Face Changed After Plastic Surgery, Is a Passport Replacement Necessary?
Facial plastic surgery can significantly alter a person’s appearance. For those who frequently travel abroad, this change may raise the question: must their passport photo also be replaced?
Regulations vary by country. However, facial changes that make an individual difficult to recognise from their old passport photo can serve as a reason to apply for a new one.
In the United States, for instance, facial surgery is specifically listed as a change in appearance that passport holders should note. According to the official U.S. Department of State website, passport holders only need to apply for a new passport if their appearance has changed significantly.
If an individual can still be recognised based on the photo in their current passport, a new application is not required. The US government distinguishes between minor and major changes in appearance.
Growing a beard, dyeing hair, and facial changes due to normal ageing are considered minor changes, meaning passport holders do not need to apply for a new passport.
Conversely, passport holders are required to apply for a new passport if they undergo major changes. This includes facial surgery or trauma that causes significant alterations.
Other major changes include adding or removing many piercings or large facial tattoos, as well as significant weight gain or loss.
What about Singapore?
The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) of Singapore also has specific provisions regarding photos for identity documents, including passports. On its official website, the ICA states that a recent colour photo must be submitted when applying for a new document.
Singapore’s passport photo requirements are based on the specifications of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Photos must not be altered or beautified in any way, including modifying facial features using photo editing software.
The ICA even advises against using selfies, as the results are often deemed non-ideal and can cause delays in the application process.
So, what about Indonesian passport holders who undergo plastic surgery?
The Directorate General of Immigration has not specifically listed plastic surgery as a particular reason for changing passport data. In official statements regarding the correction and change of passport data, the changes mentioned focus on the holder’s identity data.
Corrections can be made, for example, if there is a typographical error in the personal data or if the holder wishes to update an old spelling to a new one. Meanwhile, data changes can be performed if identity data changes entirely, such as changes to name, place, or date of birth.
Procedures for correcting and changing data are regulated under the Regulation of the Minister of Law and Human Rights Number 18 of 2022, Article 24, and the Circular Letter of the Directorate General of Immigration No. IMI.2-UM.01.01-3.207.
Consequently, plastic surgery is not specifically mentioned as a condition that automatically requires Indonesian citizens to replace their passports. However, if surgery causes a facial change so significant that it differs from the passport photo, holders may confirm the situation with the immigration office before travelling abroad.