valid Entry

Losing your passport while traveling abroad is never an ideal situation. People tend to drop their visas along with it. Whether it’s a temporary or permanent visa, you might be wondering how you’ll prove valid entry.

An immigration lawyer would encourage you to first go to a local police station to report that your documents are missing. Take as much time as you need to search for them. You want to ensure that they haven’t been misplaced within your belongings, as it could complicate the process later.

Once you’ve received a copy of the official police report, you’ll need to request a replacement through form I-94 – Application for Replacement/Initial Nonimmigrant Arrival-Departure Document through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). It’s available to download on their website.

Next, report your lost documents to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Both agencies will help you obtain replacements while you’re abroad. If you find there is limited in-person processing, visit the embassy or consulate website to do the process online.

The U.S. Department of State advises that you direct your email to the Consular Section of the embassy or consulate that issued your visa. Include your full name, U.S. address, date of birth, birthplace, email, and police report. Make sure to clarify if your items were lost or stolen, as this will be a significant factor in your case.

Those with a copy of their passport or visa can scan and send it as an email attachment. Otherwise, provide them with detailed information of the type of visa you lost, followed by the passport number. From this moment, should you find your lost items, they will be invalid for travel to the U.S. until you get your new visa.

What most visa-holders don’t know is that you cannot retrieve replacements in the United States. It must happen abroad. At Grey Immigration, our green card lawyer would advise those who’ve struggled to get back to make a copy of their biographic page before travel. It will save you both time and money in the long run!