The First Thing to Do If You Have Lost Your Second Valid Passport

The very first thing you should do in a lost second valid passport situation is to make sure that your passport truly is lost! Oftentimes, passports get misplaced at home. If you know that your second valid passport made it home with you, do a very thorough search before you give up hope. Check your bags, the pockets of your clothes, your filing cabinet. Search your car, your junk drawer, under your bed, in your bathroom. Look everywhere! If your passport went missing while you were traveling, start making phone calls. Call the hotels you stayed in, the airports you transited through, the cab companies or Uber drivers you used, and see if anyone has found your passport.

It’s very important to go through these steps before you initiate the process of replacing your lost second valid passport. Once you report your passport lost or stolen to the US State Department, your passport will be cancelled. That means that if you find your second valid passport in the inside pocket of your rain jacket the day after you report it lost, it’s too late. Your passport is no longer valid for travel, and you’ll still have to replace it!

G3 Can Help You Replace Your Lost Second Valid Passport

Once you’ve determined that your second valid passport is gone for good, call G3 for help! We can help you replace your lost or stolen second valid passport very quickly. Because this is a special service, we recommend you call us first before placing your order.

Replacing a lost second valid passport is very much like the procedure to replace a lost primary passport. You will need to complete the application form for a new passport, DS-11. On that application, you will be asked about your most recent passport. You’ll need to include the details of your lost or stolen second valid passport. You’ll also explain the circumstances in which it was lost.

You will need to appear at a Passport Acceptance Facility to have your identity and citizenship verified. You don’t necessarily need to dig out your birth certificate, though — your primary passport can be used to prove your US citizenship!

In addition to the standard requirements to replace a lost passport, you will also need to submit documentation showing why you need to have a new second valid passport issued. For example, you can submit a letter and flight itineraries showing that you need to get a visa for an upcoming trip, but you have other international travel in the meantime.

When you go to the Passport Acceptance Facility, let them know you are using G3 to expedite your passport. They will give you your application back in a sealed envelope. Send that envelope to us right away, using the FedEx airbill we provide. Once we get your package, we can have your new secondary passport issued in as little as two business days! You’ll be back in the air in no time.

The post What to Do About a Lost Second Valid Passport appeared first on G3Passports.

Child Passport Replacement – Which Service Should You Choose?

Children age 15 and younger are issued minor passports, valid for 5 years. Once your child turns 16, she is eligible for an adult passport valid for 10 years. When you replace a minor passport that has been lost, stolen, or mutilated, the type of passport your child will be issued will be determined by how old she is when you apply for the replacement.

If you need to replace the passport of a child age 15 or younger, please choose our minor passport service.

If your child is now age 16 or older, select the appropriate replacement service: lost passport, stolen passport, or mutilated passport replacement.

Passport Applications for Child Passport Replacement

You’ll need to prepare passport application form DS-11 to replace your child’s mutilated, stolen, or lost passport. On this application, you’ll be asked for details of your child’s most recently issued passport. If the passport is lost or stolen, and you don’t have the passport number, you can fill in “000000000” as the passport number, and provide your best guess at the issue and expiration date. But it’s best if you can provide the exact details of the missing passport. (This is why we always urge you to keep photocopies of your passports!)

Do not sign Form DS-11 until you get to the Passport Acceptance Agent!

In order to replace a lost or stolen passport, you’ll also need to submit Form DS-64. This form is an official statement on how the passport went missing. It will automatically be generated when you fill out the online passport application form.

If you are doing a child passport replacement because your child’s passport is badly damaged, you will need to write a statement explaining how the passport was damaged. This letter should be signed by the parents. Older children may also sign the statement, in addition to their parents.

What If the Whole Family Needs Replacement Passports?

We hope you never find yourself in this situation! But if you find yourself the victim of a fire, flood, or theft, you might need to replace everyone’s passport at once.

You can place multiple orders with G3passports.com, so we can help you get your new passports quickly. You will need to place a separate order for each person in your family.

When you go to the Passport Acceptance Facility, let the agent know that you will be using a passport expediting service. Make sure they seal everyone’s applications into separate envelopes, one for each member of your family.

If you have more questions, just let us know! We are here to help.

The post Child Passport Replacement – What to Do if a Passport is Lost, Stolen, or Damaged appeared first on G3Passports.

How long will my new passport be valid?

Your new adult passport will be valid for ten years… or technically, ten years minus one day!  If your passport is issued on January 5, 2017, it will expire on January 4, 2027.

Although your passport will be valid for 10 years, we recommend that you don’t wait until the last minute to renew it.  Many countries require that you have at least six months validity remaining on your passport, so we suggest you renew your passport at least six months before it expires.

Do I have to submit my birth certificate to get a new passport?

An original copy of your birth certificate showing you were born in the US is a great way to prove your US citizenship when you apply for a new passport.  But there are other documents you can submit instead, such as your naturalization certificate or an old US passport.  Check out our article on proof of citizenship for more options and information.

Will I get my birth certificate back?

You might be worried about sending out your original birth certificate or naturalization certificate.  It is a valuable document!  But you will get it back when your new passport is issued.  One of the advantages of applying through G3Passports is that your original proof of citizenship will be sent back in the same FedEx package as your new passport.  If you apply for your passport directly through the Department of State, they mail back your birth certificate in a separate First Class envelope. You may need to wait a week or more for your proof of citizenship to show up!

What form is used to apply for a new passport?

You will use government form DS-11 to apply for your new passport.  This form is used for first-time applicants, minor applicants, and replacements of lost or stolen passports.  When you apply for expedited services through G3, you’ll need to fill out your DS-11 form online and print it out.  Check out our article to find out what information you’ll need to complete your application!

How can I get an appointment at a Passport Acceptance Facility?

Before you send your passport application to G3, you’ll need to go to a passport acceptance facility to have your new passport application sealed into an official envelope.  You can find locations near you at http://iafdb.travel.state.gov/.  This site will tell you whether the location you want to visit requires appointments.  If an appointment is needed, just call the phone number provided to schedule your visit.

Not all facilities require appointments.  In our experience, many acceptance facilities in government offices like Clerk of the Court offices provide walk-in service.  Most acceptance facilities in Post Offices do require appointments.

How quickly can I get a new passport?

With G3Passports.com, you can get a new passport in as little as two business days with our Mission Critical service!

Do you have any other passport questions?  Ask us below!

The post New Adult Passport Questions and Answers appeared first on G3Passports.

You’ll need to complete your passport application online, on the State Department’s official application website. This will produce a PDF of your passport application that you can print out, with all your answers neatly typed in.  The application will also have a barcode that helps the Passport Agency process your application swiftly after G3passports.com carries it to the agency for you.  Once you start filling out the application online, you can’t stop and save a draft.  You’ll need to be prepared with all the required information!

Personal Information for the DS-11 Passport Application

You probably already know that you’ll need to fill in your full legal name and your birth date.  Here are other personal details you’ll need to submit:

• Your place of birth – city and US state, or state and country if you were born outside the US.
• Your email address and at least one phone number – you may list either a home, work, or mobile phone number. You can include several numbers if you like.
• Your Social Security Number – under a new federal law, you must include your Social Security Number or your application will automatically be rejected.
• Any former legal names, such as your maiden name or previous married name.  Do not list any nicknames, pen names, or religious names.
• Your home address – please note that although this will be listed as “mailing address” on the printed passport application, G3passports.com will be shipping your completed passport to whatever address you provide when you complete your order online.
• Your height, hair color, and eye color. We get a lot of questions about how to answer the hair and eye color questions!  The online application only gives you a small set of options on a drop-down menu for hair color and eye color, so you’ll have to choose whichever color seems the most appropriate.  Don’t worry too much about this question — we’ve never seen it cause a problem for travelers.
  • Your hair or eyes are an in-between color. Choose the color that seems the closest. For instance, if you have auburn hair, you can select either brown or red as your hair color.  The State Department will not reject your application if you say your hair is red and they think it looks more brown in the photo!
  • Your hair is currently dyed. You can list either your current dyed color or your natural color.  If your hair is an unusual color like pink or green, which isn’t offered as an option, select your natural color.
  • You’re bald. Select the hair color that matches your eyebrows or beard.
  • Your eyes are two different colors. List the color of one of your eyes.

Family Information for Your Passport Information

You’ll need to provide the following information about your family:

• Your father’s full name, place of birth, and date of birth.  Not sure of these details?  Check your birth certificate, they should be listed there.
• Your mother’s maiden name, place of birth, and date of birth.
• Information about your spouse.  If you are currently married, fill in information about your current spouse.  If you are widowed or divorced, you’ll need to provide the information about your most recent spouse. Of course, this information isn’t needed if you’ve never been married!
  • Your spouse’s full name
  • Spouse’s date of birth
  • Spouse’s place of birth (city and state, or city and country if your spouse was born overseas)
  • Whether or not your spouse is a US citizen
  • Date of your marriage
  • Date you were widowed or divorced, if applicable

Travel Information and Emergency Contact

Since you’re applying for expedited passport service through G3passports.com, you will need to fill in the details of your upcoming trip.  You’ll need to list the date you plan to travel and the countries you will visit.  If your plans aren’t firm, that’s OK — just list the earliest date you think you may travel.

You will also need to provide the contact information for a friend or relative who is not traveling with you.  This person will be listed as your emergency contact in the State Department’s records.  You’ll need to fill in the following details for your emergency contact person:

• Full name
• Home address
• Telephone number
• Relationship to you

Having trouble gathering all the details you need, or do you have more questions?  Reach out to one of our passport specialists, or ask us in the comments!

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