Wife's Naturalization Papers destroyed by rain

[EllisAndRenz 221]

So, after my wife was naturalized, she sent in her papers to get her passport.  That was received. (She's so excited).  However, when the passport agency sent back her naturalization document, it was practically destroyed by rain. (Water damage).  She devastated.  I know you can get a replacement for a few hundred dollars ($600 or $700 I think).  Has this happened to anyone else?  

 

Do I have any other options?

 

Thank you.

[OldUser 9,889]

This is so devastating!

I know you can get money back if DOS loses certificate. Can you try contacting them to see if you can get reimbursement for this damage?

Edited July 6 by OldUser

[Ontarkie 14,947]

~~Moved to Passport,etc, from K1 P&P - as this past the K1 stage.~~

[EllisAndRenz 221]

2 hours ago, OldUser said:

This is so devastating!

I know you can get money back if DOS loses certificate. Can you try contacting them to see if you can get reimbursement for this damage?

 

Who?  The State Department?  Not even sure how to contact them.  I'll check online.  

Yeah, it's pretty devastating for her.  She's very not happy.

[WeekendPizzaiolo 102]

3 hours ago, EllisAndRenz said:

So, after my wife was naturalized, she sent in her papers to get her passport.  That was received. (She's so excited).  However, when the passport agency sent back her naturalization document, it was practically destroyed by rain. (Water damage).  She devastated.  I know you can get a replacement for a few hundred dollars ($600 or $700 I think).  Has this happened to anyone else?  

 

Do I have any other options?

 

Thank you.

Sorry to hear that happened to you. What bad luck! In the future, as long as you have a travel booking outside the country within 14 days, you can apply for a new passport in person at a passport agency. There is a passport agency in Miami and 33 across the US. The DOS rep. at the passport agency returns your documents on the spot after verifying them. I recognize that some people do not travel often or frequently enough for this to be an option.

 

 

[EllisAndRenz 221]

16 minutes ago, WeekendPizzaiolo said:

Sorry to hear that happened to you. What bad luck! In the future, as long as you have a travel booking outside the country within 14 days, you can apply for a new passport in person at a passport agency. There is a passport agency in Miami and 33 across the US. The DOS rep. at the passport agency returns your documents on the spot after verifying them. I recognize that some people do not travel often or frequently enough for this to be an option.

 

 

She didn't have a flight booked.  But she needed the Passport for an ID.  (Oddly, she couldn't even get a state ID because they wouldn't accept her birth certificate and naturalization papers)  ... and well, she was excited to get US Passport.

 

[OldUser 9,889]

1 hour ago, EllisAndRenz said:

 

Who?  The State Department?  Not even sure how to contact them.  I'll check online.  

Yeah, it's pretty devastating for her.  She's very not happy.

From: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/passport-help/faqs.html?hl=en-US

 

 

"If you have been waiting more than four weeks for your documents, call 1-877-487-2778 to report that you have not received your documents. 

If you want us to reimburse you for a lost supporting document, you must contact us within 90 days of the date which we mailed your passport. You will also need to provide a receipt to show the cost of replacing the document. "

 

I realize the docs weren't lost, but this is the closest match for your situation. 

[JeanneAdil 7,078]

Take the manila folder / envelope it came in and make a request from the carrier for the damage 

 

 

Many carriers offer some level of insurance coverage for mail delivery, including UPS, FedEx, and USPS: 

 

• UPS and FedEx: Automatically covers domestic parcels up to $100 for loss or damage. 
   
• USPS: Automatically covers Express Mail up to $100, and Priority Mail Express and Priority Mail items with a tracking barcode can also be insured. Insurance coverage is not available for Priority Mail items sent with certain services. USPS insurance rates are based on the declared value of the item, and can range from $5.45–$11.00. 

[Crazy Cat 44,431]

11 minutes ago, JeanneAdil said:

Take the manila folder / envelope it came in and make a request from the carrier for the damage 

 

 

Many carriers offer some level of insurance coverage for mail delivery, including UPS, FedEx, and USPS: 

 

• UPS and FedEx: Automatically covers domestic parcels up to $100 for loss or damage. 
   
• USPS: Automatically covers Express Mail up to $100, and Priority Mail Express and Priority Mail items with a tracking barcode can also be insured. Insurance coverage is not available for Priority Mail items sent with certain services. USPS insurance rates are based on the declared value of the item, and can range from $5.45–$11.00. 

As I recall, my wife's NC came back as 1st class mail....USPS.....not Priority mail...so no carrier insurance at all..In addition, $100 only covers about 1/5 of the cost of a new NC.  I would go straight to DOS.

Edited July 6 by Crazy Cat

[Fr8dog 397]

Use the search option in this forum. If I'm nor mistaken there is a post somewhere where USPS lost the certificate and ended up paying for it's replacement. I'm assuming it must have been damaged while in USPS possession. So I would see if you can hold them liable.

[TBoneTX 47,500]

Rather than potentially fighting a bureaucratic brick wall, contact the office of your Congressman or one of your U.S. Senators.  They probably help with such matters all the time.

[Cathi 5,849]

27 minutes ago, TBoneTX said:

Rather than potentially fighting a bureaucratic brick wall, contact the office of your Congressman or one of your U.S. Senators.  They probably help with such matters all the time.

This.

[EllisAndRenz 221]

4 hours ago, TBoneTX said:

Rather than potentially fighting a bureaucratic brick wall, contact the office of your Congressman or one of your U.S. Senators.  They probably help with such matters all the time.

 

Not a bad idea actually.

 

[TBoneTX 47,500]

15 hours ago, EllisAndRenz said:

Not a bad idea actually.

Do it, and be sure to report back.  Pulling for your success here.

[EllisAndRenz 221]

On 7/6/2025 at 3:36 PM, WeekendPizzaiolo said:

Sorry to hear that happened to you. What bad luck! In the future, as long as you have a travel booking outside the country within 14 days, you can apply for a new passport in person at a passport agency. There is a passport agency in Miami and 33 across the US. The DOS rep. at the passport agency returns your documents on the spot after verifying them. I recognize that some people do not travel often or frequently enough for this to be an option.

 

 

Thank you.  We are out of town until tomorrow, but this is top of my list as soon as I get back.