Worried about losing your passport? Most Americans don’t give the possibility a second thought, according to a new survey released by Mandala Research.

The group surveyed 1,000 Americans to gauge their concerns about lost or stolen passports. Here are the results:

  • 87 percent of respondents said they were “confident in their ability to protect their passport during travel.”
  • Only 2 percent of respondents had experienced a lost or stolen passport

In a press release, Laura Mandala, managing director of Mandala Research, said:

“Americans love to travel, but when it comes to matters of personal security and identity theft, these are hot button issues that raise concerns. We undertook the study to see if passport theft was a deterrent to international travel, and the numbers indicate it isn’t.”

Lost Passport Statistics

Do we need to be MORE concerned about lost or stolen passports?

Mandala’s research indicated that only 2 percent of respondents experienced a lost or stolen passport. In 2011 the State Department’s statistics showed 253,037 lost passports and 60,984 stolen passports. That might sound like a lot, but in 2011 there were more than 109 million US passports in circulation. So, it’s really just a drop in the bucket.

How to Replace a Lost Passport, Fast

The best course of action is to stay vigilant, keep your passport secure and know how to get it replaced, just in case. Here are some helpful tips:

When you go overseas:

  • Make one or more copies of the biographical page of your passport (that’s the page with your picture, birthday, etc on it.) Keep these somewhere safe, but not with your passport.
  • If you lose your passport, go to the nearest US Embassy or consulate. They will help you get your passport replaced.

If you’re in the US and your passport has been lost or stolen:

  • Apply in person at a post office or other passport acceptance facility to replace it.
  • Follow these instructions to report your old passport missing and apply for a new one: What To Do If You Lost Your Passport.

Replacing a lost passport in the United States can be time-consuming.  The State Department generally takes six weeks to process a regular passport application and three weeks to process an expedited passport application from the post office.

If you don’t have that much time before your next adventure, you can make an appointment at the nearest passport agency.   An expediting company can also save you the time and hassle of replacing your lost passport. 

Expediting companies generally offer a range of processing speeds to meet your needs and budget,  all of which are faster than the State Department’s expedited service.

Lost passport? In a hurry? We can help!

Photo credit: Some rights reserved by Daquella manera