Important Due to Covid-19, processing times for passports are taking longer than normal for both standard and expedited services.

Do I need to send in an expired passport that has been reported lost then found?

by John
(Portland Oregon USA)

Question: A year ago I lost my passport. I applied for a new passport and received a replacement. I have recently found the lost passport and it is expired.


Do I still need to send it in to be invalidated? This is important because the expired passport still contains a valid visa and I am planning to travel on that visa. The country I am traveling to (Brazil) allows valid visas from expired passports. Will I be allowed to carry a expired passport that has been reported lost through US customs?

Answer: You do not need to send in the passport. Once you call and report the passport's loss, it is invalidated.

While Brazil is one of the only countries that does allow you to enter using a valid visa in an invalidated passport, it is not advisable in this case. We cannot affirm that you will have problems but it is possible. If you had merely renewed your passport and the old had been canceled, this would probably not be the case. The fact that it was lost could cause complications.

While not obligatory, you are encouraged to apply for a new Brazil travel visa. The Brazilian consulate in San Francisco has jurisdiction over the state of Oregon. It takes 14-21 days to process applications through this consulate. If you choose to replace the visa and need to get it quicker, you can request the assistance of a qualified expediting service. For more information, click the link below.

Expedite Brazil Visa

Return to Passport Replacement FAQ.

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Top 5 Questions About Expedited Passport Couriers

UPDATE: Mailing delays and high demand are impacting passport processing. The Department of State's processing times begin when applications are received at a passport agency or center and not when you mail them or apply at a local acceptance facility.

Standard service may take between 10 and 13 weeks. This timeframe does not include delivery time. Mailing times vary across the country.

Expedited service takes from 7 to 9 weeks excluding mailing times on the front and back end. Current mailing delays are significant. Requesting 1-2-day mailing service is recommended.

Regional passport agencies are offering two types of appointments: Life-of-Death Emergency Service and Urgent Travel Service.

Life-or-death emergencies are serious illnesses, injuries, or deaths in your immediate family (parent, legal guardian, child, spouse, sibling, and grandparent) that require you to travel outside the United States within 3 business days.

If you need to travel due to a qualified life-or-death emergency, please call the National Passport Information Center for an appointment.

For Urgent Travel Service, you need to call 14 days before your scheduled international travel or 28 days if you also need to secure a foreign visa.

If you need to travel urgently for reasons other than a life-or-death emergency, please call the NPIC.

A registered expedited passport courier can often assist in obtaining a passport as quickly as the same day. You can learn more about this service here.

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