Losing your passport on an international trip can be stressful. But there is one easy trick that could help make things a little smoother if this does happen to you.
In early 2025, influencer Valerie Stemper shared a short Instagram reel offering a quick hack every international traveler should know.
“Open up your passport to the back page and take a photo of the barcode on the bottom. If you lose your passport when you’re in another country, this will expedite the process exponentially,” Stemper said in the video.
The Online Tool Center explained, that little barcode on the bottom contains all of your personal information, which is used when you scan your passport, allowing “border control officers and other authorities to quickly retrieve and verify your details such as your name, nationality, and passport number.”
The website noted the barcode also contains a ton of useful information that agents can use to assist you if your passport is stolen. That includes your name, passport number, nationality, date of birth, gender, and your passport expiration date, all of which you’ll need to provide if you lose your document while abroad.
If you do lose your passport, it’s important to report it immediately to “protect yourself from identity theft,” according to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). You can do so online using this form. “When reporting online, we cancel your passport within one business day. We will send you a confirmation email after it is canceled,” the TSA website added. It also noted that while a police report isn’t mandatory to get a new passport, it can help “confirm the circumstances of the loss or theft.”
Next comes the hard part. You will need to contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate for further assistance and go in person to apply for a new passport.
“If you are scheduled to travel soon, please give the consular staff the details of your trip,” the TSA website shared. “We will make every effort to assist you quickly.”
This is where having all of your information available via that barcode can play a big role. Beyond the barcode, the TSA explained you must also bring one passport photo (2×2 inches or 5×5 centimeters), which will “speed up the process of replacing your passport.” Also, bring a second form of ID, proof of U.S. citizenship (e.g. a birth certificate or a copy of your missing passport), along with proof of your travel itinerary from your airline or train tickets and the DS-11 application for passport. If you have a police report, bring that as well. Lastly, be prepared to pay passport fees. If you’re traveling within a few days, you’ll likely be issued an emergency passport, which is valid for up to one year, but as the TSA noted, “You can exchange it for a full-validity passport after your trip.”
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