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Whether or not a photographer prompts subjects to “say cheese,” many of us probably default to a wide smile at picture time.
But when taking a photo for a passport, you need to resist that urge. The travel document comes with a set of guidelines on various aspects of the shot, from the background to attire and even the expression on a person’s face.
If you don’t follow those, it could delay your passport and cause trouble for your travel plans. But that doesn’t mean you have to settle for a deadpan headshot.
Can I smile in my passport photo?
Yes, but not necessarily the way you’d smile in other pictures. Travelers need to close their mouths and make sure their eyes are open, according to the U.S. State Department’s website.
But your photo may make the cut even if your teeth are showing – to a point.
If your smile is stretched and your eyes are squinting the way they might be after someone tells a “stomach-wrenching joke,” that’s too far, according to David Alwadish, president and CEO of ItsEasy.com, a passport and visa concierge service.
A natural, relaxed smile is more likely to be accepted in his experience. “You just can’t distort the face,” he said. I am smiling with my teeth showing – by force of habit – in my own passport I renewed in 2022, and all went smoothly.
Why can’t I smile widely in my passport photo?
The State Department calls for more neutral looks “because photos with exaggerated expressions can make it more difficult to readily identify the passport holder,” a spokesperson told USA TODAY in an email.
The International Civil Aviation Organization “sets global standards and recommended practices for travel documents,” they added.
Joy Hess, owner and lead travel consultant at Outside the Lines Travel, has advised clients to “smize,” – a la America’s Next Top Model – and keep their mouths closed.
While you may be able to get away with not doing so, you run the risk of your photo being rejected by the State Department. And even if the photo is accepted, it could slow you down at the airport, particularly when using self-service machines at passport control.
“If they can’t match your face to what’s on the passport … that’s when someone will come over and escort you to the line where the human is,” Hess said. “So, it would cause a delay.”
She smiled in a previous passport photo, and has seen even real-life officials do double-takes. “They’ll look and look again and look again because, you know, usually it’s the morning and I’m not smiling,” Hess said.
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What if my passport photo is rejected?
If an applicant’s photo doesn’t meet the criteria, “the passport agency will request a new photo that fits the stated guidelines and their passport application will be delayed,” the State Department spokesperson said.
In those cases, Alwadish said travelers will get a letter notifying them that their application is on hold and they need to send in a new photo. Applicants are responsible for any expenses associated with mailing an additional picture, according to the State Department.
Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Can I smile in my passport photo? Yes, but up to a point
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This story was originally published February 19, 2024, 2:01 AM.
source: star-telegram
