Monday, 26 November 2012

Top Tips to Ensure Your US 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.

Each passport application requires two identical passport pictures.

The paper your passport photos are printed on must be of special photo-media quality.

You should have color Passport photos.

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

The passport pictures must be 50mm x 50mm to qualify for a US passport application.

You should be able to see an unobstructed view of your face. It is best if you wear day to day clothing without baseball cap, hat or sunglasses. The picture must be taken against a solid white or grey background. Your pose should be neutral making sure your mouth is closed looking forward with eyes wide open. The resulting picture should be in focus or it will not be allowed.

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.

It is possible to wear a hat or headgear on grounds of religious belief as long as your face is not obstructed.

Glasses may be worn but you should be able to see your eyes in the photograph it is not acceptable to have any flash or flare from your spectacles.

You may only wear tinted glasses in you passport picture on medical grounds. You may need to provide written documentation from your Dr on request.

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

Having pictures taken of your little ones is not always the easiest proposition visiting a studio can make the whole process much smoother. Parents or relatives should not appear in the photos, props and supporting aids must also be hidden.

It is not possible to re-use your picture from an old driving license of photo ID. Neither should you digitally enhance or change your photograph before submitting it with your passport application as it will be rejected.

Copying your photo from a magazine or book is not allowed. Pictures taken at a photo booth will generally not comply with the requirements. A regular holiday snap from your photo album will not be acceptable.

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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