When you are in the United States on a visa, it is important that you have all of your travel documents including your passport, your visa, or a paper version of your I-94 Form. It can be incredibly stressful for a person to lose their travel documentation, or even more stressful if you believe that your travel documents have been stolen. If you believe that your documentation was stolen, it is important that you file a police report as soon as you become aware of the theft. Something that may be beneficial to you in that situation is to always have extra copies of your travel documents. It is important to know that you will not be able to leave the country without a valid passport, even if you have a paper copy of it.
You will have to report your lost or stolen passport to the embassy of the country that you have citizenship in. They will have a set procedure regarding how you can replace your passport. You should be aware that you may need to request a visa extension if it may take a long period of time to replace your passport. If your United States visa has been lost or stolen, you may have to go to the U.S. Embassy for a replacement that proves that you had your visa lost or stolen. If it was stolen, you should be sure to provide the embassy with the police report that you have filed.
If you have any other questions about having your travel documents stolen or misplaced, you may want to consult with an experienced immigration law attorney who can provide you with assistance.
The Law Office of Cheryl David practices immigration law throughout NYC. If you have questions as to whether consular processing is right for you, or you can maybe change your status in the United States instead of going home, please contact the office to discuss your situation and options.
