Survivors of natural disasters like the Marshall Fire often have to pay thousands of dollars to replace critical documents like passports or visas
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper, James Lankford, Michael Bennet, and John Curtis along with Representatives Joe Neguse and Celeste Maloy introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Replacing Essential Passports and Licenses After Certain Emergencies (REPLACE) Act, which would automatically waive replacement fees for survivors who lose critical documents like passports in natural disasters.
“Costly replacement fees for critical documents – like passports and visas – are one more hurdle for disaster survivors trying to rebuild,” said Hickenlooper. “Waivers are already legal. They should be automatic.”
“As families recover from major disasters, the last thing they should have to worry about is paying to replace passports and other critical documents lost in the damage,” said Bennet. “Our bill will ensure document replacement is free, taking one burden off of Coloradans’ shoulders as they move forward after disaster strikes.”
“I’m pleased to reintroduce the Replace Act and address the urgent needs of disaster-impacted Americans by ensuring fee waivers for essential documents are automatically granted. When a wildfire destroys a home, the last thing that a family should worry about is paying fees to replace their documents like passports and birth certificates,” said Curtis. “This legislation is particularly crucial for rural Utahns, who will benefit from streamlined access to document replacements in times of need.”
“In the aftermath of the Marshall Fire, our office worked to ensure those affected could quickly recover critical documents like passports and birth certificates. After a disaster, the cost of replacing lost documents can be overwhelming. Our bill, the REPLACE Act, helps ease this burden by waiving fees for those impacted—ensuring passports and immigration documents can be replaced at no additional cost,” said Neguse.
“Utah families should not have to cover the costs to replace critical documents – like passports and visas – after wildfires and other natural disasters,” said Maloy. “The REPLACE Act removes a bureaucratic hurdle so that survivors can move forward with one less thing to worry about.”
Victims of major disasters can spend tens of thousands of dollars replacing critical documents lost in natural disasters, including passports, employment authorizations, proof of citizenship, green cards, and more.
Under current law, federal agencies may waive these fees, but this process is not automatic. Waivers are not guaranteed and are not always issued. Additionally, survivors may not know to wait for a fee waiver and often need documentation immediately.
The REPLACE Act would amend the Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018 to require automatic waivers of certain critical document fees for individuals and households affected by major disasters.
The REPLACE Act would automatically waive the cost of replacing:
- Passports
- Visa Forms
- Permanent Residence Cards
- Declaration of Intent forms
- Naturalization/Citizenship Documents
- Employment Authorizations
- Biometric service fees
Full text of the bill is available HERE.
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