If you are planning an international trip and your passport’s condition is questionable, you may want to have it replaced. You do not want to be stuck in a foreign country unable to prove your American citizenship, and this may very well happen with a fast damaged American passport. You should take precautions in order to prevent any unnecessary mishaps while traveling internationally.
In order to have your damaged passport replaced, you have to fill out a DS-11 form. You can get this form from the Department of State online. You can actually fill in your information and print out the finished product. You will have five days from the date on your application to officially submit your paperwork to the Department of State. If you cannot do this within the five days, that particular application will no longer be valid.
Make sure NOT to sign the form until you at the regional passport application agency near your city in front of an official or at an Acceptance Agency with the agent’s go-ahead. It will be considered null and void if signed without an official witness. Once you have printed out this form, be aware it is only good for five business days after the date you filled it in.
Another form you must provide is the DS-64; this is a declaration of a lost, stolen or damaged passport. This paper application must be completed with accuracy. It will ask you why and how passport was damaged. You have to provide a detailed account of how your passport was damaged.
You also have to have U. S. nationality evidence. Acceptable forms of proof include a certified birth certificate, or documentation from the USCIS of naturalization or citizenship. Two color photos are required, set at the State Department’s standards of 2′ x 2′ layout with a simple white background. It also has to be a recent photo taken in the last few months and no longer than six months old.
If you need of your passport quickly, you will have to provide proof of your flight information in order to have your replacement expedited. You will have to pay additional fees for this. The standard fee for a non-expedited replacement passport is $135.00. You can pay this by money order or check and if going through the process in person, you may be able to pay with a credit card. All checks or money orders must be made payable to the Department of State.
Even if you are vacationing or residing outside of the United States and your passport is damaged, you have to contact your US embassy or Consulate in the country you are visiting. There are no exceptions for the documents; you have to meet the requirements even if you are outside of the States. You will still have to complete the DS-11 and the DS-64, however, some questions will not be valid in your case so you will just have to provide an N/A response while answering the rest of the questions.
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