If you lose your Indian passport in the US with a valid US visa, here is what you need to do

If you lose your Indian passport in the US, panic is unnecessary. You can get a fresh passport the very next day in most cases. Here is how it happens.

New Process for applying for a fresh passport

I published the original post on July 16, 2019, and updated it on January 12, 2022. I am again updating some quick steps regarding the Process, and the latest update was on February 24, 2023.

*** Here are the six steps you need to take ****

1. File a police report - Please get a police report filed at the nearest police station where you live or if you think you lost your passport. Generally, a police station on the campus of your University might also be more accessible and friendly. Always keep a copy of this report for your future records. Better scan it and save it.
2. Request Replacement of a Lost/Stolen Arrival/Departure Record (Form I-94) –  You need to seek a replacement of a lost or stolen Form I-94. To file for a replacement I-94, see Application for Replacement/Initial Nonimmigrant Arrival-Departure Document at the DHS, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website and see Arrival-Departure Record at the DHS, Customs, and Border Protection (CBP) website. Please take a look at the links at https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/lost-stolen-visas.html.
3. Report loss of Visa to your Consulate – This is generally abroad/ outside the US. So please report the loss of the Visa to the US Embassy/ Consulate, which issued you the Visa via written email communication. For email addresses, please refer to the respective Consulate page. 
4. New Visa – Lost or stolen US visas cannot be replaced in the United States. If your passport is lost or stolen inside the US, you must get a new F-1 or J-1 visa the next time you travel internationally to return to the US as an F-1 or J-1 student. Remember, you can remain in the US without an F-1 or J-1 visa as long as your passport, I-20 or DS-2019, and I-94 are valid. Refer to: https://iss.wisc.edu/students/current-students/lost-immigration-documents/ and https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/lost-stolen-visas.html.
5. Inform the Indian Embassy/ Consulate about the last passport – Please reach the nearest Indian Consulate or Embassy of India within the US via email and inform them about your lost passport, with a copy of the police report. Check here for information on the nearest Consulate https://www.indianembassyusa.gov.in/pages/MTc
6. Apply for a new passport – VFS Global provides Passport services. You can apply online or visit the nearest center. Refer to: https://services.vfsglobal.com/usa/en/ind/apply-passport. 

Please note the Indian Embassy in the US, will not entertain your requests directly. You must approach - VFS Global, which now is responsible for processing the application of the India Passports in the United States of America.

For the application for Indian passports in the US, please visit - https://visa.vfsglobal.com/usa/en/ind/.

VFS Helpline Numbers for Passport and Visa Services:

For any support, please call Monday to Friday, 8:00 to 20:00 hours EST for assistance with completing your application: VFS Passport and Visa Services: +1 800 320 9625 *

Also, read the VFS FAQ Section here https://visa.vfsglobal.com/usa/en/ind/faq.

*** Below is the original post I wrote in 2019 ***

What Happens to your Visa?

Once you lose your passport and report it to the police, US visas reported as lost or stolen cannot be reprinted or revalidated, even if the lost or stolen passport is later recovered. You must apply for a new visa and pay a new visa application fee. Please visit our website- http://www.ustraveldocs.com/in for more information.

How long can you stay after you lose your passport and Visa?

If you lose your passport with Visa and I-94 records, "If you are a foreign citizen temporarily in the United States, and you lose your US visa, you can remain for the duration of your authorized stay, as shown on your admission stamp or paper Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record."

The presumption here is that you have a passport and visa copy, at least, if not I-94 records, with you in a scanned format. I'm looking forward to hearing your feedback and experiences on this.

How to get a fresh US Visa if you lose your Indian passport?

Again, per the regulations, "Lost or stolen US visas cannot be replaced in the United States. To replace a visa, you must apply in person at a US Embassy or Consulate abroad. When applying for the replacement of a visa, you will need to provide a written account documenting the loss of your passport and Visa. Include a copy of the police report".

For Indian citizens, when their Indian passport with US Visa gets lost or stolen, the Visa gets invalid. They must exit the country before their I-94 expires, visit the US Embassy in India, and apply for a fresh visa.

Read more here - https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/lost-stolen-visas.html.

Lost or stolen U.S. visas cannot be replaced in the United States. For the replacement of a visa, you must apply in person at a U.S. Embassy in India.

How to get a replacement I-94?

Replacement of a lost or stolen Form I-94 falls under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) responsibility. To file for a replacement I-94, see Application for Replacement/Initial Nonimmigrant Arrival-Departure Document at the DHS, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website and see Arrival-Departure Record at the DHS, Customs, and Border Protection (CBP) website.

However, please note that to depart the US and re-enter India, you will need a valid passport, and that is why it is essential that you reapply for a fresh passport with the nearest Indian embassy in the United States through VFS.

You will need a valid passport to depart the United States and to enter India, and that is why a fresh passport becomes a necessity.

Some best practices and first things to do

• Reach the nearest police station, and complain about the lost passport. Carry that copy for all purposes.
• Inform the US Embassy in India via email of your lost passport and visa case, and provide a copy of your passport and Visa.
• Reach VFS helpline numbers in the US for any questions on getting a fresh passport - +1 800 320 9625 / +1 800 320 9693
• Always tell your near and dear to have a copy of their passport, Visa, and, if possible, the latest I94, copied on a mobile or computer, for easy access in lost passport scenarios.

Other things you need to do

• If you are trying to fly to apply for a passport, you need an original travel document mandated by TSA. If you don't have a passport, an Indian driving license might be entertained, provided you show the police report of the lost passport. They will do additional scrutiny and check you thoroughly before deciding whether you are fit to fly domestically. (I was lucky in that sense, I took a flight).