The Story of Reissuing a Passport in the United States

On October 12, 2023, I lost my wallet containing my passport, and by the 14th, I felt it was irretrievable, so I had to reissue it. There are two types of travel documents that can be reissued in the United States, one is a passport, and the other is a travel document.

If you are on a short-term business trip to the United States and need to return urgently, you can apply for a travel document, which takes about three weeks from application to receipt. However, the travel document can only be used to return to the country, and you still need to reissue your passport after returning. The time to apply for a passport is relatively long, and it takes four weeks from application to receipt. If you hold a B1/B2 visa and cannot provide proof of address, then you can only apply for a travel document. The difference between three weeks and four weeks is not significant, so I reissued my passport.

In theory, there is a green channel called “Emergency Travel Document”, but it is only for emergencies such as serious illness or death of family members, and requires medical proof from the home country. General passport loss and urgent need to return to the country do not meet this condition.

Note that although the English words for reissue and renewal are both replace, their meanings are completely different. After reissuing the passport, the U.S. visa on the original passport will become invalid. Therefore, friends who are in the United States for a long time should not choose to reissue their passports just to save trouble if they need to renew their passports due to expiration.

In addition, after applying for a reissued passport, the original passport cannot be used even if it is found again. The number of the reissued passport will change, and the original passport number will enter the database of the International Criminal Police Organization. Once you enter or leave the border with the original passport, you will be invited into the small black room. The logic of reissuing a passport is similar to that of reissuing an ID card in China. Most places that are not connected to the Internet cannot check whether they are using a passport or ID card that has been reissued, but customs, police stations, and banks in China can check. I left an ID card with my wife to facilitate her to help me with things, and this time I used it to reissue my SIM card.

Here I record the process of reissuing a passport in the United States, which is similar to renewing a passport, for your reference. The most worth referring to is the part of mailing materials and preparing return envelopes. Many people don’t know how to do it, so they go to third-party agencies to handle it, which not only costs more, but also risks personal privacy leaks.

Timeline for Reissuing a Passport

October 14, 2023 (Saturday), submit an application online through the Chinese Consulate App.
October 16 (Monday), preliminary review passed, appointment for video meeting.
October 18 (Wednesday), video meeting passed, entered re-review, mailed materials.
October 19 (Thursday), materials sent to the Los Angeles Consulate General.
October 20 (Friday), re-review passed, changed to “waiting for certification” status.
November 7 (after two weeks on Tuesday), changed to “sent out” status.
November 8 (Wednesday), found information about the mail sent from the Los Angeles Consulate General on the USPS website.
November 9 (Thursday), received the passport.

From submitting the application online to receiving the passport, it took nearly four weeks, 26 days. The “waiting for certification” status took the longest time, 18 days. The official website of the Consulate General says that from receiving the paper version of the materials to making and sending out, the passport requires 15 working days, and the travel document requires 10 working days, which is similar to the time I actually experienced. There are also other friends who have recently reissued and renewed their passports, and the whole process also takes about a month, and it takes about 20 days from sending out the paper version of the materials to the passport being made and sent out.

The phone of the Consulate General is completely unreachable, even the so-called “24-hour emergency consular rescue phone” is unreachable, so don’t expect to seek help from the Consulate General after encountering any emergencies. When I was at Huawei, I said that if something happens, contact the local Huawei office (Huawei has offices in almost all countries), which is more reliable than the embassy.

Chinese Consulate App Online Application

Before applying for a reissued passport, you need to find your own consular district (not necessarily strictly according to geographical distance), and carefully read the instructions on the Consulate General’s website. The content described in this article may be outdated when you read this article.

Los Angeles Consulate General Consular District (November 2023)

On October 14, I submitted an application for reissuing a passport online on the “Chinese Consulate” App.

When I first used the “Chinese Consulate” App, it often crashed. At first, I thought it was a problem with my Google Pixel phone, but it was fine after I hung up the VPN to return to the country.

First, you need to register with a mobile phone number or email, and then pass the face detection for real-name authentication. Then it’s time to fill in the application form for reissuing a passport in the App.

At first, I filled in the reissue of the travel document. In fact, the materials required for reissuing a passport are not much more than a travel document. If you apply for a travel document, you also need a nationality status declaration. Since the difference between three weeks and four weeks is not significant, it’s better to have a passport, and the place of issue of the passport is considered as a commemoration.

To apply for a passport, you need to upload a photo ID, but no matter how I upload my own photo ID, it can’t pass the detection, and the life photo can’t pass either. In fact, it doesn’t matter if the verification fails, you can continue to apply in the App. It is possible that the video meeting is a process added because the photo is not qualified.

Upload photo ID interface

Materials to be Submitted

Next, enter the App interface for submitting materials. The complete list of required materials is at the end of this article.

The materials to be submitted include:

Original passport photo. If there is no retained photo, you need to generate a proof on Alipay or WeChat Mini Program. My habit is to take photos and keep them for all documents.
Front and back photos of ID card, or photos of U.S. green card, or photos of U.S. visa, or photos of U.S. driver’s license. I neither have a green card nor a U.S. driver’s license, so I uploaded photos of my ID card and U.S. visa.
Holding a newspaper within 5 days in front of the U.S. post office and other landmarks. This will be detailed later.
China and U.S. entry and exit stamps. When I left the country, because I was going to transfer in Hong Kong, I went through the manual channel and got a physical stamp (yes, I also took a photo and kept it). When I entered the United States, I just looked at my passport, took a photo of me, and let me go without asking me a word, and didn’t stamp it.
Passport Travel Document Supplemental Declaration. You need to download it from the Consulate General’s website, print it out, sign it by hand, and then take a photo and upload it.
Proof of long-term residence in the United States, the same requirements as for a bank card, utility bills or bank statements are fine, rental contracts are not allowed. If you can’t get it out, you can’t apply for a passport, you can only apply for a travel document. After I came to the United States, I first went to BOA to apply for a bank card. The BOA in LA does not require proof of address (even has Chinese service), and then I have a bank statement as proof of address that can be used for other things. It is recommended that friends who come to the United States for more than a month first solve the proof of address.
Photo ID used on the new passport. The same requirements as the previous photo upload, upload it again.

Taking a photo with a newspaper

If it weren’t for reissuing my passport, I probably would never buy a newspaper. Walmart generally doesn’t sell newspapers, grocery stores generally do. For example, Albertsons in Diamond Bar sells newspapers, and a copy of the “Los Angeles Times” costs nearly 4 dollars. Be careful not to buy a certain Epoch Times, some people have been rejected using this newspaper for application. In fact, the Epoch Times can best prove that a person is in the United States, because this newspaper is definitely not available in China.

Then it’s about finding a post office to take a photo. I asked a passerby to take a photo at the entrance of the post office, so I got this photo of me standing stupidly at the entrance of the post office with a newspaper.

Take a photo with the newspaper in front of the landmark

A few days ago, a friend asked me where the nearby post office was. You have to learn to use Google Maps. You can’t live in the United States with a domestic map app.

You also need to print and fill out a “Passport/Travel Certificate Supplemental Declaration”, which can be downloaded from the consulate’s website.

Passport/Travel Certificate Supplemental Declaration

Submitting for preliminary review

After filling in the information on the App, and paying the fee (23 dollars), you can submit it for preliminary review. The preliminary review takes about one working day. I submitted for preliminary review on October 14th, Saturday, and it passed on October 16th, Monday.

Then it’s about scheduling a video meeting. The only available time shown here is Wednesday afternoon from 13:45 to 14:45, so I scheduled this time.

Order status after scheduling a video meeting

When it’s time for the video meeting, you need to wait in line for the App to call your number. I came in at 13:45 and waited for about 15 minutes before it was my turn.

The video meeting was the rudest person I’ve encountered in the United States. It was like interrogating a suspect, asking “Name?” “Date of birth?” Then they asked me to take off my glasses and take a photo in front of the camera. After the photo was taken, it was over.

Waiting in line for the video meeting to call your number

Mailing materials

After passing the video meeting, you need to mail the materials to the consulate. The official website of the consulate asks you to prepare a return envelope and affix enough stamps. In fact, now there are services like Shippo, you don’t need to bother the post office staff.

Creating a Label on Shippo

On the Shippo website, after registration, click Create New Label to create a Label. Fill in your own address in the Sender Address, and fill in the consulate’s address in the Recipient Address, as shown below.

Creating a Label on the Shippo website, step one

The second step is to select the type of item, packaging size, and be sure to check Create a return label, which is to be affixed to the return envelope.

Creating a Label on the Shippo website, step two

The third step is to pay. Because I’m in Los Angeles, USPS Priority Mail is enough. Even if you use USPS Priority Mail Express, it will arrive the next day. I used Express and wasted more than ten dollars. If you live far from the consulate in your consular district, spending more money on Express may be faster.

Next, you need to print out this Label (label paper) generated by Shippo. There are two Labels for the round trip on one A4 paper. The sender and recipient addresses on the two Labels should be exactly opposite. After printing, tear the paper in half to make two Labels, which will be affixed to the outgoing envelope and the return envelope respectively. Mark “Passport Processing Document Office” on the outgoing Label.

Don’t forget to print out the screenshot of the “Chinese Consulate” App order page with the barcode and order number, which is the so-called “evidence collection form”. Mark “Return postage paid” on it.

The envelope for reissuing the passport only needs this evidence collection form and the return envelope. If you are renewing your passport, you also need to send the original passport.

Going to the post office to mail materials

Then it’s about going to the post office to mail the materials. Bring the two Labels printed earlier, double-sided tape or adhesive tape, to the post office. If you don’t have tape or double-sided tape at home, the post office usually sells it. I didn’t have any at home, so I bought a roll of tape at the post office.

At the post office, directly take a standard-sized large envelope from the shelf as the return envelope, and a mail bag slightly larger than the return envelope as the outgoing envelope, so that the return envelope can be put into the outgoing mail bag. If you can’t find a mail bag, you can also take two large envelopes, use one of them as the return envelope, fold it in half and stuff it into the other envelope.

Then stick the two Labels to the outgoing envelope and the return envelope respectively. Don’t mix up the outgoing and return Labels. The sender’s address is in the lower right corner, and the recipient’s address is in the upper left corner. The title on the return envelope Label says RETURN SERVICE in large letters. There are also pictures below for reference.

Outgoing envelope (mail bag)

Return envelope, I got it wrong here, I took a USPS Priority Mail Express envelope, I should have taken an envelope without Express

The envelope sent back to me, because in fact Shippo's Label is not Express, I blotted out the word Express on the envelope, and then pasted the Priority Mail tape

After the Label is pasted, put the return envelope and the proof of receipt into the envelope to be sent, and seal the mouth. Of course, don’t seal the return envelope, otherwise how can the consulate put things in it. Then, find the place where the post office sends letters, and stuff it in. There is no need to queue up to find the post office staff throughout the process.

Then you can query the mail information online, and the Tracking Number of the envelope sent that night should show that it has been picked up. After logging into the Shippo website, you can see the Tracking Number of the sent envelope and the return envelope.

Waiting for certification

My materials were sent to the consulate the next day, and then the status changed to “waiting for certification” on the third day when it showed that the re-examination had passed. At this time, just wait for the passport to be done slowly. The official website says it takes 15 working days, note that it is working days, so it is about three weeks. I did wait for 13 working days. It’s much slower than getting a passport in China. It only takes a week to get a passport in China, and it only takes a week to get an ID card.

During the process of waiting for certification, pay attention to keep the credit card valid, because Shippo’s return label (Return Label) will be charged only when it is really sent out. Receiving a reminder of credit card charges also means that the passport is on the way back.

In the past few days, I have been brushing the “Chinese Consulate” App every night to see if the status has changed. On the evening of the 7th (Tuesday), the status changed to “sent out”. But in fact, the passport has just been made and has not been really sent out. The courier company and order number information on the App have always been null, so don’t expect it.

I registered for email and text message reminders on the USPS website early based on the Tracking Number on the return envelope. At noon on the 8th (Wednesday), the passport was really taken away by the post office staff.

Online query mail information

Receiving the passport

On the 9th (Thursday), I finally received the passport. I received a reminder that it would be delivered from 2 pm to 4 pm. My bedroom is facing the street, and the street is usually very quiet. At 3 pm, I heard a car coming, and then I took this photo of the post office delivering me a letter through the window. As soon as the post office car left, I received an email and text message from USPS that the mail had been delivered, and the efficiency was really high.

USPS delivering mail at my doorstep

The place of issue of the passport has changed from Anhui (I moved my household registration to the University of Science and Technology when I was in college) to Los Angeles (LOS ANGELES), and the issuing authority has changed from the Exit-Entry Administration of the Ministry of Public Security to the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Los Angeles (CONSULATE GENERAL OF P.R.CHINA IN LOS ANGELES). Most people only renew their passports like this when they live in the United States for a long time.

My passport was about to expire, and the visas of other countries had long been invalid. The main thing was that it was a pity that the US visa was lost. I had to reapply for an interview when I went back. Now it’s all scheduled for January 2024. Of course, the most troublesome thing is that I originally planned to return to China at the end of October, and it was delayed for a month. Our investor said that I couldn’t catch up with APEC, so let me finish APEC and go back.

The whole process of reissuing the passport is not troublesome if it is said to be troublesome. The main thing is that it is more troublesome to fill in the application form on the App and mail the materials. Even if you find a third-party agency company, they also help you prepare these materials in the same way, and they can’t expedite it, it’s better to do it yourself.

How to prevent passport loss

Losing a passport is indeed troublesome, so try to move the passport as little as possible. There are several ways to reduce the probability of passport loss:

Keep passports and credit cards and other documents separately, and try to move the card package where the passport is located as little as possible;
Place an AirTag in the card package or document bag where the passport is located for easy search after loss;
Friends who live in the United States for a long time can apply for a US driver’s license to replace the passport as a Photo ID, so that the passport can basically be kept at home all the time, and take the driver’s license to take a plane and stay in a hotel. The driver’s license is smaller and easier to put into the card package, unlike the passport which is inconvenient to carry;
Use Apple Pay or Google Pay, you don’t need to use physical credit cards and cash often. I lost my wallet because I took out my wallet to pay with a credit card every time I went to a place. The more times I use it, the more likely I am to lose it. After losing my wallet, I got used to going out with only one phone like in China, without a card or cash, and found that Apple Pay or Google Pay here is as common as WeChat Pay and Alipay QR codes in China, and basically don’t need physical cards and cash.

Although I have never lost my documents on hundreds of business trips before, this time I encountered a very bizarre situation. I lost my mobile phone and wallet twice in one day. People don’t believe it when I say it. The next night, my roommate next door was pressed by a ghost. Our investors hurriedly gave us two bracelets that had been opened in Putuo Mountain, plus the peace charms that came with the bracelets were pressed under the pillow every day.

The bracelet from Putuo Mountain that my investor gave me