How it all started
The idea came from Emile Ménétrey, the founder of Smartphone iD. A very good friend of his got into an accident and suffered severe physical challenges. During an evening dinner, his friend told him that the only possible way to get a passport photograph was by hiring a professional photographer. Having a background in digital business development, Émile Ménétrey partnered with professor Hugues Talbot (image processing & image analysis), Maissa Diop (computer engineering) and Benjamin Martineau (management), to create Smarpthone iD – an app that would make passport photos accessible for everyone.
Our vision
Five years and many developments later, our principal goal remains to deliver government-approved passport photos. Smartphone iD is for anyone around the world, no matter where you live and what your nationality is. In this digital era, we believe that administrative procedures must be made available online securely at lower cost.
How Smartphone iD works
First, your photo is checked by our artificial intelligence (IA) software. If you have respected our guidelines, it will quickly adapt the background, the lighting and create the correct format (including file size and resolution). A team member additionally confirms that the photo corresponds to the ICAO and national standards. Then the photo is sent to you via email or via post. If any problems arise, one of our customer service experts will guide you to create a photo that will be up to standards.
If you have any questions, we will be happy to help! Please consult the FAQ before, maybe your answer already awaits you there!
Smartphone iD team
