U.S. Department of State: help for U.S. citizens abroad

The U.S. embassy or consulate can help if you have lost a passport, are the victim of a crime, or need help returning to the United States during a crisis or after a natural disaster. The Department's Help Abroad pages cover crisis response and evacuations, lost or stolen passports abroad, victims of crime, missing U.S. citizens abroad, arrest or detention abroad, and emergency financial assistance, including loans for destitute U.S. citizens.

Call +1 202-501-4444 Visit their site ↗

Good to know

The two helplines are for when you cannot reach the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate during an emergency. Find your nearest embassy or consulate at usembassy.gov. The Department says the U.S. government does not pay medical costs for U.S. citizens travelling abroad, and that a State Department loan restricts your passport until you pay it back.

Before you call

Have ready

if you need a replacement passport: one passport photo (2x2 in or 5x5 cm), ID such as a driver's license or expired passport, proof of U.S. citizenship such as a birth certificate or a photocopy of your missing passport, your airline or train ticket details, and Form DS-11 with where and when your passport was lost or stolen (and a copy of the police report if you filed one). The Department says that if you cannot show all of this, consular staff will do their best to help you get a new passport quickly
if you are scheduled to travel soon: the details of your trip, to give the consular staff

They can

answer the emergency helplines 24/7 (the home page's own words), for Americans abroad who need help and cannot reach the nearest embassy
help with a lost or stolen passport: you must apply in person at the embassy or consulate, and if there is not enough time for a regular passport, the consular section can offer an emergency passport valid for up to 1 year
issue a replacement passport, in most cases the next business day (the lost-passport page)
help you get in touch with family, friends or your employer so they can send money, and explain emergency loans for destitute U.S. citizens (the embassy or consulate explains who qualifies)
help if you are the victim of a crime, or need help returning to the United States during a crisis or after a natural disaster
answer after hours through the after-hours duty officer, who can help with life-or-death emergencies: contact the duty officer if you have an emergency, need to travel, or have been the victim of a serious crime

They cannot

issue passports on weekends or holidays at most embassies and consulates (the duty officer is for emergencies)
pay your medical costs: the Department says the U.S. government does not pay medical costs for U.S. citizens travelling abroad
promise a loan: the Department says loans may be available in specific cases, and your passport will be restricted until you pay a loan back

In the emergency guides: I'm stranded away from home →

Phone: +1 202-501-4444
Website: https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/help-abroad.html
Hours: The Department's home page says to call 24/7 (every day, at any hour): +1 202-501-4444 from all locations except the U.S. and Canada, or 888-407-4747 from the U.S. and Canada. The Help Abroad page says to use the helplines if you cannot reach the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate in an emergency. Every U.S. embassy and consulate also has an after-hours duty officer for life-or-death emergencies of U.S. citizens abroad
Languages: English
Last checked: October 10, 2026

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