Lost / Stolen Polish Passport in the USA — Step by Step

Have you lost or had your Polish passport stolen in the USA? Don't worry — the process is clear. You need to report the loss, then apply for a new one. This guide explains both steps.

Step 1: Report the Loss (Immediately)

1A. USA Police

If the passport was stolen (not just lost):

• Report to the local police — you will receive a "police report"
• The report number will be needed at the consulate
• Free of charge, takes 30-60 minutes

If the passport was only lost — a police report is not required, but recommended (helpful for the consulate and insurance).

1B. Polish Online Report

Report the loss in the Polish ePolice system or directly at the consulate. This immediately invalidates the passport — preventing its use by the thief.

• System Gov.pl — Report Loss of Passport
• Or directly at the consulate via email/phone

NOTE: After reporting, the passport is invalidated in the system. If you find it later — it cannot be used!

Step 2: Application for a New Passport

You apply at the Polish consulate. List and jurisdictions:

Choose the consulate according to your state of residence. You can also visit another one, but they typically prefer to serve "their own".

Required Documents

1. Passport Application — consular form, available online or at the consulate
2. Certificate of Loss — police report (if theft) or your written statement
3. Biometric Photo — 35×45 mm, on a white background. You can take one at the consulate for $15-25
4. Proof of Identity — photocopy (if you have):
   • Polish ID card
   • Polish birth certificate (if you lived in Poland)
   • Old passport (if a copy is available)
   • U.S. driver's license / state ID
   • Old NIP / PESEL card
5. Power of Attorney — if the applicant is a minor, consent from both parents (or apostille + translation from Poland)
6. Fee — in cash, money order, or card (depending on the consulate)

What if I have NO documents

This can happen — for example, everything was stolen. The consulate will then:

1. Verify your data through the Polish PESEL database
2. Ask about family details, place of birth, dates
3. May require contact with family in Poland (phone to USC)
4. If verification is successful → issues a passport
5. Time: a few weeks (verification handshakes)

Types of Passports to Choose From

10-Year Regular Passport (for ages 13+)

• Standard, biometric
• Printed in Poland, transported to the consulate
• Cost: $130
• Time: 4-8 weeks

5-Year Regular Passport (for ages 5-13)

• For children aged 5-13
• Cost: $80
• Time: 4-8 weeks

2-Year Regular Passport (for ages 0-5)

• For small children
• Cost: $50
• Time: 4-8 weeks

Temporary Passport (up to 12 months)

• Issued on the spot at the consulate
• Valid for up to 12 months
• Cost: $40
• Time: same day or 24-48 hours
• Printed on "blank paper" at the consulate
• Accepted for return travel to Poland
• IMPORTANT: Some countries (Schengen zone countries outside Poland) require a regular passport; the temporary passport is less accepted. For travel to the USA → no Polish passport needed (you have U.S. documents), for travel to Poland → OK.

Emergency Passport "Extra Urgent"

Exceptionally fast regular passport — typically 1-2 weeks. Requires justification (death in the family, urgent medical matters). Higher fee.

What if I need to urgently fly to Poland

The most common scenario: you lost your passport just before your planned flight to Poland.

Option 1: Temporary Passport

• Go to the consulate with documents (or without)
• Issued within 24-48 hours
• You fly to Poland with it
• In Poland, you apply for a regular passport on-site (municipal office, ePuap)

Option 2: Travel Document from the Consulate

• Single-use document only for return to Poland
• Issued when there is no possibility of quickly issuing a passport
• Time: 24-72 hours
• Only for direct return to Poland (no stops outside the EU)

What to pack for temporary travel?

• Temporary passport / Travel Document
• Police report from the USA (if theft)
• All other U.S. documents (driver's license, GC, etc.)
• Ticket — specify the exact date from the ticket
• Contact the airline — sometimes they require additional verification

Returning to the USA with a Temporary Passport

If you are:

• U.S. Citizen — you do not need a Polish passport to enter the USA, you return on your American one. The Polish temporary passport is not an issue.
• Green Card holder — you return on your Green Card. Polish temporary passport + GC = OK.
• Tourist / Work Visa — the visa is in the old passport (lost/stolen). PROBLEM. You must:
  • Apply for a new visa at the Polish embassy in the USA (Warsaw, Krakow, Poznan)
  • Or apply for a "transfer of visa" to the new passport (formalities at the U.S. consulate in Poland)
  • This may delay your return by weeks

What to do with stolen data

If the passport was STOLEN (not lost), your data is in the hands of the thief. Risks:

• Identity theft
• Opening bank accounts in your name
• Credit applications
• Entry to other countries by someone with a similar appearance

What to do:

1. Report the invalidation of the passport in the Polish system (immediately)
2. Contact 3 American credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) and set a fraud alert (90 days, free)
3. Consider a credit freeze (best protection)
4. Check your credit report every few weeks for 6-12 months
5. If you see unauthorized accounts — report immediately to the bank + identitytheft.gov

Related: [[identity-theft-i-freeze-credit-jak-sie-zabezpieczyc]]

Common Mistakes

1. Not reporting the loss immediately — risk of identity theft
2. Applying for a new passport "just in case" without consultation — it may take weeks, better to go for a temporary passport
3. Not presenting a police report if theft — the consulate prefers to have proof
4. Flying without a passport — airlines will not allow boarding
5. Waiting for a new passport instead of a temporary one — when travel is urgent (death in the family, wedding) — temporary passport issued in 1-2 days
6. Not bringing old photos/documents to the consulate — complicates identification

What if the passport is found

If you reported the loss and then found the passport — do not use it! It is in the system as "invalidated". You will be stopped at the airport. Return it to the consulate for "cancellation".

Official Links

• Gov.pl — Report Loss of Passport
• Embassy of the Republic of Poland in the USA
• Consulates of the Republic of Poland in the USA — services
• U.S. State Dept — Passport info (USA)
• IdentityTheft.gov — federal assistance

Related: [[konsulaty-rp-usa-uk-niemcy-kontakt-sprawy]] · [[polski-paszport-dla-dziecka-urodzonego-w-usa]] · [[identity-theft-i-freeze-credit-jak-sie-zabezpieczyc]]