Can You Change Your Passport Photo?

Can You Change Your Passport Photo?

Can You Change Your Passport Photo?

Passports are good for ten years, but your appearance can change a lot during that time. You might gain or lose a lot of weight, for example. Your hairstyle and color can change, or you might lose it all entirely. Who knows, this might even be the year that you finally spring for some strategic nips and tucks at your local plastic surgeon's office.

If your appearance changes, can you change the photo on your passport? Unfortunately, the process involved in changing a passport photo is neither easy nor cheap. You can't just swap photos in a valid passport. Instead, you'll have to apply for a passport renewal and pay all the applicable fees, even if your current passport is still valid.

So, you probably won't want to go through the process of changing your passport photo just because you aren't happy with your current mugshot. And you don't need to change your passport photo every time you cut or dye your hair or shave.

However, the Department of State recommends that you bite the bullet and make the change if your appearance has changed enough since the last photo was taken that you cannot be identified from the old passport photo. Reasons you might need a new passport photo include: Facial surgery or trauma; lots of facial piercings or tattoos; losing or gaining a lot of weight or changing your gender identity. Basically, if you look like a new man (or a new woman), it's time to get a new passport photo.

If you need a new photo, here's what you'll have to do:

Fill out US passport renewal application form DS-82.

Send it in along with your current passport, one new passport photo, and the required fees to the address given on the application.

The amount you'll pay to renew your passport depends on what you order: a passport book by itself is $110, a passport card (valid only for land or sea travel to Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean) is $30, and both together are $140. There is an additional $60 charge if you need expedited processing.

Once you've submitted your renewal application, your new passport should arrive in about 6 weeks if you selected normal processing and about 3 weeks if you selected expedited processing. The good news is that your new passport will be valid for another decade, unless your appearance changes drastically again.

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