The present invention discloses filter coefficient changing apparatus and method for use in a dual-polarized optical coherent receiver. The apparatus comprises a controlling unit, a switching unit and a new coefficient obtaining unit. The switching unit is connected between a first filter coefficient updating unit and a first filtering unit and a second filtering unit; the new coefficient obtaining unit generates new filter coefficients for the first filtering unit and the second filtering unit in accordance with filter coefficients outputted by a second filter coefficient updating unit; and the controlling unit generates a control signal that controls switching of the switching unit. Upon reception of the control signal, the switching unit breaks off output of the filter coefficients from the first filter coefficient updating unit, transmits new filter coefficients from the new coefficient obtaining unit to the first filtering unit and the second filtering unit, and subsequently resumes the output of the filter coefficients from the first filter coefficient updating unit to the first filtering unit and the second filtering unit.