China Travel Decisions · Forbidden City
Renewed Your Passport After Booking Forbidden City Tickets? What to Do
The Palace Museum is a real-name reservation. Its official rules say visitor information cannot be changed after sale and the original valid document used for the booking is required for entry. That makes a passport replacement a ticket-identity problem, not just a travel-document update.
Quick answer: If your Palace Museum ticket is tied to an old passport number, do not assume you can edit the document number after purchase. Palace Museum rules state that visitor information cannot be changed after sale, and entry uses the original valid identity document tied to the reservation. The safest recovery is to check rebooking inventory and official support before canceling a scarce ticket, then refund/rebook with the new passport when possible.
What changed with your passport?
Choose your situation
The visitor information on a sold ticket cannot simply be edited. If the same visit date still has inventory, refund the old reservation within the permitted window and rebook using the new passport details. If inventory is scarce, contact Palace Museum support before releasing the ticket.
Do not assume carrying both passports guarantees entry.The official rule still ties admission to the original valid document used for the booking. A canceled/expired old passport may no longer satisfy that wording. Ask Palace Museum support with the exact status of both passports before relying on the gate.
Treat this as a clear identity mismatch risk.If the original document is unavailable and visitor information cannot be edited, the safest route is official support plus refund/rebook while inventory is available. Do not travel to Meridian Gate assuming staff can override it.
Protect the scarce slot before acting.Do not cancel blindly. Contact official support and explain that the passport was renewed after booking. If they cannot validate the old reservation with the new document, use CTD's sold-out recovery options for the date before surrendering the ticket.
Separate the reseller booking from Palace Museum identity rules.Ask the seller whether the ticket has already been issued in the Palace Museum system and which passport number is attached. A seller's ability to edit its own profile does not mean the museum visitor identity can be changed after sale.
What the Palace Museum rule says
| Issue | Official rule / implication |
|---|---|
| Foreign visitor ID | Passport is an accepted real-name reservation document |
| Visitor information after sale | Ticket type/date/time/visitor information cannot be freely changed after sale under the booking rules |
| Entry document | Visitor must bring the original valid ID document used for the reservation |
| Foreign visitor entry route | Official international booking + manual ticket-checking route at Meridian Gate is available for foreign visitors |
| Unused ticket before day of visit | Official refund rules allow cancellation through the booking channel before the stated deadline; later/day-of rules are more restrictive |
If your visit is still more than a day away
- Open the existing reservation and record the passport number attached to the visitor.
- Check whether tickets are currently available for the same date/time.
- If inventory is available, the cleanest identity state is usually refund/rebook using the new valid passport.
- If inventory is scarce or sold out, contact Palace Museum official support before canceling.
- Keep both the old booking and new reservation confirmation until the replacement is successfully issued.
If the visit date is now sold out
Do not destroy the only scarce reservation before asking
- Do not cancel yet.
- Contact the Palace Museum and explain: old passport number on booking, new passport number, renewal/replacement reason, visit date.
- Ask whether the existing reservation can be honored or must be refunded/rebooked.
- If they require rebooking and inventory is unavailable, switch to the sold-out recovery plan rather than assuming a gate override.
CTD cannot verify a public rule promising that a visitor carrying both the canceled old passport and the new passport will automatically be admitted. Treat any such anecdote as anecdotal until the museum confirms your case.
Do not make Meridian Gate your first troubleshooting step
If you arrive with a document mismatch, staff may need to verify identity or refuse the mismatched reservation. Solve the issue earlier whenever possible.
Message for Palace Museum support
我预约故宫门票时使用的是旧护照，之后护照已经更新。预约上的护照号码是【旧号码】，现在有效护照号码是【新号码】，参观日期是【日期】。请问这张预约能否使用，还是需要退票后用新护照重新预约？
I booked the Palace Museum using my old passport. My passport has since been renewed. The reservation uses passport number [old number]; my current valid passport number is [new number], and the visit date is [date]. Can this reservation still be used, or must I refund it and rebook using the new passport?
Frequently asked questions
Can I edit the passport number on an existing Palace Museum ticket?
Do not rely on that. The official booking rules state that visitor information cannot be changed after sale.
Will carrying both old and new passports definitely work?
CTD has not verified a public Palace Museum rule guaranteeing that outcome. The official rule refers to the original valid ID used for the reservation, so ask official support before travel.
Should I refund immediately?
Not if the date is scarce or sold out. First check rebooking inventory and contact official support so you do not unnecessarily lose the slot.
Official sources
Rules, prices, operating routes and platform support can change. CTD is an independent travel resource. Recheck the linked official channel before paying or relying on a reservation.