How to Replace Stolen Documents (Wallet, Passport, Social Security Card)
A stolen wallet or bag in the US often takes everything at once. It may hold your passport, Social Security card, license, and immigration papers. You must replace them in a set order. You need some documents to get others. Follow this order. You will rebuild the full set without dead ends.
At a glance
- Cost:
- $0–$645 depending on documents
- Total time:
- 2–8 weeks (all documents)
- Steps:
- 9 steps
- Where to apply:
- identitytheft.gov
Last reviewed October 2026 against official sources. Re-checked annually · next review due October 2027.
The Steps
Follow these in order
Each card shows the phase, expected time, and any cost. Data checked against official US sources(October 2026).
0 of 9 steps
- Before You Go 2 hours
File a police report and freeze your credit — today
The police report helps with everything that follows. It speeds up replacements. Some stolen-document forms require it. It can also waive some state replacement fees. Then contact the three credit bureaus. They are Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Ask for a free credit freeze. This is the strongest protection against identity theft. Call your bank and card issuers to cancel stolen cards. Report a stolen Social Security number to the IRS and FTC at IdentityTheft.gov.
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- Before You Go 30 min
Order your foundation document: the birth certificate
If your birth certificate was stolen or lost, get it first. You need it for other replacements. Order it from the vital records office of the state where you were born. It usually costs $15–30. If you were born abroad, order from the State Department. Ask for the Consular Report of Birth Abroad. Or order from your country's consulate. Expedited shipping is worth it. You will be asked for this copy again and again.
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- Submit & Pay 4–6 weeks + mailing
Replace your passport
Report it lost/stolen FIRST at travel.state.gov or 877-487-2778 right away. This makes it invalid right away. It protects you from misuse. In the US, apply in person with Form DS-11 instead. A lost/stolen passport requires an in-person visit. You cannot renew by mail with DS-82 in this case. Bring your photo, citizenship evidence, and ID. Also bring a statement that describes the loss. Fee: $130 book + $35 execution. Expect routine processing of 4–6 weeks, plus mailing time.
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- Submit & Pay 5–10 business days
Replace your Social Security card
Fill in the SSASocial Security Administration — The agency that issues Social Security numbers/cards and pays retirement, disability (SSDI), and SSI benefits.Click for official info ↗ application (SS-5). Bring proof of citizenship or immigration status. Also bring proof of identity. Take these to a Social Security office. An appointment is better than a walk-in visit. The card is free. You can get up to 3 replacement cards per year. The limit is 10 per lifetime. Your number never changes. So you mainly need the card for hiring paperwork. Take the receipt SSA gives you. Use it as temporary proof while the card arrives by mail in 5–10 business days.
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- Submit & Pay 1–3 weeks
Replace your driver's license or state ID
Visit your state DMVDepartment of Motor Vehicles — Your state agency for driver's licenses, state IDs, and vehicle registration. Some states call it the BMV, DPS, MVD, or DDS.Click for official info ↗. Bring your police report. Bring your birth certificate or passport. Bring 2 proofs of residency. Most states give you a temporary paper license on the spot. They mail the real card in 1–3 weeks. Report the old license as canceled/lost. This stops others from using it for fraud. A REAL IDREAL ID-compliant license — A state driver's license or ID that meets federal security standards — required for domestic flights and federal buildings.Click for official info ↗ replacement requires the full document set again.
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- Submit & Pay 5–12 months (green card)
Immigrants: replace your green card, EAD, or visa documents
Green cardPermanent Resident Card — The ID card proving lawful permanent resident status — live and work in the US permanently.Click for official info ↗: file Form I-90Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card — The form used to renew or replace a green card.Click for official info ↗ first. It costs $415 online or $465 paper. The fee is waived if the card was issued with errors. Lost/stolen EADEmployment Authorization Document — The "work permit" card (Form I-766) that shows you are allowed to work in the US while waiting for a green card.Click for official info ↗ (work permit): file Form I-765Application for Employment Authorization — The form used to request a work permit (EAD).Click for official info ↗ again. Add a cover letter that mentions the theft. The replacement is often fee-exempt when tied to a pending case. Or the fee is $470 online / $520 paper. Stolen or lost visa foil or I-94Arrival/Departure Record — The electronic record of your legal entry — your admission class and the date your authorized stay expires.Click for official info ↗: you do not replace the visa inside the US. Apply for a new one at a consulate abroad instead. Or get your I-94 record online at the CBPUS Customs and Border Protection — The agency that inspects you when you enter the US at an airport or land border crossing.Click for official info ↗ website. Always carry the police report with you until replacements arrive.
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- Wait Ongoing
Track each replacement separately
Passport: use the State Department online status checker. Social Security card: contact your local SSA office or call 800-772-1213. License: use state DMV tracking. Green card/EAD: check USCISUS Citizenship and Immigration Services — The federal agency that processes green cards, work permits, naturalization, and most immigration benefits. Part of the Department of Homeland Security.Click for official info ↗ case status online with your receipt number. Expect a 2-week "not found" window on all of them. Save every receipt number in one place. They are your proof of pending status.
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- Receive 30 min
Verify each new document the day it arrives
Check the name spelling right away. Also check the date of birth and expiration dates. Errors are much easier to fix in the first 30 days. Sign new cards. Make copies of everything. Store the originals somewhere safer than a wallet. Use a home safe or a bank deposit box. Carry only what you need each day. Leave the Social Security card at home permanently.
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- Follow Up Ongoing
Check your accounts for the next year
Keep the credit freeze on. Lift it for a short time only when you apply for credit. Get your free annual credit reports from all three bureaus. Watch for tax-refund theft. A stolen SSNSocial Security Number — A 9-digit number issued by the Social Security Administration. It is the main US identity number for work, taxes, and credit.Click for official info ↗ can be used to file a fake return. If the IRS rejects your e-file as a duplicate, you are a victim. File Form 14039. Immigrants should also watch their USCIS myHistory page. Look for filings in their name that they did not expect.
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Be Careful
Don't make these mistakes
Skipping the police report and credit freeze. File the police report first. It speeds up replacements, some stolen-document forms require it, and it can waive some state replacement fees. The same day, ask Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion for a free credit freeze, and cancel stolen cards with your bank and card issuers.
Replacing documents in the wrong order. If your birth certificate is gone, get it first. You need it for other replacements. You can then replace the passport and Social Security card at the same time, and the license is often fastest and gives you photo ID for everything else.
Trying to renew a lost passport by mail. Report a lost or stolen passport first at travel.state.gov or 877-487-2778 so it becomes invalid right away. Then apply in person with Form DS-11US Passport Application — The form for first-time passports, minors, and anyone not eligible to renew by mail. Filed in person.Click for official info ↗. You cannot renew by mail with DS-82US Passport Renewal Application — The form for renewing a passport by mail. Only for adults whose current passport is undamaged and issued within the last 15 years.Click for official info ↗ when a passport is lost or stolen.
Carrying your Social Security card every day. Leave the Social Security card at home permanently. Store originals somewhere safer than a wallet, such as a home safe or a bank deposit box, and carry only what you need each day.
Lifting the credit freeze too soon. Keep the credit freeze on and lift it only for a short time when you apply for credit. Watch your accounts for the next year. If the IRSInternal Revenue Service — The US federal tax agency. It collects federal income taxes, issues refunds, and administers ITINs.Click for official info ↗ rejects your e-file as a duplicate, you are a victim of tax-refund theft, so file Form 14039.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Which document should I replace first?
File the police report first. Do the credit freeze the same day. Then get the birth certificate if it is gone. It unlocks the passport and license. You can replace the passport and Social Security card at the same time. The license is often fastest. It gives you photo ID for everything else.
Will a stolen green card put me out of status?
No. Your status does not end when the card is lost. Only your proof of it is gone. File the I-90 right away. Keep the receipt notice (I-797) as temporary evidence. It is valid proof for work and travel purposes while you wait. Never travel abroad without the card or an I-551 stamp in your passport.
Someone is using my stolen Social Security number. What do I do?
Report it at IdentityTheft.gov. This gives you a recovery plan. Tell the IRS too. Use Form 14039 if tax fraud is involved. Also file a police report. The SSA itself cannot give you a new number, except in extreme cases. But a credit freeze blocks most new-account fraud with the stolen number.
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