We’re so used to having freedom over our pictures. Unfortunately, we don’t have free rein when it comes to our passport photo. This is something to consider if you plan to play around with the picture and, in particular, use software to mirror it.
The Passport Office is aware that people are going down this route – and it’s important that you know where they stand on the matter before submitting a mirrored passport photo. Let’s look at what you need to know.
Can you mirror your images?
No. The officials who have the power to accept or reject your passport photo have been advised to keep an eye out for people submitting mirrored pictures. The actual guideline states that ‘photographs where the image is reflected left to right or right to left so that the picture is flipped from one side to another, are not acceptable’. Therefore, you can expect a request to submit another picture if you do flout the rules.
How can you be found out?
You might well question how an official you’ve never met before would be able to distinguish whether you have submitted a mirrored passport photo. Well, the answer is that – if they have even the slightest suspicion – they’ll check your new photograph against previous images that you’ve used in the past. In particular, they’ll look to see if applicants have any ‘distinguishing mark or disability that is visible on one side of their face’.
What if you get away with it?
It’s true that you might be able to pull the wool over someone’s eyes – but you’re only playing with fire if you do submit a mirrored passport photo. The guidelines state that ‘mirror images may cause issues at border control’, meaning you can expect that sooner or later you’ll come to regret your decision and wished you’d have just submitted a legitimate passport photo the first time around.
Do you need help?
There’s a lot of information like this to understand before you submit a passport photo. If you’re unsure whether you’re going wrong or accidentally flouting any rules, then don’t hesitate to first send the image through to the team at Paspic. We’ll check it meets all the criteria and also send you two hard copies passport photo in the post. we will also provide you with a link to your digital passport photo. You will be able to click on that link to retrieve the digital files of your passport photos and save it to your photos on your phone or computer and use it to upload to your passport application.
