What to do when your Passport with US Visa Stamp is Stolen:

If you lose your passport with a valid US visa stamp, you cannot enter the US until you get a new visa. BUT,

Panic Not! Your Guide to Handling a Lost or Stolen Passport with a US Visa Stamp:

Losing your passport, especially one with a valid US visa, can be a stressful and confusing experience. But before you let panic set in, take a deep breath and know that there are steps you can take to quickly address the situation and minimize the disruption. Here's your guide to handling a lost or stolen passport with a US Visa stamp:

1. Act Immediately:

Don't waste time! Report the loss or theft to the nearest local police station and obtain a police report. This document will be crucial for insurance claims and documenting the incident with US authorities.

2. Report to the US Embassy or Consulate:

As soon as possible, visit the nearest US embassy or consulate and report the loss. They will help you file a lost passport report and guide you through the replacement process. You can find contact information for the nearest US embassy or consulate on the State Department website: https://travel.state.gov/

You can also report the loss on US embassy through email: Get specific US Embassy or consulate email address.

Mention this information clearly in the email that you send to the US embassy:

Email Subject

Passport [STOLEN or LOST or BURNT] with USA VISA – [H1B or H4 or B1 or F1 or ANY OTHER]

Email Body content

1. Your FULL NAME (First Name + Middle Name + Last Name).

2. Your Date of Birth (Month-Date-Year).

3. Your Place of Birth (City + Country).

4. Your Address in United States (If you are/were staying in USA at time of passport loss).

5. Your contact EMAIL address.

Email Attachment

Attach these documents to your email:

1. Copy of Police complaint.

2. Copy of lost passport – page 1 with your photo and passport number, if available.

3. Copy of US visa, if available.

(If your missing passport had no US Visa stamp, there is NO need to report it to the US embassy.)

3. Apply New / Emergency Passport:

If you need to travel urgently, you can apply for an emergency passport at the US embassy or consulate. This passport will have limited validity and specific destinations it's valid for. Once you have lost your valid passport, you should apply for a new one immediately with your country’s embassy.

For example, if you are an Indian citizen, you can apply for a new passport with Indian Embassy in the USA.

4. Replacing Your Visa:

Unfortunately, a lost or stolen visa cannot be directly replaced. You will need to reapply for a new visa through the regular application process. However, the fact that you had a valid visa previously can expedite the process in some cases. 

5. Important Documents:

Keep copies of your police report, passport information page, visa information page, and any communication with the authorities in a safe place. These documents will be helpful when navigating the replacement process.

6. Dropbox Eligibility:

You will not be eligible for dropbox if your passport has been lost or stolen and it had your stamped visa.

Additional Tips:

• Consider registering your passport with the State Department before traveling. This will help them locate you and provide assistance in case of emergency.

• Photocopy your passport information page and visa page and keep them separate from your passport.

• Scan your passport and visa documents and store them electronically in a secure cloud storage account.

• Consider adding travel insurance to your trip to cover potential costs associated with passport replacement.

Remember: 

• Losing your passport with a US visa can be stressful, but by acting quickly and following these steps, you can minimize the disruption and get back on track with your travel plans.

• Your US visa is canceled immediately by the US embassy on your report of a stolen passport. The US visa is canceled automatically to avoid its misuse. Your US visa becomes invalid for travel.

• If you are currently inside the USA and you still have validity left on your i94, you can keep staying in the USA even though your visa has been canceled.

• You need a Visa stamp only for entering the USA. Your stay within the USA is governed by your i94 validity

• You can normally apply for your visa extensions or amendments like in the case of an H1B visa while staying in the USA after visa cancellation.

• If your application is approved, you will get your new i94.

• Unless you travel outside the USA, your situation will remain normal.

• If you travel outside the USA, you will need a NEW visa stamp from the US embassy to re-enter.

• You cannot use a visa in your old passport that was previously reported as stolen.

• If you reported your missing passport to the US embassy, they would have already invalidated your Visa Stamp. Hence, it is no longer valid. You will have to apply for a replacement US visa at the US embassy.

• It is not possible to replace a lost US visa with a new passport in the USA.  You have to travel to the US embassy/consulate outside the USA to get a new one. But, your i-94 stays valid and you can stay in the USA till it’s valid.

• Always keep a scanned copy of your passport and visa. This would come in handy if you lose the original copies and will help your country’s embassy and US embassy to fetch your records.

• For more information / help reach out to Amrita Jaiswal & Associates