

Jewelry, such as piercings, are allowed, as long as they do not cast shadows or otherwise conceal your face. However, there are exceptions to this rule. These are surefire ways to get your application denied.

Avoid wearing hats, large jewelry, headphones, or anything else that can obscure your face and/or hairline. Glasses aren’t the only accessory that can ruin your passport photo. If you can take your glasses off without causing physical harm, do it – it’s not worth the risk of a rejection!īack to top Avoid wearing prohibited clothing and accessories While you can submit a letter form your doctor declaring you have a medical reason to wear glasses in your passport photo, this is reserved for exceptional circumstances. As discussed, if a face is obscured or the quality of the photo is hindered in any way, the photo isn’t accepted. Glasses have a tendency to create imperfections like shadows, glare, or tinting effects that make it challenging to see the face (and particularly the eyes) of the applicant clearly.

The reason for the change was primarily to cut down on the number of passport applications that are denied each year solely due to unacceptable photos. These days, if you wear glasses in your passport photo, it will be rejected. However, the US Department of State recently changed their policy on bespectacled passport photos. If you applied for a passport prior to 2016, you may very well be wearing eyeglasses in the photo on your current passport. If the resulting image is too dark or too bright, adjust the position or intensity of the light sources accordingly until you are able to produce a uniformly lit image without any shadows.
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The best way to test your lighting setup is to take a trial photo. It is also helpful to have lighting from both the right- and left-hand sides to help eliminate shadows from appearing on either side of the face. If going the DIY route with your passport photography, consider lighting both in front and behind of the subject with bulbs of equal wattage to prevent background shadows. A shadow - either on or behind the subject – is grounds for an immediate application rejection. Still, that is no excuse when selecting a photo to use for your passport. If taking your own passport photos, you probably don’t have that luxury.
#Irish passport photo maker professional#
Professional photographers use lighting rigs and flash bulbs to eliminate unwanted shadows. If you smirk, blink, frown, or wink, take another shot!īack to top Look out for shadows in your passport photo Tilting your head forward or backward, looking down, showing teeth, or making an emotive expression (such as an overly excited face) will result in a photo that you cannot use for your passport. This means keeping your lips gently pressed together (not a deliberate frown or smile), eyes open naturally, and head level with the camera. Passport photos require subjects to look directly into the lens with a neutral expression.
