Can I change my passport photo even though my passport is still valid?
by Laura
(Flint, MI, USA)
Question: When my passport was issued, I had short hair and weighed a few pounds more. The last time I crossed over the border from Canada, the customs officer didn't think it was my passport.
Can I just change the photo on my current passport or should I just get a new passport? Can I get a new passport even though this one is valid?
Answer: Laura,
You cannot change just the photo in your passport. The only way to change it is to apply for a renewal. You can do this at any time but will lose the remaining validity in your current passport.
Passports issued to adults are valid for 10 years. People can change a lot during that time - gain weight, lose weight, dye hair, let hair grow long, shave it off, etc. It is not necessary to renew a passport each time a change occurs.
Although customs officers may take a second (or even third) look and, at time, question whether you are the person in the photo, they know that many changes can occur in 10 years.
In summary, it is not necessary to get the picture in your passport changed but if you want to you can. Just click the link below for complete instructions.
How to Apply for a Passport Renewal
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Expedited service takes from 5 to 7 weeks excluding mailing times on the front and back end. Current mailing delays are significant. Requesting 1-2-day mailing service is recommended.
Regional passport agencies are offering two types of appointments: Life-of-Death Emergency Service and Urgent Travel Service.
Life-or-death emergencies are serious illnesses, injuries, or deaths in your immediate family (parent, legal guardian, child, spouse, sibling, and grandparent) that require you to travel outside the United States within 3 business days.
If you need to travel due to a qualified life-or-death emergency, please call the National Passport Information Center for an appointment:
Mondays through Fridays 8 A.M. to 8 P.M. ET, call 1-877-487-2778 (TDD/TTY:1-888-874-7793) Outside of these hours, call 202-647-4000.
For Urgent Travel Service, you need to call 14 days before your scheduled international travel or 28 days if you also need to secure a foreign visa.
If you need to travel urgently for reasons other than a life-or-death emergency, please call the NPIC at 1-877-487-2778 Mondays through Fridays 8 A.M. to 10 P.M. ET.
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