Purse stolen with drivers licence and passport. Holding on the phone with credit card company. Already checked online for US Embassy info and tried calling, but no help. Any advice?

GO TO AMERICAN EMBASSY

Are you in France? If so, where? Did you bring a copy of your passport with you and also e-mail the copy to yourself so you could retrieve it? If so, take the copy to the embassy with you as it will be much easier to replace your passport. File a police report if you haven't already.

As I understand it you need to go to the nearest US Embassy or Consulate. Talking on the phone often doesn't help much. Take whatever ID you have left. If you don't have any or much, have your spouse, SO go with you. Do you have copy of your passport that you kept separate from your purse?

Good luck!

Where are you located? If you are in Paris, I would assume you could go to the Embassy in the case of an emergency stolen passport if you need to leave the country soon. If not, it's not an emergency. GOod luck, the website gives instructions on the forms you need to fill out and what you need to take with you:
http://france.usembassy.gov/pass-lost.html

If you aren't in Paris, there are a couple other consulates, eg, in Marseilles, but the website mentions that.

oh, yes, the website does state all you must do, but be sure to note that you must file a police report, as kybourbon said

Just go to the embassy (or nearest consulate if you're not in Paris). If you have the passport copy mentioned above, bring it, along with any other identifying papers you may have, plane tickets, receipts, etc. Do report the theft to the police. If you are traveling with a companion who is also a citizen and who knows you are American, bring him or her along. Don't worry, they'll be able to sort this out.

Go to the Embassy's website and print out the two forms you'll need to take with you to the Embassy. There should also be a listing for photographers near the Embassy where you can get US passport photos taken.Take the completed forms, your two photos and $100. and go to the Embassy when it opens in the morning. You should have a new passport later that afternoon. Your new Emergency passport will be good for one year; they'll give you forms to apply for a new permanent passport within the next year at no additional charge.
I had the same problem in South America and the Embassy didn't answer their phone either which surprised th4e Embassy staff.

As mentioned above by another poster, bring police report case #, and passport copy or at least its number. The Embassy staff were very helpful.

Most people can't print out a form from a website when they're traveling. You just need to get to the embassy or the nearest consulate, or at least contact them by phone, which is sounds like you are doing. What do you mean you're not getting any help?

Happy Travlr was exactly right. I couldn't reach any US Embassy by phone, even the "emergency" number. I left a message at the one in Bordeaux and they did just call me back. They gave me the same into as Happy Travlr, with regard to the $100 and passport photos, even where to have them taken near the embassy. We are able to print out the forms because we have internet access here in our apt. We leave tomorrow for Paris. Thanks to everyone who offered help. You're great! Now I'm having a different problem: I'm trying to cancel my credit cards and I'm not able to reach any of the 800 numbers from this house phone. I just get a recording in French that the number is not valid. I'm dialing 001, then 800, then the number. Anybody have any clues on that?

Hi Maggi, I'm sorry to hear about your problems, what a pain! You need to call the "regular" long distance number (not the 800 one) for your credit card; I don't know about the US but for Canadian credit cards you can call them collect, so I'd try calling collect first.

Maggi. If one of your cards is American Express, try this COLLECT number 1-800 336-393-1111. I have others, but since I don't know what cards you have I will just post that one for now since Amex is pretty common. I am planning my trip for next week and I have beenn gathering this type of information at the advice of one of our fellow fodorites in a post about what to do in planning a trip.

hpeabody, thanks for your suggestion, but unfortunately, no dice. I need the number for the Delta Skymiles Am Ex. I was able to get the landlines for Mastercard and Visa and Yippee no unauthorized charges yet on those. So far, everyone has been so nice, (you guys included), it's almost worth it to have had this happen. By way of thank you, here are some photos to date:

http://picasaweb.google.com/maggiwun/Europe2009#

OOps, that is not an 800 It is COLLECT 1-336-393-1111.

You cannot call an 800 number from France, as noted on your other thread. You need to find the non-800 number and call that, using the 001 international code for the US before the 10-digit number.

All the Am Ex cards we've had have 2 numbers on the back. An 800 number for US and another one for International Collect. For Platinum it's 1-954-473-2123. For gold it's 623-492-8427. When my wallet was stolen in Greece last year, I had no problems reaching Am Ex with those numbers. These should work even for Skymiles (I think).

Delta SkyMiles American Express:

1-800-257-0770
1-336-393-1111

Hope this helps.
Jane

Maggi, that was taken from my Delta sky miles Amex, but actually is for all Amex. My goof typing 800 in there which probably confused things ... sorry. But I am glad you got it taken care of

i am so sorry for your trouble. What a nightmare. In addition to carrying a copy of my passport, I also bring a copy of the front and back of all my credit cards with me.