Children's photo in passport

[Bobbyjean]

Can someone help me with a passport question ...

 

We got a passport for our son when he was around 6 months old, so it's a photo of him as a baby.

He is now 2.5 years old and looks vaguely like the photo, but obviously has changed quite a lot.

 

Will the cruise company care about this? Should we get him an updated passport before we go or is he too young for it to matter much?

 

We are travelling from the UK to Norway and back.

[lgionet]

Children passports are only good for 3 years. That happened to us last year. My son was 4 months when he got his picture/passport and was a little over 2 years old when we travelled. He did not look anything like his passport picture.

We didn't have any problems.....everyone just commented how much he changed :)

From the Canadian Passport Website......

 

 

Replacement passport for children

Children who have been issued a passport in their first year of life (between birth and 364 days) are entitled to a one-time gratis replacement passport. This is in recognition of the rapid change in the features of a child during this time. However, the applicant must submit:

• a new application completed in full and signed by an eligible guarantor,
  
• new photographs taken within one month of the date the request for the gratis replacement is received,
  
• original proof of Canadian citizenship,
  
• custody documents, if applicable, and
  
• the original valid passport.
  

[elmom]

US Passports are good for 5 years when bought for children. If they didn't think they could use them 5 years later, they would be good for one year. I read an article about how the officials check the photo, and it has almost nothing to do with how someone looks, its features and structure. We will be traveling with my son who is 6 and his passport expires next month, my daughters who was a baby and is almost 5 and mine with massive weight loss...and a new hair do :)

 

I am not worried. But if it makes you feel better, update

[TheCalicoCat]

Can someone help me with a passport question ...

 

We got a passport for our son when he was around 6 months old, so it's a photo of him as a baby.

He is now 2.5 years old and looks vaguely like the photo, but obviously has changed quite a lot.

 

Will the cruise company care about this? Should we get him an updated passport before we go or is he too young for it to matter much?

 

We are travelling from the UK to Norway and back.

 

No problem, this is exactly why kids passports are only valid for 5 years.

Heck, I'd love to drop 80lbs. That would make my photo look different... Not to mention changes in facial hair on men...

[capriciousc]

As long as the passport is still valid, the photo won't matter. We got our daughter's first passport when she was an infant - as short as a year later, that picture could well have been any Caucasian baby, regardless of gender. The only time anyone has ever commented on our daughter's passport photos it has generally been along the lines of, "Oh, look how much you've grown!"

 

The only thing I'd worry about is the expiration date - some countries require that the passport be valid for 6 months beyond the date you plan to leave the country, for example.

[Mom2B&Z]

I completely agree with the previous posts, in our case DS2 is now 4 and his passport is from when he was 1.5 yrs. Since we're Canadian, his passport expires this year. We had no problems on our trip earlier this month, although do watch for the expiration requirements of the countries you are visiting.

This thread reminds me I need to get DS2's passport renewed...so looking forward to getting a new photo for him :(

[CeleBrat]

The ever-changing features of a growing child is one of the reasons that passports need to be renewed more frequently for children. My kids (ages 9 and 11) are on their 2nd set of passports.

 

CeleBrat

[B_Mc]

Nope, it will be fine. My DS was 6 weeks in his photo and we just cruised at 22 months with no problem. In fact, customs officers were chuckling about how he hardly looks like the pic!

[Lady_Gamecock]

We just got our DD's passport from her 6 weeks old photo to her now 5 yr old photo. It was amazing - only took 10 business days and WE DID NOT pay extra for faster service.

 

It's still a little pricey, but we travel a lot. I will miss not seeing her EGYPT stamp in her passport, though.

 

Make sure, if your children are traveling with only 1 parent, or friends, that s-/he travels with a notorized letter from the other parent(s) that they allow the child to travel outside of the US with 1 parent or friends. They will not allow you to board with the child w/o this letter.

[sharktums]

Interesting question, we were actually stopped twice with our daughters passport, once in China and once in the US.

 

She got her passport when she was just under two months old, and we were in China when she was three. Obviously she looked NOTHING like the photo any more but we travel a lot and are used to the immigration officials just laughing about it. This time though, they pulled us aside and wanted to see her birth certificate, tickets, additional information, etc.

 

Then more recently, coming back to the US (where keep in mind we're citizens) we were treated so rudely by an immigration official that I was livid. The woman was just completely rude insisted that she get a closer look at my daughter, wanting more paperwork, and that we really should have gotten her a new passport, etc.

 

I said that I'd be getting her a new passport six months before it expired like I was told to do and she made some other obnoxious comment. This was LAX though, so I'm used to their dreadful 'service'.

 

Long story short, carry your kids passport, birth certificate, full itinerary, anything they may want!

[Julienatul]

we used our daughters infant passport up until we had to renew when she was 6 years old. AT 5 when it was still valid, she looked nothing like her 4 month photo on the passport but they still accepted it each time. By the way, we sail 2-3 times a year so it was used plenty and never had a problem.

[mymollysue]

We got out DD's passport when she was 9-10 months old. She is now 2 1/2 and we have used the passport without a problem. I am guessing as long as the passport isn't expired, you should be fine.

[bean24]

Just got off a cruise with our son who is 21/2, his pp photo he was 6 weeks old, the only comment we got was from the NCL port rep who said he was cute, but he is cuter now:). It must happen all the time.

 

Sent from my DROID Pro using Tapatalk

[chipmaster]

FWIW are on our 3rd passport for my daughter who is 11 now, never had a problem.

 

Just think this thru how can passport with outdated picture be a problem if they were willing to take a birthcertificate with NO picture ;)

[Onessa]

For our trip this summer DD will need her fourth passport. She's travelled with us internationally a couple of times every year -- never really an issue. Maybe just a few more questions but I think when you are travelling with kids you are more likely to get a few more questions.

[crusinmama06]

I won't renew ours until they expire which is actually this year. The only comment we have ever received is that the picture of the "big sister" looks like it should be the current picture of the little sister because the little baby in the passport photo grew up to look EXACTLY like her big sister's ID. This should be interesting when one gets her drivers license and is old enough to drink. Have to make sure the other isn't stealing her big sisters ID. Lol