Top Tips to Ensure Your Passport Photos Are Accepted First Time

By David Hawkin


Nobody likes having their passport photos taken. However you needn't worry the following tips will guide you through the minefield of special requirements. Passport dimensions can vary from country to country, here are the measurements of US style Passport pictures.

The passport photos submitted with your passport application must be the same.

Your Passport photos must be printed on photo-quality media.

The Passport Photos you have printed must be in colour.

Your pictures must be current and up to date within the last six months.

The size of the photos that you submit should be 2" x 2" to be acceptable.

Your picture must be square to the camera with out anything obscuring the face. Clothing should be simple day to day dress without a head covering or polarised glasses in front of a white screen. As you look at the camera ensure your mouth is closed and your posture is natural with eyes that are open. The photos must be clear sharp and not have a grainy image otherwise they will be disallowed.

Your head should make up about 50% of the total photo area and should measure between 1 -1 3/8" from chin to crown. It should be in the center of the picture level and not looking off to the left of right.

A headdress or head-covering may be worn on religious grounds however it must not conceal, disguise, block or shade any portion of your face.

You may wear everyday spectacles in the passport photo, however there should be no glare or reflection that obscures your eyes.

If you wear sunglasses on medical grounds you will be able to leave them on in your photos. However you may be asked to send supporting evidence from your medical practitioner in the form of a letter.

You can have your passport picture taken in uniform if you wear it every day for religious purposes.

Having passport pictures taken of infants and young children can be difficult. It is advised that you visit a professional photographer. Parents or guardians must not feature in the pictures neither should any mechanical device supporting their pose.

Obtaining a copy of a photo from your driving license is not allowed. Digitally manipulating your photos using computer software will result in them being rejected.

Photographs copied from newspapers and magazines will not comply with the strict regulations. It is also likely that pictures from most vending booths will be rejected. Photos that are a full length body shot of the subject will also be disallowed.

It is possible to use your own digital camera at home to take your photos if it is of a high enough quality. The camera must be able to take pictures at a resolution of 1 million pixels or more. However when printing your passport photos you should go to a professional lab as most home printers cannot produce a satisfactory result.




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