Is that me in my passport photo? Wow, I've changed!

Congratulations - that's a major accaomplishment. You don't need to change your passport, but if you want to treat yourself to one where you look like the new you, I'd do it. Kind of a reward to yourself.

From the State Dept. site: "...New photos are only required if your appearance has significantly changed from what is in your photo. Growing a beard or coloring your hair would not constitute a significant change. If you can still be identified from the photo in your current passport or visa application, you do not need to apply for a new passport or submit a new photo for your visa application. However, you may have to apply for a new passport or submit a new photo for your visa application if you have: Undergone significant facial surgery or trauma Added or removed numerous/large facial piercings or tattoos Undergone a significant amount of weight loss or gain Obtained a new gender identity..." I'm no immigration officer (but I play one on TV:)), but I would consider 50lbs. a significant weight loss.

Congrats Holly! What a terrific problem to have! Re: the State dept rules above. You might want to have a friend look at your passport picture and of course at you and give you an opinion on whether you are recognizable or not. Sometimes it is hard to judge our pictures ourselves. It should be someone who is able to be truthful, not just gushing over how terrific you look now.

First of all, congratulations - mostly on the weight loss, but perhaps the hairstyle, too ;-) What does your drivers license look like? Is it a 'bridge' photo between you and your passport photo? You certainly wouldn't be the first person to lose - or gain - a significant amount of weight, but I don't recall hearing that people are having a challenging time at passport control...As Pam suggested, ask a few people their opinion.

My husband was going through his "grunge" phase when he had his passport picture taken, complete with shoulder-length hair. Then he got a desk job and cut his hair. Then he had to start traveling for said desk job, and wearing business attire on the plane. He got lots of funny looks, but never got stopped for it.

Congratulations! Really an inspiring acheivement. What was the key to your success?

You don't need to change your photo IMO. An agent may ask about weight loss if you look a lot different (i.e. looks like you've lost some weight)...just answer his/her questions & you'll sail right through. It's their job to ask questions...sometimes it feels a bit intrusive or even interrogation-ish, but just answer honestly & you won't have any problem. Whitey Bulger apparently crossed the border between Mexico and the U.S. many times while being one of America's most wanted. If they couldn't ID him, they're not going to hassle you about your photo. Happy travels!

I agree with Michael Schneider that 50lbs is significant. It might not be though. Drop from 400 to 350 might not qualify as significantly changing your appearance. Drop from 180 to 130, and heck yeah you have changed your appearance. I say get a new photo even if not required by the state department just to celebrate the new you. Off topic: Post the old one on the fridge. It will help keep the 50 lbs off and encourage you to reach for the carrots instead of the chips when you have the evening munchies.

Thanks everyone, this is helpful. It's very useful to know the legal regulations. I'm sure the TSA people (and their overseas equivalents) see all kinds of interesting passport photos all day long and have to make a lot of intelligent judgment calls about the travelers passing through. I look more like my mother in my old passport photo, like an older version of me. I can't wait to take the "new me" on a vacation!!! While I enjoy the idea that a new passport photo would be a great celebration of the "new me" and a good reminder of the old lady version I left behind, I'm also trying to save up about $8,000 for my trip, so I'm trying to budget wisely! I think I'll ask about a dozen people what they think. I'll take it to the grocery store and ask the checker, and other strangers. Then I'll get an honest answer. P.S. I changed my lifestyle completely, which accounts for the weight loss. Kind of a mid-life anti crisis. It took me half a century to get myself in the right frame of mind, but I did it! Now I'm ready for solo travel :) Thanks again!!

Now that I think about it...I've seen some passport photos that looked NOTHING like the person! At All! I've traveled with them, and they don't even get a second glance at passport control, so... It's not out of thin air that people joke about passport photos!

Recently there was something on aol with people's passport photos vs current appearances. Yeah, they looked different, but if you paid attention to the shape of the nose and eyes, proportions, etc, you could tell they were the same. Especially ears-turns out they are very unique, and that's why you must have them showing in the passport photo.

Hi Holly, me again - I had the same problem. I got a new drivers license (needed one anyway) with new photo - it looks more like me, has my legal name on it, and I was prepared to show it if my passport raised questions (which it never did, and I flashed that thing many times in Spain and Morocco).