There’s no age limit to having a passport. This means that even the most elderly members of society can apply for, and be granted, a passport. You can, of course, always give an elderly relative or neighbour a helping hand in making sure that they fill out the application correctly. You might even assist them with taking a suitable passport photo and take advantage of services like Paspic. The first question you’ll probably want to answer is: are elderly people exempt from any of the rules surrounding passport pictures? Let’s look at what you need to know so that you can provide proper assistance.
Which rules must they follow?
Anyone over the age of 16 requires an adult passport photo and must generally follow the same rules as all other adults. This includes key aspects such as that the person must have a neutral expression and that the picture must be taken in front of a clear background.
Are the elderly exempt from any?
Passport officials have been advised that for certain elderly people it is not essential that they are looking straight at the camera. This is because of an awareness that many people in their later years can be ‘stooped’, which would fall into the category of disability. The guideline states: “If the customer has a disability which prevents them from looking straight at the camera their photograph should be considered under the exceptions criteria.”
How can you help with this?
Any elderly people who want to take advantage of this exemption will need to have a written request sent along with the passport application. The passport officials are advised that “such cases must be dealt with sensitively and should be accepted if we are advised, in writing, that a full-face image is not possible,” according to the Photographic Standards Policy. You can advise the person you’re helping that this note could be necessary for the passport picture to be accepted.
Let us help
Paspic can always assist by ensuring the picture meets all the correct guidelines and will be accepted. This should mean that you can focus your energy on helping the elderly person to take the picture without fear that it could be rejected and the process would have to start all over again. We’ll also send out two hard copies, either to support a paper application or for future use.
