Tag: baby passport photo

For families with young children and babies, traveling can be an incredibly stressful process; no matter how much you’re looking forward to a relaxing vacation, you’re no doubt dreading the juggling of passports, luggage and little ones. The best way to minimize stress is to be very organized and plan, plan, plan, so check out our handy family travel to-do list to keep on top of things.

12 weeks before travel: take passport photos

It can be tricky to get a good child passport photo that passes all regulations, so make sure you give yourself plenty of time to get the right shot. You can submit your passport pictures to us at Paspic and our innovative technology will tell you if they’re likely to be approved. If they’re in good shape, you can have them printed and delivered straight to your door.

10 weeks before travel: submit passport application

It takes around six weeks for passport applications to be processed but during busy periods it can take longer, so be sure to get yours in within plenty of time – we recommend around eight to 10 weeks before you travel.

6 weeks before travel: plan your packing checklist

This may seem a little early, but by planning what you’ll need to pack now, you can ensure that you purchase any missing essentials well before you actually start to pack. Consider clothes, sunscreen, medications, first aid supplies, electronics and even things such as snacks, toys or games to help keep the kids occupied on long journeys.

2 – 4 weeks before travel: confirm travel arrangements

Many travel agencies will require the payment of any remaining balances around one month before your vacation, so this is a great opportunity to double check all your travel arrangements and itineraries, submit any forms and documents to them and provide emergency contact information if necessary.

1 week before travel: start packing

If you planned well ahead, you should have everything you need to hand in order to make packing a breeze! We recommend getting the majority of your belongings packed up to a week before and having a list of last minute items such as phone chargers that you’ll be using right up until the day of travel. Decide what will be in your main luggage and what you’ll need in hand luggage, such as passports, travel documents, cellphone, wallet, and keys.

Vacation day

The big day has finally arrived, and all you need to do is throw those last few essentials into your suitcase, gather up your hand luggage and be on your way, feeling as relaxed and in control as possible!

Baby passport photos might be the single hardest passport photos to obtain. Why? Because all the same rules apply, but a baby is hardly as capable of lining up for a simple picture. Here are a few things that will just get in the way or prove counterproductive to your endeavor:

1. A helping hand

If any part of any other person shows up in a passport photo, that photo isn’t valid. That means you can’t be in your baby photo – not a shoulder, not a hand, not an anything. You need to figure out a way to get that perfect photo without catching a glimpse of anyone else involved in the process. So you can have a helping hand – but you can’t have it in the picture.

2. A prop

It might be hard to get your baby the right distance or angle away, but don’t let that lead you to props and other supports; those aren’t allowed in the picture either. If you can manage to work something out that doesn’t show in the photo, you’re golden, but if it’s at all visible you’re back to square one.

3. A pacifier

It might help keep your child content and neutral-faced, but that doesn’t help when it obscures so much of his or her features. Lose it, or your photos won’t clear inspection, no matter how much else you get right. The same goes for other toys and tools.

4. The camera on your phone

You need a clear, properly focused, well-lit photo. Your camera phone almost certainly isn’t going to cut it.

5. Hats, hoods, and other headgear

Anything that might obscure the face of your baby should be removed, barring daily-wear items mandated by religious or health needs.

6. Distractions or noises

If your baby isn’t looking at the camera, or they’re making a face because of something they saw or heard, their photo probably isn’t going to make it through inspection. A quiet area you can control works best.

7. Poor lighting

Bad lighting can just as easily invalidate your baby passport photo as anything else on this list, yet many parents forget the issue entirely; they get tired of trying to catch the perfect photo, and grab one when an opportunity strikes – without setting up lighting first.

When someone needs to travel, they just reach out for their passport and head to the nearest airport. What many people do not know is that the passport is only around 100 years old. Before the Germans introduced the modern day passport bearing a picture in 1915, people used to travel to other countries using a simple document that had a description of the owner.

Just before the current passport was adopted, there was an attempt to include more personal details in the travel document. The early version of the passport included the name of the traveler, a brief mention of their size (tall, short, small, etc.) and hair color. The document also described their face and any other recognizable mark, such as a missing finger or a scar.

The British had their distinct version of a passport in the form of a note that a traveler carried around. The typical note read something like “John Smith, a British subject, on a mission to travel around the continent”.

The launch of the German passport in the year 1915 necessitated the use of a passport picture for easy identification. The earliest passport photos did not have a standard size, so one could use any photo of their choice. As long as the picture could fit within the document, it was acceptable. People took passport photos leaning on their favorite horses or while playing the guitar. In those days, hats were accepted on the pictures, meaning people wore their fanciest hats on the passport images.

The rule that one had to show their full face without a hat came into effect in 1926. At around the same time, the UK specified the size of a passport photograph. Colored images gradually made their way into passports from the early 1940s. As more people started using air travel, governments saw the need to improve their passports. From around the 1960s, the US government asked people not to smile on their passport pictures. Minors traveling with their parents were also required to take a child passport photo.

Today, the passport has undergone a major transformation. People now use digital images, and passports have more security features. The current passport is more compact yet has more information than its predecessors. We can only wait and watch to see the new direction this valuable travel document will take.

When applying for a passport, you are required to submit a picture that meets the standards set by the Department of State. If you are over 16 years old at the time of application, you are issued with a passport that is valid for 10 years.

If an individual is less than 15 years old during the application and uses a child passport photo, they ought to have their passport renewed every five years until they are over 16 years old. As an adult, you will be obligated to present new passport pictures that are less than six months old during renewal.

Although you do not have to replace the passport picture on your passport until you have to renew it, some circumstances require you to change the photograph. According to the US Department of State, you need to get new passport photos if your appearance has changed drastically since you acquired the passport.

Some of the changes include:

If you have made a gender transition

When someone has a sex change, they take hormonal medication that alters their facial appearance. Anyone that has undergone gender transition should visit the passport office to update their passport photos and personal details.

Facial surgery

When someone undergoes a radical facial surgery, it extensively alters their appearance. Such people are supposed to visit the passport office in the Department of State to change their passport pictures.

Introduction or removal of prominent marks on their face

If you had a plain face when applying for the passport and you choose to have a facial tattoo a few years down the line, you will be required to change the picture on the passport. The same case applies to someone that has facial piercings that have either been introduced or surgically removed.

Drastic gain or loss of weight

If you add or lose a lot of weight that alters your appearance, you will have to visit the nearest passport office for a change of photo.

If you take note of the above points, you will not be detained at the airport the next time you choose to travel.

A passport photo serves as your introduction to the world. When you reach the immigration desk at any airport, the first thing you have to do is present your passport. The officer usually takes a look at the photo on the passport before looking at you to verify your identity. For this reason, you need to have a clear picture. Although passport photo sizes vary around the world, the common denominator is that the image should represent the passport holder without any room for doubt.

When applying for a US passport, you are supposed to present your photograph to the Passport Services within the Bureau of Consular Services. If the picture that you present alongside the application does not meet the set standards, it will delay the issuance of this vital document. You will be asked to send another picture that is acceptable. The delay may end up costing you a crucial opportunity, especially if you need to be somewhere at a specific date.

The following are some of the reasons that can cause the rejection of passport photos:

1. Insufficient light exposure

When taking a picture at home, you need all the help you can get to ensure that it meets the high standards expected. The type and amount of lighting you use will impact on the final image. You can use our passport photo guidelines to assist you in taking acceptable copies since pictures with shadows will be rejected.

2. Colorful background

Whether you are taking a child passport photo or one for an adult, the background needs to be plain. If you use a setting with pictures or patterns, it will be rejected.

3. Facial expressions

Many people do not know that smiling on a passport picture is not allowed. You should have a neutral expression when posing for the photo. Also, you must face the camera directly. Any tilting that distorts your face is not acceptable.

4. Wearing dark glasses

In case you wear prescription glasses, only clear lenses are allowed. The person looking at your photograph must see your eyes through the glasses. If the glasses are too dark, the picture will not be accepted.

If you avoid the above photograph mistakes, your passport application will be a smooth affair.

When it comes to taking passport photos, there are a lot of rules that seem like common sense: take a color photo, don’t wear sunglasses, and face the camera. But what a lot of people — especially new parents — don’t always realize is that taking a baby passport photo can create some unforeseen challenges. Here are a few things you should keep in mind when taking a passport photo of your infant or toddler:

1. You can’t be in the photo with your baby. Even if your face is out of frame, you can’t have hands, arms or any visible body parts holding your baby up. This means that you’ll have to find another way to keep your baby supported, especially if you have a newborn. The U.S. Department of State website suggests laying your baby on a white or off-white sheet on his or her back, or covering a car seat with a sheet and propping the baby up that way.

2. Don’t stress about keeping your baby’s eyes open. While adults and young children must have their eyes open and facing the camera, it is acceptable for infants, especially newborns, to have their eyes partially or even fully closed.

3. Childhood growth doesn’t count as significant change in appearance. The State Department does require you to apply for a new passport when your appearance has changed dramatically, but the normal aging process of children under the age of 16 is exempt from this rule.

4. Watch out for shadows. If you are taking a passport picture of your child from above with the baby on his or her back, it can be easy to cast an accidental shadow over the baby’s face, which can lead to your photo being rejected. Using a flash can help minimize overhead shadow, but an even better way to reduce shadow is to have two additional light sources: one on either side of your baby. Having light from multiple angles is the best way to achieve a child passport photo without shadow.

Ultimately, you know your baby and the best way to get him or her to sit still for a passport photo, but keeping these tips in mind should help make the picture taking process go more smoothly.

Getting acceptable child or baby passport photos for a  can be nearly impossible under the best of circumstances—which you’re far more likely to have at home. Being able to take your time and catch that golden moment on your own terms may make a lot more sense than using a booth or other solution, once you consider these five problems:

1. Your child must be looking at the camera

Perhaps the simplest reason to avoid public photo booths for getting a passport photo of a younger child: paying attention to the camera can be extremely difficult, especially once you see the other problems you’re going to face with a child or baby passport photo.

2. Your child can’t have a distorted expression

Any expression that might count as distorting facial features will get your passport photo rejected… which means that, if you make a funny voice or face to get your child to pay attention, and they start laughing, you might need another photo. If they’re crying because of a loud noise or because you’re getting visibly frustrated, you’ll need another photo. And it gets even harder.

3. Pacifiers and similar tools aren’t acceptable

If you’re thinking you can keep your baby content for its photo with a pacifier, think again – they aren’t permitted in passport photos. You’ll need to get that perfect face without any help. This can be extremely difficult if things go awry in public.

4. If you’re in the picture, it will be rejected

It can be very difficult to adhere to the other rules on this list without holding your child upright and pointing them in the right direction, but if you can be seen doing so, your child passport photo won’t pass inspection. Props and other tools for doing the job are unacceptable as well; this can make the task very, very difficult to get done in a booth, or indeed anywhere in public.

5. The distance and angle must be right

As with any passport photo, there are rules about the proportion of the shot to be taken up by your child’s head in their photo. Too much or too little, and your submission will be rejected. This can make things quite tricky given all the other rules, especially with photo booths or other tools configured for adults.

When it comes to passport photos, the smallest details can lead to rejection. It’s easy to understand that you should be facing the camera and clearly visible, but the goal of a passport is to eliminate any possibility of misidentification — which means no obfuscating or confounding factors are allowed, period. Here are the top points to keep in mind as you take your photos:

1) Avoid headgear of all sorts

Prescription glasses and religious headgear worn every day are the only exceptions — and if you’re comfortable taking a photo without either, it’s still going to be better. This also includes a variety of items for child photos, including pacifiers. Scarves and other items that might obscure your lower face are no good, too.

2) Your head should be a certain size in the picture

Passport photos are 2×2 inches, and of that space, your head from chin to the top of your hair should be between 1, and 1 and 3/8 inches. Anything smaller or bigger will catch you a rejection. For digital photos with less specific sizes, your head should be between 50% and 69% of the total height.

3) Neutral expressions only

You don’t have to look soulless and dour, but you can’t be distorting your facial features with an exaggerated face, either. This can make baby passport photos very tricky.

4) No extra people

Not a single pinky of another person can be in a passport photo — this includes your hands holding up your child for their photo.

5) No touch-ups

If your camera has built in red-eye removal, that’s fine, but any touch-ups outside of that will catch you an instant rejection. Any and all usage of photo editing software is banned, including the use of red-eye tools from exterior sources.

These aren’t the only rules, but they’re the ones people most commonly run afoul of. You might also want to be wary of other mistakes: using old photos, wearing uniforms or camouflage without a religious reason, using low end digital cameras and phone cameras with terrible image quality, and bizarre lighting can all disqualify your photos.

Basically, ask yourself: is there any conceivable way any human being could possibly have trouble with this? If so, fix it.

So you’ve decided to take your own passport photos; maybe it’s more convenient for you, maybe you’re worried about getting good baby or child photos in a booth, or maybe you just can’t find anywhere to have them done near you. Whatever the reason, there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind to make sure your photos come out looking good — and pass inspection.

1) Angle

If you’re taking a selfie, you’re going to want to be extremely cautious about the angle of your picture. Do a lot of experimenting to find out the best possible angle to meet passport requirements — even a slight angle on your picture can get it tossed out during inspection. For this reason, it’s probably best to have someone else taking your picture, but even then, do your homework and experiment to get things right.

2) Lighting

If you’re working with a modern digital camera, this probably won’t be too big of an issue — just take the picture in a bright, evenly lit space, and you’ll probably be fine with automatic settings. If you’re using a camera phone or older camera, you’ll want to be a lot more cautious. Experiment with settings, lighting angles, lighting types and so on, and figure out the best one to clearly present your face without unnatural shadows or other problems.

3) Accessories

It’s best to not have accessories of any kind in your passport photos. They’re often going to lead directly to failure at the inspection stage, and for little to no benefit — no one looks great in a passport photo, it’s just the nature of the beast. Go for comfortably neutral and accept that most of us have passport pictures that look functionally identical to mug shots.

4) Focus

Absolutely do not send in passport photos with bad focus — it doesn’t take much blurring at all to render your pictures completely useless for passport purposes. Remember, much of the goal here is to make it so that someone who looks a lot like you can’t use your passport convincingly — that means crystal clear photos with a perfect frontal view of your face. If you’re using a camera phone and can’t get the focus right for the appropriate framing, you might need to use another one or invest in a digital camera.