No Smiling??

[pteague]

It's my understanding that there is to be no more smiling in passport photos. My passport doesn't expire until 2010; however, will I have to have one remade simply b/c I'm smiling in my current one?

 

Thanks!

[llou85]

I just got my passport and they didn't mention no smiling.

[6rugrats]

Is this a serious question?

 

Of course you don't need a new passport because you are smiling. The US Dept. of State webpage says nothing about smiling not allowed in passport photos.

[pteague]

Actually, I'm embarassed to say I was serious. I can also say that I was made aware of this from an unofficial source. I should have taken it with a grain of salt!

[6rugrats]

At least you didn't rush off, complete a new passport application and waste all that money!

[Firkin]

I think it depends on who is taking your picture. When I got mine done at the post office, the guy did not want me to smile. He kept telling me not to,and this was serious. The more he did that the funnier I thought it was. So after about half a dozen shots that weren't good I told my self this was very funny and I calmed down and stopped laughing. The picture was nothing to right home about unless home was a super-max prison. It was that bad, but it was good enough for a passport.

[GORDONCHICK]

My little DS can't not smile, and it's ear to ear, so he'd be in trouble. Even his passport photo is adorable! Even when the customs agents look at it, they smile, too.

[MEcruzr]

I went on the passport website and looked under the guide for professional photographers. Here is what they say for taking passport photos, in regard to facial expression:

 

"What pose should the photos show?

 

The photo should show a clear, front view, full face of the customer. The customer should be in normal street attire, without hat or dark glasses against a plain white or off-white background. The customer should have a natural expression, mouth closed, and eyes open and looking directly ahead. Photos in which the face of the person being photographed is not in focus will not be accepted."

 

So unless you smile with your mouth closed, smiling isn't something they want you to do in your passport photo. That's probably where the "no smiling" thing came from.

 

And, it really doesn't matter who takes the photo... so long as it meets all of the requirements of the passport office. I took dh's and ds's photos based on these composition guidelines: http://travel.state.gov/passport/guide/composition/composition_874.html

[BonnieVA]

I went on the passport website and looked under the guide for professional photographers. Here is what they say for taking passport photos, in regard to facial expression:

 

"What pose should the photos show?

 

The photo should show a clear, front view, full face of the customer. The customer should be in normal street attire, without hat or dark glasses against a plain white or off-white background. The customer should have a natural expression, mouth closed, and eyes open and looking directly ahead. Photos in which the face of the person being photographed is not in focus will not be accepted."

 

So unless you smile with your mouth closed, smiling isn't something they want you to do in your passport photo. That's probably where the "no smiling" thing came from.

 

And, it really doesn't matter who takes the photo... so long as it meets all of the requirements of the passport office. I took dh's and ds's photos based on these composition guidelines: http://travel.state.gov/passport/guide/composition/composition_874.html

 

Hmm ... well I just got my passport in the mail yesterday & I'm all teeth, LOL! DH had his pic taken at same place as I & his teeth are showing too.

[catmand]

so I guess the "I'm Really Happy" sign hanging around my neck is out?...........:D (heck, sorry, I forgot)

[MEcruzr]

I'm not saying you can't or shouldn't smile with teeth showing... I was only pointing out where, in the guide for photographers, it says pictures should be take with a closed mouth. The OP asked if she had to get a new picture... I was curious as to what the passport requirements were concerning smiling. Obviously, if the passport office that issues the passport accepts a picture of someone smiling, then it's ok the way it is... if it wasn't, they wouldn't process the passport. So, if you're smiling in your picture in your passport... it's ok! If you haven't had one taken yet... you might want to lean toward the guidelines and not take the risk that someone would reject your photo. That's all.

[sail7seas]

Our first passport, many years ago, we were told to not smile and for each renewal since, we've had serious expressions on our faces. You mean I could have been smiling all these years. :eek: :D

[GORDONCHICK]

Our first passport, many years ago, we were told to not smile and for each renewal since, we've had serious expressions on our faces. You mean I could have been smiling all these years. :eek: :D

 

 

If you can do it with your mouth closed!

[NMCruiser55]

If you can do it with your mouth closed!

I can, I can....oh wait I guess that's a grin. :)

[trock]

Had mine taken for renewal a couple of months ago

No smiling.. They actually said that!

[craykclan]

I got my passport in Oct of last year and both my husband and myself are smiling...:)

[CruisingJs]

We recently had our renewals done at AAA. They were very specific...no smiling...no teeth. We looked like we were having our mug shots taken.

 

Funny story when we got our first passports. It was a hot day and DH wore a tank top. As we discovered, no pictures with tank tops allowed. Well, I was wearing a plain v-necked t-shirt...so, with the picture lady standing guard at the restroom door, we switched shirts. Figure it out, in our first passport pictures, we were wearing the same shirt! It was kind of sad when it was time to replace them.

[CANBRFAN]

Actually, I'm embarassed to say I was serious. I can also say that I was made aware of this from an unofficial source. I should have taken it with a grain of salt!

Your source was correct, had our passport photos taken a few months ago and were told no smiling also.

[australian_girl]

I just renewed my passport (Australian) and was told no smiling.. the actual requirement is...

 

* show you with a neutral expression and mouth closed

[chasetf]

It's my understanding that there is to be no more smiling in passport photos. My passport doesn't expire until 2010; however, will I have to have one remade simply b/c I'm smiling in my current one? Thanks!

When I had mine taken in 2006 for renewal the guy at the photo shop that took my photo said we had to redo it because I was smiling. :D

 

He said it would not be accepted. Glad he knew. ;)

[narrell]

Here in Australia we are told NOT to Smile. I think its because if you get into trouble at customs your not likely to be smiling, so you will look more like your passport photo.

I hated my photo when we got our passports in the mail, I look like a down-trodden lonely old lady, and DH looks like a guilty criminal.:rolleyes:

It was so hard for DH to get a good photo because he is always smiling and the lady at the passport office kept telling him to stop smiling, and the more she told him, the more we smiled about the whole situation. Oh well at least they will last for the next 10 years and maybe they will change the rules by then. :D

[Aussie Cruisers]

DW and 6 month old DS just renewed their Australian passport. It took 15 minutes with over 25 pictures to get one of DS as he kept looking away or smiling. Unless the eyes are looking in the lense and there is a natural expression, the passport office will reject the application and you will need to go through the whole thing again (and pay the full amount all over again too).

 

They are very strict in Aus about this. Just FYI!

 

Mark.

[CC Help Michell]

They want to recognize you from your photo -- these days who smiles going through ANY airport or customs? Instead of smiling, before your photo they should require you to work up a muck sweat, plaster your hair to your head (except for a tuft or two sticking up), skew your clothes around like you've been dragging a suitcase behind you through two mile-long terminals, and ask you to put a hopeless, defeated look on your face. THEN your passport photo will match what you look like at the airport! Well, what *I* usually look like, anyway! ;)

[cavkc]

We live in the UK and my 15 year old son's passport application was sent back because he was showing his teeth in the photo. It wasn't a beaming smile, just his slightly open

[BobBeaSea]

Yup! They want a neutral, closed mouth image. Perhaps it is needed for "photo identity recognition software" to be more effective :D.