Does Your Passport Number Change? When You Renew or Replace It

 

Some people have a handy spreadsheet to store the numbers of their documents. In the same way, you might keep your it somewhere at hand to book your flights quickly.

Let’s get the answer to: Do your passport numbers change when you renew your passport or change your name, or lost it and get a new one?

Does your passport number change when you renew it?

The short answer is yes. You will get a new passport and a different number with it. The most crucial moment here is to make sure your plane tickets contain your new passport digits, even if you booked the ticket using your old document.

We’ll get back to that in a minute. But what is a passport number and where is it supposed to change?

What is a passport number?

A passport number is a serial unique digits. You can find it on the first page of the passport book together with the holder’s photo and information.  It highlights the passport office (the passport was issued in) and its applicant, according to the Social Security Administration. It’s vital when applying for visas. Your passport number identifies your unique ID. It is also needed when booking a flight.

Here are a few interesting cues. The correlation between the US passport number and the location of issuance is an interesting fact:

• If the passport number starts with 01, it means the document came from the Washington Passport Agency,
• 04 for Miami,
• 15, 20, or 21 for the National Passport Center in New Hampshire,
• 60 for no-fee passports for military dependents,
• 80 for official documents,
• 90 for diplomatic documents,
• The letter Z or the number 70 for embassy or consulate overseas replacement, issued after 2002 as an emergency document with one-year validity.

Where is my passport number?

The page location of the passport number varies depending on the country of issue and it can also contain not only digits but letters. You won’t miss it if you look in the Machine Readable Zone (MRZ).

When your passport numbers change when you renew it?

As we mentioned earlier, your current passport will have a changed different number to that of your expired one. It’s not given for a lifetime. The occasions when you need it are flight reservations, visa applications, and your document renewal in case you’ve lost it.

Does the passport number change if you lost it? Yes, it does. You’ll get a new document and a different number. And the old one will no longer be valid.

How does a new passport number affect visas?

It’s better to keep track of your document expiration and issue date and the period your visa was issued for. It usually appears difficult, but you can first change your passport and the number with it and then apply for your visa.

On rare occasions when you get a new document and your visa is still valid for a good period of time, you can travel with two documents. Show both your new passport with the number changed and your old one with the valid visas in it.

How to find the passport number without the passport?

Search for your old online tickets, you can find unchanged passport number logged in. If you apply for a replacement document for its being lost or damaged, you’re likely to be asked to provide the number of the previous document in your application form. It’s not obligatory, it only helps processing your new document.

Book flights while renewing your passport and changing your number

It’s possible to book your flight with an old document. However, when boarding the flight, passport number and that in your flight ticket must match. You’ll have to contact your airline to make the necessary arrangements in advance. To avoid the risks, double-check the expiration date of your document and seek renewal service before booking the flight to your destination.

Does your US passport number change when you change your name?

The passport number changes when you change your name, when you renew, or get a new one since it’s lost. You’ll get a new passport with its unique number and a new name on it if it’s changed.

FAQ

Do I need to keep my passport number confidential, like my Social Security number?

The passport number is not high-security risk information. At the same time, it contains additional vital information on the page. It includes the full name of the holder, date of birth, and gender. Still, you should be careful who has access to it.

Does your passport number change when you go from child to adult?

The passport number changes when you get a 10-year adult’s doc with your new photo.

Does your US passport number ever change when you renew in the USA?

Yes, it does. In case you can’t find your passport number, you can contact your government’s agency.