When Does Your Passport Number Change?

 

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

Do your passport numbers change when you renew your passport or change your name, or lost it and get a new one?

Let’s get the answer to: Does your passport number change if anything? Or is it the same number?

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 number, even if you booked the ticket using your old passport.

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 number unique to each passport. You can find it on the first page of the passport book together with the holder’s photo and information. Passport numbers highlight the passport office (the passport was issued in) and its applicant, according to the Social Security Administration. Your passport number is vital when applying for visas. It 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 passport 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 passports,
• 90 for diplomatic passports,
• The letter Z or the number 70 for embassy or consulate overseas replacement, issued after 2002 as an emergency passport 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).

Do 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 passport. Your passport number is not given for a lifetime. The occasions when you need your passport number are flight reservations, visa applications, and your passport renewal in case you’ve lost it.

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

How does a new passport number affect visas?

It’s better to keep track of your passport 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 passport and your visa is still valid for a good period of time, you can travel with two passports. Show both your new passport with the number changed and your old passport with the valid visas in it.

How to find the passport number without the passport?

Does your passport number change and you can’t find your old passport number? Search for your old online tickets. You will see the logged passport number. If you apply for a replacement passport for its being lost or damaged, you’re likely to be asked to provide the previous passport number in your application form. It’s not obligatory, it only helps processing your new document. And again, when you receive your passport, the number will be changed.

Book flights while renewing your passport and changing your number

It’s possible to book your flight with an old passport. However, when boarding the flight passport number in your passport and 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 passport and seek passport renewal service before booking the flight to your destination.

Does your 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 passport information on the page. It includes the full name of the passport 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 passport with your new passport 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 passport agency. Remember that your passport is a security identification document and it is issued by governments only.