Nobody likes having their passport photos taken. However you needn\’t worry the following tips will guide you through the minefield of special requirements. Passport dimensions can vary from country to country, here are the measurements of US style Passport pictures.

You will require two identical pictures that will need to be submitted with your passport application form.

Your Passport photos must be printed on photo-quality media.

You should have color Passport photos.

Your passport photos should have been taken within the last six months.

The passport pictures must be 50mm x 50mm to qualify for a US passport application.

You should be able to see an unobstructed view of your face. It is best if you wear day to day clothing without baseball cap, hat or sunglasses. The picture must be taken against a solid white or grey background. Your pose should be neutral making sure your mouth is closed looking forward with eyes wide open. The resulting picture should be in focus or it will not be allowed.

Your head must be in the middle of the photograph and make up at least fifty percent of the picture. The measurements of your head should be within 1\” and 1 3/8\” from the top of your crown to the bottom of your chin.

A headscarf of covering can be worn for reasons of religion but your full face must be visible.

Glasses may be worn but you should be able to see your eyes in the photograph it is not acceptable to have any flash or flare from your spectacles.

If for medical reasons you wear tinted spectacles then you will be allowed to have them on in your pictures. It is possible however that you will be required to provide written proof from your Dr if asked.

You can have your passport picture taken in uniform if you wear it every day for religious purposes.

It can be difficult to get passport photos of children in which case it is advisable to have them taken professionally. Parents and Grandparents shouldn\’t be visible in the pictures and any props or posing aids should be totally absent from the final photo.

You may not copy or scan pictures from driving licenses or official ID they will be rejected. Furthermore your pictures should not be photo-shopped, retouched or airbrushed to modify or improve your appearance in any way.

Snaps from glossy magazines are not acceptable, as are photos from the majority of vending booths. Full length photographs are also not allowed.

If you have the technical know-how to produce your own passport pictures you can take them on a digital camera. However you must be able to take the passport photos at 1 megapixel resolution or more. When it comes to printing the pictures take them to a commercial processing lab unless you have superior printing facilities the photos will be rejected.