After someone dies, families often find themselves doing two kinds of work at the same time: the deeply human work of grieving, and the practical work of closing loops. Some of those loops are obvious—calling relatives, planning a service, choosing a resting place. Others feel strangely administrative, like a credit card in a wallet or a passport in a drawer. But a passport is a powerful identity document, and returning it for cancellation is one of the simplest steps you can take to reduce the risk of fraud.
This guide walks you through the official process to cancel passport after death, including exactly what to include, where to mail it, and how to request the canceled passport back as a keepsake (or ask for destruction). Along the way, we’ll also place this task in the larger picture of funeral planning, because most families find it easier when paperwork and memorial decisions are handled with one calm plan instead of a dozen separate to-dos.
Why Canceling a Passport After Death Matters
A U.S. passport can’t be “used” in the ordinary sense once someone has died, but it can still be exploited as an identity document. Returning it for cancellation creates a clear record that the passport is no longer valid and helps limit opportunities for identity theft. That matters whether your loved one traveled frequently or the passport sat untouched for years.
There is also an emotional side that families don’t always anticipate. A passport can feel like a tiny biography—stamps, dates, visas, wear on the cover, evidence of a life lived beyond one place. Many families want the passport returned after cancellation as a keepsake. Others prefer destruction for peace of mind. The key is that you can make an intentional choice, and you can state that choice in writing.
The Official U.S. State Department Process to Cancel a Deceased Passport
The U.S. Department of State provides specific instructions for how to cancel deceased passport documents. The process is mail-based, and it is designed to be straightforward: you send the passport, proof of death, and a short letter requesting cancellation and stating whether you want the passport returned or destroyed.
What to Include in Your Mailing
For a typical cancellation package, include the items below. These are the core requirements the Department of State lists for canceling the passport of a deceased relative.
- The valid passport you want to return passport for cancellation
- A certified copy of the death certificate (families often refer to this as the document they will mail passport death certificate with)
- A signed letter requesting cancellation and clearly stating whether you want the canceled passport returned to you or destroyed (your passport cancellation letter)
If you have multiple certified copies of the death certificate, it can be helpful to use one specifically for identity and account closures. Many families order several because banks, insurance carriers, and other institutions often want certified copies. If you are still early in the process, consider ordering a few extra so you don’t have to wait later.
Where to Mail It (CLASP Address)
The Department of State directs families to mail the cancellation package to the Consular Lost and Stolen Passport Unit, often referred to as the CLASP address. Use a sturdy envelope, and consider shipping with tracking so you have proof of delivery.
U.S. Department of State
Consular Lost and Stolen Passport Unit (CLASP)
44132 Mercure Circle
P.O. Box 1227
Sterling, VA 20166-1227
If you are anxious about putting an important document in the mail, that feeling is normal. Using a trackable mailing service tends to reduce stress because you can see when the package arrives.
What to Say in Your Cancellation Letter
Your letter does not need to be long. Think of it as a clear, respectful request that helps the agency match the passport to the right person and follow your instructions. In addition to the required “please cancel this passport” language, most families include identifying details such as the deceased person’s full name, date of birth, and passport number (if available), plus your return address and phone number.
Here is a simple template you can adapt. Keep it factual and direct.
[Date] U.S. Department of State Consular Lost and Stolen Passport Unit (CLASP) 44132 Mercure Circle P.O. Box 1227 Sterling, VA 20166-1227 Re: Request to Cancel Passport of Deceased Individual To Whom It May Concern: Please cancel the U.S. passport of [Full Name], who died on [Date of Death]. Enclosed are the passport and a certified copy of the death certificate. Passport number (if known): [Number] Date of birth: [DOB] After cancellation, please [return the canceled passport to me / destroy the passport]. Sincerely, [Your Name] [Your Relationship] [Your Mailing Address] [Your Phone Number / Email]
If you want the canceled passport returned, make sure your letter says so explicitly. If you prefer destruction, state that clearly as well. The Department of State’s instructions indicate they can return the passport after cancellation if requested, or destroy it if that is what you ask.
If You Can’t Find the Passport
Sometimes the passport is simply missing—lost during a move, left in a safe-deposit box no one remembered, or misplaced in the weeks of urgent activity after death. If you cannot locate it, you still have an option: you can report it as lost to reduce the risk of misuse. The Department of State emphasizes that reporting a valid passport lost or stolen helps protect against identity theft, and it provides several reporting options.
Start with the Department of State’s guidance on reporting a passport lost or stolen at travel.state.gov. If you later find the document, the guidance also explains how to submit it for cancellation.
In a practical sense, families often take a two-step approach: first, do a careful search through the places it is most likely to be (safe, desk file, travel bag, lockbox), and if it truly is not there, use the State Department’s reporting process so the passport is no longer considered valid.
Keep It as a Keepsake or Request Destruction
Many families are surprised by how meaningful a canceled passport can feel when it comes back. It can be a quiet reminder of military service, international work, immigration journeys, or a life that included more than one home. If you choose return, treat it like any other sensitive document: store it securely, avoid posting clear photos of the passport page online, and keep it with other important records.
Other families prefer a clean break. If you are worried about fraud, or if holding onto documents feels emotionally heavy, requesting destruction can be a kind decision for yourself. There is no universal “right” choice. The goal is to make the choice intentionally and communicate it clearly in your letter.
Identity-Theft Protection After Death: The Passport Is One Piece
Canceling the passport is a strong step, but it works best as part of a broader plan to prevent identity theft after death. A few actions tend to have an outsized impact, especially in the first month.
- Notify key agencies and programs, and use a death certificate when needed. USA.gov’s “agencies to notify” guide is a helpful overview if you want a single reference point: USA.gov.
- Be mindful about how much personal information is shared publicly. The IRS notes that for deceased-person identity theft, families should avoid putting too much sensitive information in an obituary and should watch for unusual activity. See the IRS identity theft guidance here: IRS.
- If you suspect fraud or misuse, use the federal reporting and recovery workflow at IdentityTheft.gov, which provides step-by-step actions and documentation guidance.
If you are managing a lot at once, keep the strategy simple: secure the most powerful identity documents (passport, driver’s license, Social Security-related records), then move to accounts and credit. You do not need to do everything in one day. You just want to reduce the biggest risks early.
How This Fits Into Funeral Planning and Memorial Decisions
It can feel strange to talk about passports and memorials in the same breath, but families often experience these tasks as one long continuum. A death certificate is needed to close accounts, but it’s also used in service planning and cemetery paperwork. A mailing address is needed for the passport return, but it’s also where sympathy cards arrive. When you treat all of it as funeral planning, it becomes less like busywork and more like stewardship.
That stewardship increasingly includes cremation choices. According to the National Funeral Directors Association, the U.S. cremation rate was projected at 63.4% in 2025, with cremation continuing to rise in the decades ahead. The Cremation Association of North America similarly reports a U.S. cremation rate of 61.8% in 2024 and provides ongoing national projections. For many families, that trend reflects something simple: cremation can offer flexibility, especially when relatives live in different states, when timing is complicated, or when a memorial will happen later.
If cremation is part of your plan, the questions tend to arrive gently and then all at once: what kind of urn is right, whether to keep ashes at home, how to share ashes among siblings, and what a respectful timeline looks like when family members need time to travel. This is where choosing the right container can feel less like “shopping” and more like creating a stable next step.
Choosing an Urn When You’re Not Ready to Decide Everything
Many families start by choosing a primary urn for the full remains, then consider smaller options for sharing. If you are looking broadly, Funeral.com’s collection of cremation urns for ashes is a useful starting point because it lets you compare materials and styles in one place. If your plan involves dividing ashes among close relatives, you may find yourself drawn to small cremation urns or to keepsake urns, which are designed specifically for sharing and personal remembrance.
When families are considering keeping ashes at home, the questions are often practical: where to place the urn, how to store it safely, and how to handle visits from children or guests. If that’s your situation, you may find it reassuring to read Funeral.com’s guide on keeping ashes at home, which addresses legality, safe storage, and day-to-day realities in a calm tone.
When the Plan Includes Water Burial or Scattering
Some families know immediately that they want a scattering or sea ceremony, while others arrive there after months or years. If you’re exploring water burial or burial-at-sea options, it helps to understand how different biodegradable urn designs behave on the water and what rules apply to ocean settings. Funeral.com’s guidance on water burial is a practical starting point, and the broader “what comes next” conversation is covered in what to do with ashes.
Cremation Jewelry and Keepsakes for Everyday Closeness
When families want a form of remembrance that doesn’t live on a shelf, cremation jewelry can be a gentle fit. Many people choose cremation necklaces because they hold a small, symbolic portion and can be worn daily. If you’re considering this option, Funeral.com’s collection of cremation necklaces is a practical way to compare styles, and the educational guide cremation jewelry explains materials, sealing, and how jewelry fits into a larger urn plan.
Pet Urns for Ashes, Because Loss Isn’t Limited to People
In many families, a pet’s death happens close to another loss, or it reopens grief in an unexpected way. If you’re dealing with pet loss, the same principles apply: a clear plan can make the days feel steadier. Funeral.com’s pet urns and pet urns for ashes collection covers a wide range of styles, including highly personal pet cremation urns and pet figurine cremation urns that reflect breed or personality. If sharing ashes is part of the plan, pet keepsake cremation urns can help multiple people hold a meaningful portion without pressure or conflict.
Costs, Because Practical Clarity Helps People Breathe
Families often ask cost questions quietly at first, then more directly once decisions need to be made. If you are wondering how much does cremation cost, Funeral.com’s guide on how much cremation costs provides a grounded breakdown of typical fees and the factors that change pricing by location. Having a realistic cost expectation can make the other decisions—urn type, service style, timing—feel less emotionally charged.
A Calm Closing Thought
Returning a passport for cancellation is not the most visible part of loss, but it is one of the most protective. When you take care of it, you reduce risk and you also create a small sense of completion. If you choose to have the canceled passport returned, it can become a quiet artifact of a life that moved through the world. If you choose destruction, it can be a clean and responsible ending. Either way, you’re doing what families have always done after death: tending to what remains, with care.
