"Have you ever lost a passport/VISA?" Question in DS-160

[Vikvaryas 0]

I lost my passport while I was in the US as a tourist, filed a police complaint and found it. Now I'm using that same passport in applying for a student VISA.

 

Should I answer yes or no to the question "Have you ever lost a passport/VISA"? I lost it but I found it again. So I'm confused about what to answer.

[Pitaya 2,577]

Seems like your answer is already in your statement.

[bf__ 501]

Is it still lost? No.

 

I lost my passport down the back of a drawer a while ago, but found it, it’s not lost. 

 

Don’t worry about it. 

[Going through 5,671]

The only way I can see it becoming an issue, is if as a result of your filing a police report your passport was then cancelled by your home country.  This happening is unlikely unless you also reported it as lost to your respective embassy in the US/home country as well.

 

Considering you later traveled back to your home country on the "found" passport---- it presumably was not cancelled/voided   

 

Other than that, not an issue.

 

Edited to add:  I gotta ask this out of sheer curiosity----so where was it??  lol

 

Edited May 22, 2019 by Going through

[Vikvaryas 0]

17 minutes ago, Going through said:

The only way I can see it becoming an issue, is if as a result of your filing a police report your passport was then cancelled by your home country.  This happening is unlikely unless you also reported it as lost to your respective embassy in the US/home country as well.

 

Considering you later traveled back to your home country on the "found" passport---- it presumably was not cancelled/voided   

 

Other than that, not an issue.

 

Edited to add:  I gotta ask this out of sheer curiosity----so where was it??  lol

 

I didnt report it to the embassy or my home country. I just filed a police report about a missing bag and mentioned I had my passport in it too.

 

I lost the bag at a parking lot in the morning. The police found it by evening, dont know where though.

[Vikvaryas 0]

55 minutes ago, brandonflude1 said:

Is it still lost? No.

 

I lost my passport down the back of a drawer a while ago, but found it, it’s not lost. 

 

Don’t worry about it. 

My concern is that the question is worded, "Have you EVER lost"

 

So technically I did lose it once, even though I found it very soon. Also I filed a police report about the missing bag and mentioned I had my passport in it. 

 

Would they be able to pull that out of their records and question me?

[Vikvaryas 0]

1 hour ago, Pitaya (火龙果) said:

Seems like your answer is already in your statement.

Can you expand on that please? Since the question is worded have you EVER lost, would it be in the technincal sense, yes, or in the actual sense, no I havent ever lost my passport.

[bf__ 501]

1 minute ago, Vikvaryas said:

My concern is that the question is worded, "Have you EVER lost"

 

So technically I did lose it once, even though I found it very soon. Also I filed a police report about the missing bag and mentioned I had my passport in it. 

 

Would they be able to pull that out of their records and question me?

I highly doubt it’s an issue. Lost in this case means lost and not found, because they’ll want to know that passport has been cancelled. 

[Going through 5,671]

3 hours ago, Vikvaryas said:

My concern is that the question is worded, "Have you EVER lost"

 

So technically I did lose it once, even though I found it very soon. Also I filed a police report about the missing bag and mentioned I had my passport in it. 

 

Would they be able to pull that out of their records and question me?

You're overthinking it.  You didn't do anything illegal---you lost your passport, and properly filed a police report.  The police investigated the matter and located your passport and returned it to you.

 

Yes you did lose it----but you also found it/had it returned to you.  Hence, it was back in your proper possession.  

 

You won't be questioned about it----but let's say on some off-chance they did question you about it...Think of the below:

 

-your passport photo (presumably) matches what you look like.  

-the name on the passport matches your name.

-the birthdate and all other identifying information matches your birthdate/other info on record when you applied for that passport.

-the recent signature (if your passport is signed) matches any signature you have on record.

-the passport number matches the exact passport number assigned to you when you applied for it.

 

Not much to really question you on/hold you in suspicion for anything...in any case if any questions arose all you would have to do is reply with the truth "I lost my passport, filed a police report, the police found it and returned it to me."  That's all.

[WeGuyGal 1,052]

What country are you applying the F1 from?  

[arken 4,197]

You can simply say NO to that question and not overthink at all. Lets say you thought you lost it but never lost it actually as it was beside you behind the drawer.

[Amadia 711]

I think everyone who responded to your post has sufficiently answered what you have asked.

There's no technicality...you "misplaced it" and then the police found it for you after you filed a report.

The "Have you ever lost your passport?" refers to persons who have indeed lost and not ever been able to find their passports and it had to be replaced.

That is not the case here with yours.