It’s true that you can now submit a selfie as your passport picture rather than queue up to use a photo booth. This just makes the process much easier and more convenient. However, it can’t be your typical selfie. While you’ve got free rein when you’re sharing pictures on platforms like Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat, you’ll have to play by the rules when taking one for your passport application. Let’s look at three ways your typical selfie just won’t suffice as a passport picture.
Angles
It’s quite common for people to attempt to capture their best side on a selfie by taking the picture at an angle. This might involve snapping the image from above or from the side. Unfortunately, there’s just no room to start experimenting with different angles when it comes to the picture that you submit with your passport application. The rules clearly state that you must ‘be facing forwards and looking straight at the camera’.
Poses
Don’t even think about flashing a smile or rocking your sexiest pout. While these tricks might be a great way to show some personality on your normal selfies, they just can’t be used on your passport photo. Instead, you must ‘have a plain expression and your mouth closed’. Your eyes must also be wide open, so you’ll have to resist the urge to do your most smouldering gaze.
Filters
The most popular social networking platforms boast a wide variety of filters for people to use before sharing selfies. Unfortunately, you’re not allowed to edit your passport photo. Earlier this year the passport office commented directly on the use of photo-editing software, reminding people that ‘these photographs are entirely unsuitable from an international security perspective’. As a result, you’ll have to go au naturel on the selfie that you submit as your passport photo.
Do you need assistance?
You’re right to question whether you’ve got your head around all the rules surrounding passport photos before you take your selfie. Thankfully you can get assurance that you’ve taken a suitable passport picture by first sending the digital passport photo through to the team at Paspic. If it’s a digital passport picture we’ll let you know it’s good to go, whereas if it’s for a paper application we’ll send you out the hard copies.
