Tag: latest passport pictures

3 major health benefits of traveling

Published on in photography, travel by Paspic

There are even more reasons to travel than just trying new foods, seeing new things, and becoming a more culturally seasoned person. In addition to the benefits of travel in terms of personal enrichment, traveling has also been demonstrated to pose real health benefits. By making a point to get out there and build your frequent flyer miles up higher, you’re doing yourself a service that will make your primary healthcare provider proud. The following are three of the most significant health benefits of making sure to satisfy your wanderlust on a regular basis.

Increased calorie burn rate

Simply by getting out there and moving from destination to destination on your travels, you’ll naturally be burning more calories from the increased physical activity demanded by walking from place to place. You may not be going to the gym every other day, but by consistently staying on your feet, your overall net calorie burn will actually be greater than it would be with only designated hours for periodic exercise in an otherwise sedentary lifestyle.

You’ll fortify your immune system

By being exposed to new environments, foods and pathogens, your body naturally adapts by strengthening its immune system to accommodate a more diverse array of energy sources and mild ailments. Though you might experience a slight bug upon exposure to unfamiliar germs in unfamiliar countries, this can act as an organic “vaccination” process that helps your body develop new defenses against it.

Decreased stress and susceptibility to depression

Being exposed to new places and experiences will provide a wonderful boost to your mood by dynamically stimulating your reward center with new, pleasant sensations that it hasn’t been desensitized to. The monotony of staying in the same place can elevate stress levels and can leave you feeling anxious and unfulfilled. Taking a trip to a new and exciting place helps you become more deeply immersed in the moment, creating a sense of fulfillment that can linger even weeks after returning home.

Get your passport photo approved with Paspic

In order to enjoy all of the benefits that frequent travel has to offer, you need to make sure that your passport photo checks out before go. If you want a passport picture that perfectly does you justice, contact us at Paspic today so that we can get you on the fast track to photo approval.

Photo: Travel by Moyan_Brenn licensed under Creative commons 2

4 things to consider when renewing your passport

Published on in photography, travel by Paspic

Ready to renew your passport? Check out our top four things to keep in mind that will help make the process easier.

Know the regulations

Most passports can be renewed by mail. All you have to do is fill out a form at the post office and attach a passport photo and your old passport. Some exceptions to this include if you haven’t renewed in longer than 15 years, if your current passport is damaged or if you were younger than 16 when your last passport was issued.

Don’t leave it too late to renew

Renewing your passport takes time – anywhere between 4 and 8 weeks. Also, consider that if you need to arrange an appointment it could take even longer. The Department of State recommends renewing your passport within nine months of its expiry date, too – so always keep this date in mind and even set a reminder in your phone or diary so that you don’t miss it.

If you desperately need a passport because of an emergency, it is possible to obtain an expedited passport which takes around 8 business days with the option for overnight delivery or a same-day passport. They’re costly but an option if you have unexpected travel plans.

Save those pages

If you travel a lot, you might find that travel and visa stamps take up a lot of room. All passports come with 52 pages and you used to be able to request more; however, that’s no longer possible. In order to use less space, consider sticking Post-It notes over blank pages or asking customs officials not to stamp on specific pages. That way you won’t run the risk of having one stamp on every page and having to renew again earlier than you’d like!

Get your passport photos approved online

As well as knowing the regulations for renewing your passport, you also need to know the regulations for your passport photo. There are strict requirements on how your photo should appear and failing to comply could see your passport renewal delayed. You can also use an online passport photo approval service like Paspic to have peace of mind that your passport will be accepted.

Photo: Passport by Tony Webster licensed under Creative commons 2

When should you change your passport photo?

Published on in photography, travel by Paspic

You may think that the only time you need to update your passport picture is when your passport has expired, but that’s not the case. Since the only thing that proves your passport belongs to you is your picture inside it, it’s important that this picture actually resembles you. It’s for this reason that the government requires you to update your passport photo when you’ve undergone significant changes to your appearance.

So what counts as a significant change in appearance?

1. You’ve undergone significant facial surgery or have experienced a serious trauma that has affected your face. This may include plastic surgery, or trauma caused by a fire or other type of accident.

2. You’ve added or removed significant facial tattoos or piercings that take up a large portion of your face. Something small like a single nose ring doesn’t count, but use your best judgment to determine if it’s something that is obscuring your facial features in any way.

3. You’ve gained or lost a significant amount of weight. Again, use your best judgment – this really only applies if the weight gain or loss has a significant impact on the appearance of your face as seen in the photo.

4. You’ve made a gender transition.

In case you’re still confused about what constitutes a significant change in appearance, here are a few examples of appearance changes that do not require you to update your passport photo:

1. Growing or shaving off facial hair like a beard or a mustache counts as a minor change, so you don’t need a new photo.

2. Coloring, cutting or in any way changing your hair style also doesn’t count, because it does not significantly affect your facial features.

3. The normal growth of a baby or young child happens very quickly in a short amount of time, so you are not required to apply for a new passport for that reason while your child is under the age of 16. Instead, you can continue to use the same baby passport photo or child passport photo throughout the duration of that time (barring any of the other significant appearance changes listed above).