Cosmetic Surgery? Update Your Passport!
October 19, 2009 by Marijke Durning, RN
Filed under Travel and Health
If you’re thinking of having some cosmetic surgery on your face, you may also want to line up a replacement passport when you’re done. After all, if the new you is a big change from the old you, you could end up being held up in passport control if the officers think you may not be who you claim to be.
Don’t laugh – it’s happened. It is becoming increasingly popular in China for women to travel to South Korea for cosmetic surgery. Many women go because they want a more “western look” that is attained by rounding out the eyes and slimming the chins. What one particular group of women didn’t count on though, was that when they came home, they didn’t look like themselves anymore.
According to news reports, they had to show the customs officers their scars and then were examined closely so the officers could match the non-retouched facial features with the old passport photos to verify their identity.
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Image: PhotoXpress.com
If a person feels like their image has changed significantly since the previous issue of their passport, they will need to renew their passport to update the photograph. However,if the passport was recently issued the applicant will also need to include a statement with their application to explain why they would like their passport renewed.
If the person has travel plans in the near future, they may use a service to expedite their passport processing.