A conform passport photo is one of most common reasons that determine whether an application for passport book or passport card can be accepted. All international passports must correspond to the requirements of International Civil Aviation Organisation or ICAO because this authority oversees the standardization of ePassports as identity and travel document abroad.
In this article, we will take a look at what these guidelines are and other useful things to keep in mind.
Guidelines of the ICAO
The ICAO has laid down a list of mandatory specifications that your passport photos should adhere to.
Some of the important points are mentioned below.
- It must be taken under proper brightness and contrast. There should be no shadow in the background.
- The photo must be sharp in focus.
- Note that while clicking the image, your face must be centered. Try to maintain a neutral expression throughout the process.
- Don’t close your eyes. If you wear glasses, wear only regular glasses with a simple frame. Don’t wear any sunglasses or tinted glasses.
- Don’t excessively widen your eyes, you should look natural in the photo.
- Note that smiling is forbidden.
- Do not wear noticeable jewelry.
- The skin tone must be natural. Avoid using excessive makeup or applying a dark foundation.
- Try to have photo taken in natural daylight.
- Make sure that your hair don’t cover your face.
- Except for religious reasons, the head must not be covered by anything. Even due to religious reasons, cover your head in such a way that the head to chin area is visible in given measures. Both sides of the face must be visible.
If the above guidelines are not followed, then your application can be rejected.
How can I take a perfect passport photo at home?
To get passport-ready photos at home, you can use Smartphone iD application which specialises in delivering conform photos for official documents. You can take unlimited tries. Once we receive the photo, it goes through double validation (software and human). In few minutes, you will receive a photo that respects the ICAO standards, as well as the requirements of Ireland (photo size, background color, face proportion).
