NO smiling in Passport Photo?
 

I'm about to renew my passport, and I know in 2004 there was a strict "NO SMILING" rule for U.S. passport photos. Today, it appears more ambiguous, with instructions like "encourage a neutral or natural expression." I have read conflicting advice, that smiling may now be unofficially allowed, but officially not encouraged.

I'm thinking about just mailing in a smiling photo at the risk of rejection since summer Eurotravel leaves ample time to re-submit.

Have they loosened this rule? Has anyone successfully submitted a smiling passport photo recently?

Cheers!
Carmel-by-the-Sea, Calif.

I got my passport in 2004 and I was smiling, there wasn't any rule like that.

oh, I am American, also. I wasn't grinning ear to ear or anything, but I was smiling somewhat. I had never heard of such a rule, so wasn't worried.

If you think there is such a rule, why not get your photo made where you aren't smiling to be on the safe side. I don't understand why you care.

My wife submitted her passport renewal in early-2005, and at that time she was told that smiling was a definite no-no.

So perhaps your renewal was prior to this rule taking effect?

I just went for my passport picture a minute ago and the phographer told me: you can smile but do not show teeths.

I was smiling. Now if they could only air brush out that piece of lettuce in my teeth.

((H))

I'm smiling in Mine too. I had a Great Tan and made sure I wore a Beautiful turtle neck sweater. It was a very important picture for Me. And I was so happy to finally be getting a passport. Me and DH had the chance to take several poses at AAA too. They were super busy in other departments and the clerk asked my DH did He know how to use the Camera. And He did, so we got to take our time and do many shots of eachother (some that would never be passport material;)

I mean Gheez, you got to look at that photo for 10 years, make it good.

American citizen here. I got my first passport in the 80s and I was smiling in the photo. Renewed in the 90s and I was smiling in that one as well. No big ear to ear grin, but definitely a smile.

>..you got to look at that photo for 10 years, make it good. <

As Erma Bombeck once wrote, "When you begin to look like your passport photo, it's time to go home".

((I))

Actually, Carmel, SHORTS are a no-no for the picture...even though nobody will see them.

I wore my shorts for one of my passport photos, but also brought along a shirt, tie, and jacket which I put on before the flash.

Sorry, but all I can say to this question is "What the ****?????"

Right on, Theresa10! My DH looks terrible in his photo and I keep teasing him about it.

I have never heard of anyone saying you can't smile for a passport photo. I've always gotten them done at a photo studio or one of those automated machines. I had to get my passport renewed in 2005 before we moved to Germany and no one said a thing. Is there some explanation for this "rule"?

I thought the only rule was that you are required to look stupid, angry, mentally ill and possibly dangerous. At least that's how mine always comes out.

This issue was on the news last week. A girl's passport was rejected because she had a slight smile. The place where she got the photo taken got into trouble, too. This individual would not receive her passport in time to take her planned trip so she was not able to go. It is really strict here in Canada. You cannot wear a turtleneck or even mock turtleneck shirts, either. Someone we know was rejected because of it.

Are these things actually in print? I got my passport renewed in 2005 and I was grinning like I was on my way to Italy! Unfortunately it was also a bad hair day....

Help me out here - why would you consider trying to "skirt" what may be a rule on something like a passport application?

The chance of having to redo the whole application because you wanted to sneak in a smile, or because you felt awkward presenting a neutral expression of your gorgeous smile to customs agents baffles me.

I think that no smiling rule was an urban legend. As I said, I got my passport right in the middle of 2004 and I was smiling.

I just checked the website and it says the subject should have a "natural" expression (not neutral). Interestingly, more detailed FAQs say your mouth should be closed (which is actually different than saying no smiling), and yet they show an example photo that is a good composition and the woman has her mouth slightly open.

So, I think you can smile if you don't show a lot of your mouth and teeth. There isn't any way I would deliberately send in a photo that I think may not be good and go through the trouble of resubmitting one.

I really don't care at all what my passport photo looks like, no one ever sees it but those agents and airline clerks.

Australian citizen here - did my passport renewal yesterday. To quote from the application - be taken with a neutral expression (not laughing or frowning) with your mouth closed.
There are acually 11 points for the photo requirements in regard to quality etc.

I renewed my U.S. passport in 2006; the photographer at the AAA office said smiling was okay. I sent in my form and photos (with smile) and have used the passport without any problems.

On the U.S. passport web site there is a section reading something like "Instructions for professional photographers." There are three examples. The first serious, the seond, slight closed-mouth smile, the third definitely smilingwith some teeth showing.

I was a professional photographer for 55 years and in the early years it definitely was a rule you could not smile in the passport photos so I actually had to retake a few until I realized it was a rule. About 20 years or so ago they changed it, thank heavens. Before that they used to say if you looked as bad as the picture you either NEEDED THE TRIP or you were not WELL ENOUGH to make the trip. However when I recently renewed mine, I truly wish I could have used my 10 year old picture, ha ha. Have a good day. Halfpint

My most recent passport photo is the worst ever. I'm not smiling, my hair's a mess and the look on my face says, "Just take the damn picture!!" But that's OK, because that's exactly the way I always look at customs after a long plane ride. :-s

Thanks for asking this Q. I just checked my passport. It expies in June! OMG.

On it my mug shot has me in a semi smile with all upper teeth blazing away. Only the right dimple shows. That was ten years ago. I used a professional photographer because I had had a bad experience with AAA previously. Professional photographers really do know their business.

Looks like I won't be going anywhere until I get a photo and and new passport. I MUST get back to Europe this year, if I can take a break from work.

Again, thanks for this question on Fodors. I recommend that you go to a professional photographer. The extra cost vaporizes over the kilometers as you travel.

Just got a new passport in Dec. 2006 cause mine was over 10 yrs old...plus my daughter got her first one.

We are in the US and I remember no rules regarding smiling. It was a busy time and just had my picture taken at the post office where I put in my application.

As a Canadian, I'm a bit shocked by what I'm learning on this thread. Like batraveler said, here in Canada the passport regulations are now very strict. I had assumed it would be the same in the US, especially given all the slack Canada gets regarding security issues.

I went to get my photo done recently. Here's the lowdown in Canada:

no smiling;
no open mouth/teeth;
no lipstick or lip gloss;
no eye make-up;
no visable jewelry (very small earrings are ok);
Hair must be tied back (I also had to brush my bangs off my forehead away from my face);
Shirt must be a dark, solid colour

On top of that, they are *very* strict about the lighting and the accuracy of your skin tone in the photo.

I recently had my passport photo taken.
I smiled like an idiot for what seemed like 10 minutes( showing no teeth as I was told you are not allowed to show teeth), then when my face went numb and my shoulders slouched from holding the fake smile so long, she took the photo.

Now, like P_M , my passport photo will match my jet lagged appearance after 24hrs in the air.

I'd like to think I might make the airport officials' day by giving them a big belly laugh, and they may relax and be nicer to everyone who comes through after me.

Ever notice how each passport photo you have taken, looks worse than the one taken 10 years before?

Thanks for the replies!

I must say, I'm surprised more people haven't encountered the "no smiling" rule. I believe it was in response to terrorist concerns, and biometric scanning software. Presumably, a smiling face would be more difficult to match.

Google "smiling passport photo", and you'll see a slew of articles about it from 2004.

Why do I care? Well, I guess it's similar to people looking in the mirror before work or fixing their hair before a driver's license photo. Vanity, I suppose. I'm also just equally curious whether anyone knows the answer to a vague question.

So the concensus appears that smiling with no teeth is acceptable, but pearly whites are a no-no?

Cheers,
Carmel-by-the-Sea, Calif.

Canadian restrictions: no lipstick, no eye make-up, hair tied back? I thought they would want you to look in the photo like the person in front of them?
This makes no sense at all.

My son was smiling, sort of, when I took his pix outside at our house. I sorta smiled when he took mine in front of the garage door. Both pix were accepted (his in 2005 mine in 2006)..I just stuck them on the computer, copied them down to the correct size on my copier, and they were both readily accepted! By the way, by son was 12 when he took the pix of me! Wasn't any worse than a "professional" ones I've done in the past! And cheap.

luvtotravel - when they take you to guantanamo bay they see if you are really you - the eye shadow, lipstick all go. (In Canada we take you to Hamilton or Elliott Lake or Scarberia)

LOL, fun thread..sorry carmel.

But I just checked my passport which was renewed in 2003 (way after 911). There I am in my full glory, smiling with upper teeth showing. And the renewal passport was issued.

Now regarding the photo and my hair..it was a dark and stormy day when the photo was taken..you don't want to know. I look better after a flight from the US west coast to Italy than I do in my photo.

luvtotravel: I thought the same thing, but now reading carmel's post about biometric scanning, I wonder if that has something to do with it. These super strict rules in Canada are relatively new.

robjame: LOL

Well, it looks like there's only one way to find out - mail in my toothy grin photo (we're talking uppers and lowers here), and pray the Feds don't come kicking my door down.

I'll come back and post the results so this thread can help finally lay this subject to rest.

Wish me luck!
Carmel-by-the-Sea, Calif.

European passports now have a no smiling rule. Why? Because the US demands it of them. All to do with biometrics. My d-i-l had to redo her photos for her German passport 4 times before they were deemed acceptable!

No smiling on Dutch passport pictures either; the background has to be grey, no jewellery, and your ears have to be visible. Except when you're a muslim woman and wear a headscarf, in which case ears do not have to be visible.
Does that make any sense???

Here's the link to a (very funny) PDF file from the French Ministry of Interior about the photo regulations for passports. It's in French, but the rule applies all over Europe (and maybe the pictures are the same) ...

http://www.ville-montrouge.fr/sites/...le_version.pdf

That's how Canadian passport photos have to be, except the eyeliner and lipstick the woman at no. 8 is wearing would not be allowed.

Is it just me, or does the baby in those pictures look weirdly like an old man?

My SIL had to redo her picture because of her smile in the photo (Irish passport).

My 14 year old daughter applied for her first passport in December (it arrived yesterday) and she's smiling.

"I used a professional photographer because I had had a bad experience with AAA previously"

AAA uses digital cameras now and will show you the photo. If you don't like it they'll take another.

Carmel, Yes, please let us know if they accept your photos. The worst case is that they'll reject them and you'll need to get another set.