Steps To Take If You Have Lost All Your Identification Documents

Posted on Feb 3 2019 - 4:22pm by Editorial Staff

Don’t you feel helpless when you lose your driving license? It is almost as if the police are looking to turn you in because you don’t have the driving license with. Imagine what would happen if you lose all your identification documents starting from birth certificate to the driving license to your passport – what would happen then? You will feel as if you a stranger in your own country, right? That is quite natural and there will be a whirlwind of thoughts going through your head about what to do and which ID to get first. Well, calm down before you do anything because you need to have a lot of patience to get everything back. So, here is a guide to reviving all your identification documents if they are lost or stolen:

Replacing your birth certificate

Among all the identification documents that you may have had, the birth certificate is the most important. It is the ultimate ID to prove your identity and you should get a replacement as soon as possible. Your first step will be to get in touch with your parents so that you can apply for an online replacement of the birth certificate. You will have to visit the vital records office to get access to all the details regarding your birth.

It is important that you bring your parents or guardian who had signed on the birth certificate. There are a few states that don’t require identification of the person but in most cases, you will need to have definite proof such as your parents or guardian. They will have to submit a notarized letter along with the replacement request of the birth certificate. You will also need to submit the photos of your parents while submitting the request and the notarized letter. There are many people who change their names and if you are one of those, you will first have to request a copy of the marriage license or the court order of the name change. These may be acquired without any identity proof as they are available online. But if your parents or guardians are deceased, it will be better to get the driver’s license first before the birth certificate.

Replacing the driver’s license

Losing the driver’s license is very common. You can lose your wallet where you kept the driving license and you won’t find it ever again. Fortunately, the steps to get a replacement of the driver’s license are easier than getting your birth certificate. Although it will be easier to get the driver’s license if you have a birth certificate but considering the fact that you have lost that too, you can visit your local DMV for help. You will have to fill out an application where you need to mention approximately when and where you may have lost the driver’s license. There will be a replacement fee and that amount varies from one state to another. Moreover, it will be easier if you have your driver’s license number. This will help to recognize your identity online because most of the states have online records of the license numbers of people.

Now that you have an idea of how to revive the driver’s license and the birth certificate, you will be able to acquire the other identification documents quite easily. That is why it was mentioned that you need to be calm and patient about the situation rather than get tensed and look around everywhere to get the documents back. Some of the other identification documents that you will need in your daily life are social security cards and marriage license. Here’s what you have to do next.

Replacing social security cards

The steps to replace the social security cards are much easier than reviving the driver’s license and birth certificate. Your first step will be to get in touch with the Social Security Administration. It will be best if you have written down the social security number; if you have not, you will be requested to submit some identification documents. That is why it will be better to get the birth certificate and driver’s license before applying for duplicate social security cards. Unless you memorize your social security number or write it down, you will not get the replacement. You will have to submit identification documents like birth certificate and a photo ID proof such as passport or driver’s license.

Replacing passport

The passport is another identification document that you need every now and then. So, losing it will drive you crazy. Good thing is, you can get a replacement without much of a hassle. First, you need to get in touch with the police and report a lost or stolen file for your passport. After that, you have to fill out a statement regarding the lost or stolen passport. Once you finish the statement, you will have to fill out an application for the replacement of the passport. You need to produce color passport photographs that will be attached to your application. The agency will ask you to provide all the existing identification documents including the driver’s license, birth certificate, and various social security cards.

All the documents will be checked thoroughly before a replacement is approved. You need to pay the applicable fees to get the replacement of the passport. Once the replacement is approved, you can expect the passport to arrive within 8 business days. These are some of the steps that you need to go through if you have lost all your identification documents. It will be a tough few days running to different offices and filling out numerous applications but that is unavoidable. There are a few offices that have online facilities but eventually, you will have to visit their offices for providing the required documents. So, make sure you plan every step before you take a decision. The suggestions given above have been tried and tested by thousands. So, you can rely on them completely.

About the Author

Editorial Staff at I2Mag is a team of subject experts.