Passport Photo Requirements
Some countries have different requirements
for the passport photo size. The US requires passport photos to
have a size of 2 x 2 inch (visit the US Department of State).
Most countries (including European Union countries, the United Kingdom, Australia and others) require 'standard' 3.5 x 4.5 cm photos.
Passport Photo also complies with the EU, UK and Australian specifications for biometric passports.
The important thing to remember about passport
photos is that they should allow border inspectors to recognize
you when they look at your passport. These guidelines will help
you shoot and prepare photos that can be used in passports.
- Include a full face, front view and open
eyes
- Make sure photo presents full head from
top of hair to shoulders
- Take the photo in a plain white or off-white
background
- Avoid shadows on the face or background
- Face in photo should have a natural expression
(closed mouth)
- Photos should not include sunglasses
or hats
- The contrast and lighting in the photo
should be normal
Passport photo checklist
Bad passport photo
Make sure the face shows fully
This sample shows my kid, Tomer, holding
a pillow. It's pretty obvious that the pillow obstructs part of
his face.
Even though you can cut the pillow
out, the full face and shoulders are required for making a passport
photo.
Stand in front of clear white background
Bad passport photo
That's me (Amir), sitting in front of the
laundry. My intention was to sit in front of the white sheet, but
it didn't work well.
Passport photos should be taken with a clear white background, without
any shadows (including from the person being photographed).
Keep a neutral expression
Bad passport photo
That's Eran, my other kid. He's making a
strange smile. Although his grandmother finds it cute, you can't
make a passport photo with this expression.
For a good passport photo, the person should
wear a normal expression, no big smiles, or other gestures. Both
eyes should be open, and the mouth closed.
Mind the contrast, lighting and colors
Bad passport photo
This photo was taken with bad exposure
settings, causing it to appear blue and therefore un-useable as
a passport photo.
Indirect sunlight, with no flash and
default camera setting will give good results in most cases.
A good passport photo
Good passport photo
This photo isn't perfect, but it's
OK for a passport.
A professional photographer would have probably
taken a better picture, but it fulfills the requirements from a
passport photo. The expression is neutral, the entire face is shown
(and shoulders too), the background is plain white and lighting
is good.
Using Passport Photo you can make great passport
photos from this type of photo, and print them in a shop at a fraction
of the cost of a regular passport photo.
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