You can only have one passport photo – therefore you should want to make it perfect. After all, the picture will stick with you for years to come and be seen in countries all over the world. It’s quite common for people to put a little too much pressure on themselves when it comes to snapping a photo that is both suitable and flattering. This is especially true when it comes to choosing what hairstyle to have on the day of the photo. If you’re in the process of filling in your passport application and are about to take a picture, here’s how you should go about choosing your hairstyle.
Read the guidelines
First and foremost, you’ll want to make sure that you’re familiar with the official passport guidelines. In particular, there are two rules concerning hair that you should pay special attention to. The first says that you should ‘not have hair in front of your eyes’ on the picture. This essentially rules out elaborate fringes.
The second rule states that you should ‘not have a head covering (unless it’s for religious or medical reasons)’. Therefore, don’t try to get out of styling your hair by wearing a hat, bandana or any other headgear, because this will cause your passport application to be rejected.
Avoid trendy styles
If you are over 16, you’ll be looking at keeping your passport for ten years. It’s worth considering that in a decade’s time you don’t want to look back at your photo and cringe. The best way to ensure that you don’t is by opting for a timeless style rather than one that is modern and trendy. Wearing your hair down but pushed away from your face is generally the recommended option.
Make an effort
For some people, there’ll be a temptation to throw caution to the wind by disregarding their hair completely on the photo. Remember, though: it won’t just be border control officials who see the snap. Instead, the images can come in handy when used for other forms of ID and might be needed again in future. Therefore, it’s recommended you give your hair a good brush or use some frizz-taming products before you take your passport photo for a smooth, smart appearance. Some plain hair grips will also help secure fly-aways or lose sections of hair which might obscure your face.
Happy snapping!
Whenever you’re faced with getting a new passport photo, you should take some time to consider your appearance. The ideal picture will be one that isn’t just satisfactory to you, but also for those assessing your passport application. If you want to ensure your passport photo is within the guidelines to avoid delays, Paspic can help.
