I have a question. Picked up application at local post office, and am getting ready to fill it out. One section said have you EVER had a passport before. Well, yes back in the early 80's I had one, and never got to use it. It ran out in the early nineties, and between divorce/moving, I can't find it, and probably threw it away. How do I find out it's number, when it was issued, etc., or was it so long ago, just skip the section? I guess I feel like a dummy for asking. Thanks!

Mad Dog

You just have to tell them when you interview. They will know what to do.

Mad Dog,

Passports are only good for 10 years so it's long since expired.
I believe that you should honestly answer *yes* you've had one and explain the situation just as you did here. They should be able to look up the info in their records such as the number, date issued, etc., if you point them in the right direction by being honest. If the boxes are too small for the explaination I believe there is a comments area which you could use, or you could attached an addendum with your explanation.

This shouldn't be a problem as you can hardly be the first person to have lost/misplaced their passport.

Good Luck

602

Just call em, the US passport agency is the most on the ball government agency of any kind that I ever dealt with. I had to get a rush renewal for an expired passport and called to check the status and assumed I'd be on the phone all day and transferred numerous times. A very pleasant woman answered the phone, I told her the situation and she put me on hold, I thought "OK here we go" she came back on the line in like 20 seconds, called me by my name and told me EXACTLY when my passport was mailed and EXACTLY when it would arrive, amazing!

If you picked up the form to apply for a new passport rather than to renew an existing passport it shouldn't be a problem answering yes. I've had two passports, one diplomatic and one personal both of which were expired when I applied for my latest passport three years ago. If the regional passport office is close by I would go there rather than mailing it in especially if time is of the essence. As I recall you can schedule your appointment over the phone.

Regards,
Eric

do not forget your original, raised seal birth certificate. I had lost mine several years ago an got a copy but without the raised seal .
I had problems and cost me a trip out of town to get it worked out in time for the travel.

Answer YES. I had this exact situation happen 3 years ago and all went smoothly.