Replacing Lost or Stolen E-Passports

Until recently, border control had changed little over the years, despite advancing technology. Now, travelers routinely print out e-tickets from their computers, and many countries have started issuing e-passports with embedded biometric information. However, countries are taking different approaches to e-passports, raising concerns about how travelers can replace them in the event they're lost or stolen. Travelers report the loss or theft of hundreds of thousands of passports each year. The Australian government estimates that 30,000 of the 1 million passports it issues annually are lost or stolen (http://foreignminister.gov.au/releases/2005/fa083_05.html), and in 2006, the United Kingdom reported that more than 290,000 passports were lost or stolen (http://press.home-office.gov.uk/press-releases/passport-warning?version=1).