Author: Paspic

All new passport photos must include unique, measurable physical characteristics which enable facial recognition technology. Such passports are often referred to as a biometric passport, an e-passport, ePassport or a digital passport.

This is a combined paper and electronic passport that uses biometric technology to identify the identity of travellers. Using the Paspic service will ensure that your passport photo meets the guidelines set by the International Civil Aviation Organization.

Every face has as individual shape made up of nodal points, or valleys and peaks, with each face having around 80. Facial recognition software measures and matches these unique characteristics through a digital camera and compares your face to the photograph recorded on the ‘chip’ in your passport.

It analyses the characteristics of a person’s face by measuring the overall facial structure, such as the distance between eyes, nose width, eye socket depth, cheekbone shape, mouth shape, and jaw line length.

There is a process involving four stages to fully identifying a traveller from their passport photo. The first stage is to capture the image; then there is the extraction of data from the photo, creating a template; a comparison is made between an existing database and the new photo; and a match is then found (or not in some cases). This process takes an average of five seconds.

Facial recognition is the least intrusive and fastest biometric tool to identify passengers. It works better than other points of recognition such as finger prints in which the user is required to place their hand on a reader. This process is not acceptable in some cultures as well as being a source of illness transfer. Human eyes can be individually identified too but this poses a more logistical issue of getting travellers to precisely position their eye in front of a scanner.

Within an airport setting, rather than having to go through the staffed system where your passport is reviewed by a Border Force officer, an ePassport allows you to use the automated gates. This means avoiding lengthy queues and is actually reported to be 20% more accurate than the average person at detecting fraud.

You’re grabbing that last minute cheap break; your bags are packed, and you’ve got your passport. It’s valid and even your passport photo looks pretty good. You’re ready to hit the beach and top up your tan before the cold weather sets in. Now stop and check your passport again. Depending on your destination, your passport may need to have at least six months validity left before its expiration date.

Travelling to the EU

Until the government finally triggers Article 50, British citizens still enjoy the right to travel freely in the EU. And if your passport is in date you’re free to travel, even if it’s due to expire the day after you travel. If you do have to push things that close to the wire, be aware that you will need to contact your nearest British Embassy for a permit to travel back to the UK. It’s a costly and time consuming procedure and best avoided by planning ahead but the implication is clear – for travelling in the EU, so long as your passport is in date, you’re free to travel.

Going further afield

The situation gets a little more complicated when you travel outside the EU. Countries including Brazil, Ecuador, Turkey, Tunisia and Israel all require that you have at least six months’ validity left on your passport before you leave the UK. Some countries, like New Zealand and South Africa, also require that your passport still has at least 30 days validity left once you exit the country.

Check with your booking agent or airline

If you’re unsure – and the six month rule can be confusing – check with your booking agent or airline. They should be able to advise you on all passport related issues, plus flagging up whether you need a visa to travel to your chosen destination.

There’s nothing worse than missing out on a dream holiday because of passport issues. So if your passport is close to its expiration date, plan ahead and get your new passport photos ordered so you’re ready to renew when the time comes.

It’s always exciting when you go away, but even more so if it’s your first time abroad. With the introduction of ‘biometric’ passports, you now have the opportunity to go through the e-passport gates instead of the normal ‘Border Force’ gate. Here’s everything you need to know about these newfangled travel documents:

Do I have to take a ‘special’ photograph for an e-passport?

No. You can use any normal passport photo, however, it must be in the size stated by the Passport Office: 45mm high and 35mm wide.

Glasses and passport photos

You are not permitted to wear tinted glasses or sunglasses, but you can wear reading glasses, provided that your eyes are fully shown with no reflections or glare.

How do I know I have an e-passport?

If you have a look at the bottom of your passport cover, you should see what looks like a ‘filled-in’ version of the London Underground emblem; this is officially known as a ‘biometric’ logo. If you have this, then you have an e-passport.

Can anyone use the e-passport gate?

No. If your passport does not have a biometric logo, you will be forced to use the normal Border Control gates, which may take longer.

How do I use an e-passport gate?

The readers can be positioned either outside the gate or inside, depending on the airport.

1. If there are markings of where you need to stand, place your feet on the marks.
2. Open the page where your picture is shown
3. Place the picture face-down on the reader
4. Look directly at the camera (don’t forget to take your glasses off if you’re not wearing glasses in the picture; don’t obstruct your face with head coverings or hair)
5. Keep still (do not smile as you are not smiling in your photograph)
6. When the light goes green, you may exit.

Enjoy your holiday and don’t forget to check that your e-passport is in date!

So you’ve got your passport photos printed off and sent off for your new passport ahead of your travelling adventure abroad, but have you thought about ways to keep your passport safe while you’re off travelling the world?

Whether you’re backpacking, off to a music festival or about to embark on a peaceful and relaxing family holiday, these tips should help you keep your passport safe.

1. Plan passport storage

While travelling, it might seem easy to store your passport in your suitcase or in hold luggage. Not only is this inconvenient when you land (you’ll need your passport to get through border control!) if your bag gets lost or gets stolen off the luggage belt, you’ll have no way of getting through security. Make sure you keep your passport on you at all times when you’re not storing it safely.

2. Find your nearest locker/safe

It’s almost impossible to not find a locker or a safe – regardless of your accommodation. If you’re staying in a hotel, you may have a safe in your room. If not, there will definitely be one at reception. If you’re backpacking, the majority of main city train stations will have lockers and, if you’re at a festival, they should have lockers situated in the marketplace area.

3. Bring labels or plain stickers for your passport

Should you lose your passport it’s always handy to have noted down where you are staying on it. You can do this easily by bringing plain label stickers with you and writing “If found, please return to [accommodation name] by [approx. date you are leaving]. While this may not be as simple if you’re not staying in the same place, it’s worth thinking about.

4. Bring a concealed money belt

While a bum bag might seem like a good idea, these are more likely to be stolen as they are visible. If you need to carry your passport on your person, try and find a concealed money belt large enough to house a passport and this will be kept out of sight. Don’t dip in to this throughout the day, as thieves may spot this, which defeats the point of concealing it.

Just in case you do lose your passport, don’t forget to find out where your nearest Embassy office is beforehand!

Brits going abroad may well dread the whole process of getting our passports renewed, with everything from the passport photo to the cost causing us anxieties. But there is one thing we dread even more when it comes to our passports – and that’s losing them.

It’s the moment we all fear. We’re packing up to go home from holiday or a business trip, we look for our passport so we can put it in the handy pocket ready to present several times at passport control and at the airport on our way home, and we can’t find it. We turn the whole room upside down, empty every drawer, look under the bed and ask at the hotel reception, but it’s not there.

So what should we do in this situation?

You need to spring into action, and do two things immediately.

Firstly, if you suspect your passport has been stolen, you need to contact the local police right away. Passport theft is a serious crime, and any criminal in possession of your legal identifying documents needs to be stopped, for international security as well as for your own. When you report your passport missing or stolen, it will be ‘cancelled’ and can’t be used by anyone else.

Secondly, you need to get an emergency travel document, otherwise known as an emergency passport.

This is a document that works in place of your passport, with very restricted guidelines, and can help to get you home. You can get an emergency passport at your nearest British Embassy, Consulate or High Commission, which you can find by visiting www.gov.uk/fco. Once you’re there, they can provide you with your emergency passport, or they can tell you where to go to get one. You’ll need a few pieces of documentation, so call ahead and find out what they need you to bring.

Once you have your document, you’ll be able to use it to get home, or to the country you’re headed for, via a maximum of five other countries on the way. You’ll need to stick to your itinerary as provided to the Embassy, and you’ll need to complete the journey within a narrow timeframe as specified at the time you applied.

We hope you never need to know this, but now you do, so spread the word among friends and family – just in case.

There are no immediate plans to bring the traditional blue British passport back following the Brexit vote to leave the European Union, the Home Office has confirmed.

The larger format passports were scrapped in 1988 when the standard EU-wide burgundy ones were adopted by the UK.

And the Home Office has revealed that there are “no plans” to alter the existing passport after Home Secretary Amber Rudd was quizzed on the matter in Parliament.

Michael Fabricant, a pro-Brexit Conservative MP who represents the Lichfield constituency in Staffordshire, lodged a parliamentary question in the House of Commons, asking Ms Rudd if she planned to take steps to “introduce a new passport with a navy blue colour for the UK following the exit of the UK from the EU”.

But, responding to Mr Fabricant’s query, Robert Goodwill, Home Office minister, said: “There are no immediate plans for changes to the format or colour of the UK passport.

“Parliament will be informed of any changes to the passport following the UK withdrawal from the EU.”

It means those of us heading overseas can expect little change to the usual procedures when procuring a passport.

Whether you are renewing your passport, or looking to acquire one for the first time, the existing guidelines will hold sway – for the immediate future at least.

And, with any UK exit from the European Union unlikely to happen within two years of the start of formal separation talks, travellers should rest easy that their new passport, when it comes, will stay valid for some time to come.

Of course, you still need to satisfy the existing criteria when it comes to applying for the documentation – and that includes your passport photo.

The Passport Office requires snapshots that are up to professional standards and measure 45 mm high by 35 mm across.

Other rules include a neutral expression – so no smiling – the need to be facing directly ahead and the absence of red eye in the shot.

So make sure to stick to those all-important HM Passport Office guidelines when submitting your picture alongside your application.

It may be another job to add to your never-ending pre-holiday to-do list, but getting passport photos is one of the ones that can be crossed off pretty quickly. Simply take the photo and there’s another tick in your ‘task complete’ box. Easy, right?

If you’ve got little ones, it’s not quite as simple as that. Tight regulations mean that no matter the age of the passport holder, the photo has to be perfect.

Firstly, what are the regulations for young ones?

• They should be looking directly at the camera with both ears and eyes clearly visible
• Their expression should be neutral – no smiling (no matter how cute they look when they do)
• The background should be sharp, clear and a light color such as white, cream or pale blue
• There should be nothing obstructing their face, including dummies, parents’ hands and shadows
• The baby passport photo must be in full color.

Here are our top tips for getting the perfect baby passport photo:

1. As long as your hands are not visible, there are no rules to say you can’t support the baby’s head. Try some practice snaps beforehand to get the positioning right.
2. If you can’t find a way to support your baby’s head and keep your arms out of the photo, a top tip is to cover their car seat or bouncer chair with a white blanket to create the plain background. Ensure the lighting in the room is bright to prevent any shadow from ruining the image.
3. Stick to your daily routine. Avoid nap times when the baby will be sleepy or dinner time when the baby will be restless. Remember, a well-slept, well-fed baby is a happy baby!
4. You can try all you want, but if the baby isn’t cooperating, the photo isn’t going to happen. Be sure to allow yourself as much time as possible to apply for an infant passport and take lots of photos when you get the chance, in case your initial image does not meet regulations.

With Paspic you just need a photo of your baby or child; Paspic will do all the hard work!

If you wear glasses then you’ll be familiar with the difficulties in obtaining passport photos that pass muster with the authorities.

The HM Passport Office in the UK is infamous when it comes to the number of hoops you have to jump through.

And, if you wear glasses, then its somewhat prescriptive “do’s and don’ts” list can go from merely being an irritation, to something that is tear-your-hair-out frustrating.

Yes, you can take off those specs for the photo, but it isn’t an accurate reflection of what you normally look like – and, arguably, undermines the whole point of an ID card. And the argument that, frankly, “it’s who I am, thank you very much,” holds plenty of merit for the stubborn among us who are unable, or unwilling, to use contacts.

Okay, so we aren’t Spartacus but if, like many others, you don’t want to remove your specs just to appease passport control, then fortunately there are a number of useful tips that you can employ to ensure that your pictures get the green light.

First up, make sure that the light is right when you get your passport photo taken. Glare on the lens is easily avoided if you angle the lenses slightly. Alternatively move your head ever-so-slightly to one side, but make sure you don’t fall foul of passport photo rules in the process.

Artificial lighting is also key. Try backlighting; this is less likely to lead to potential glare.

If photo retouching is needed, take care not to fall foul of passport guidelines – especially as some agencies expressly forbid it.

Also, one photo simply won’t cut it. Some agencies need two full-colour snapshots if your passport application is to prove successful.

Make sure they were taken against a cream or pale background too. And, finally, don’t forget your chosen photo must be the correct size. In the UK that means a picture measuring 45mm by 35mm – and one that isn’t a cut-down version of a larger image.

Stick to those guidelines and you’ll be jetting off to exotic climes sooner than you know.

So, you’re ready to hang up your suit and tie, or wave goodbye to your apron and spend some time with the family in your golden year. It’s retirement time, and whether you’re going out with a big party, or just hoping to make the transition with minimal fuss, there’s a whole new life awaiting you away from the 9-5.

An unavoidable benefit of retirement is that you’re now eligible for a raft of discounts and reduced rate prices, but a lot of these will require a passport photo card to prove your identity. We’ve put together a list of photo cards which you might want to apply for to benefit from these advantages.

Bus pass

Ride for free on practically every bus in Britain – who’s going to turn down that offer? Apply to your local council for your card when you reach the state pension age, or on your 60th birthday if you live in Wales or London.

Senior Rail Card

If you travel on the trains a lot, or plan to start exploring, a Senior Rail Card can be yours from £30, giving you discounts on national rail travel. Apply on your 60th birthday.

Driving licence

Once you reach the age of 70, you’ll need to renew your driving licence. The DVLA should automatically send you a renewal form 90 days before your 70th birthday, and they will usually request a new passport photo.

Blue badge

If you find that your mobility is becoming a problem, consider applying for a blue badge, which allows you to park in disabled spaces in car parks. You’ll require passport photos for your application, as they are used to cut down on abuse of the blue badge scheme.

Got out your ballpoint pen ready to fill out all those forms? Remember to stock up on passport photos for all your applications. Grab your camera and get a friend or family member to take a snap of you against a plain white background, and upload it to Paspic.com. Paspic.com can turn your photo into a passport quality photograph, print out multiple copies and send them back to you. Get on with your retirement, thanks to the passport photo experts at Paspic!

You can’t beat a beach holiday. There’s a reason why it remains the most popular holiday of them all. The combination of sun, sea, and sand is the perfect cocktail for relaxation and ridding your mind of the stresses of modern life. To help make sure you’re not caught out on your next seaside holiday, we’ve put together a quick guide to make sure you’re well and truly prepared.

Most importantly, you want to make sure you don’t forget your suntan lotion, See more information on the best sunscreen options here. Aside from protecting you from skin cancer, the last thing you want when you’re going back through immigration is not getting through because you’re a few shades redder than your passport photo!

Making sure you have essentials like sun cream, toothpaste and deodorant means you’re also much less likely to fall prey to the large markup many resorts have on these staple items. So don’t forget them.

Obviously we’re all looking for sun when we holiday at the beach, but be sure to check the weather forecasts beforehand. Just because the sun is shining during the day doesn’t mean that it won’t be chilly at night, and you’ll want to make sure you have an extra jumper if it is.

Another thing to plan ahead for is any dress codes at the resort you’re staying at or any restaurants that you’re planning on visiting. Being prepared like this beforehand could prevent any embarrassing faux pas when you’re out for dinner.

Of course, the essentials are important. Don’t forget a beach towel, your bathing suit, and your phone charger. If you have a rough idea of the activities you’re doing, then make sure you are prepared for them. You may fancy a hike away from the beach, but you won’t get far if you’ve only packed sandals.

The best way to be prepared is to make a checklist (Beach Vacation Packing Checklist). So take the items we’ve mentioned and thought about anything else you’ll need. With a little bit of forethought and a little planning, you are sure to have a perfect time at the beach, and with a bit of luck, you won’t be too sunburnt to pass as the same person on the photo in your passport!