Passport News Roundup: Photo Update and More

Welcome to the latest PassportInfo.com Passport News Roundup! In today’s edition, we’ll be focusing on the new US State Department rule for passport photos. We’ll also be exploring your new options for applying for a new passport this November. There are new passport acceptance facilities that have opened in some places, and in others, passport fairs have been scheduled to let you apply for your new passport outside of standard business hours. Read on for the freshest passport news in town!

Starting Today, No Glasses in Passport Photos

Need to get a photo for your new passport? Put your glasses back in their case. Starting today, the State Department will not accept any passport photographs that include eyeglasses.

Six weeks ago, we brought you the news that the US State Department was changing their official requirements for US passport photos. Previously, passport applicants were allowed to wear glasses in their passport photos as long as they had clear lenses. Applicants also had to be careful to make sure that the camera flash did not cause any glare on the glasses that would make their eyes hard to see. Unfortunately, one of the most common reasons for passport applications to be rejected is a photo that does not meet government standards. Many applicants have had to resubmit their passport applications because of photos that had glare on glasses or too-dark tinted lenses. The new rule that glasses can not be worn will prevent those problems.

If you have already received a passport that shows you wearing glasses, don’t worry - your passport remains completely valid. You’ll just need to take your glasses off when you get the photo done for your passport renewal!

Getting a Passport? Take Off Your Glasses!

In our recent article about the State Department’s #PicturePerfectPassport campaign, we let you know that the US government was about to change the rules about eyeglasses in passport photos. The US State Department has now confirmed that starting on November 1, 2016, passport applicants can not wear glasses in their passport photos.

Why No Glasses?

The United States is not the first country to ban eyeglasses in passport photos. Many other countries also do not allow glasses to be worn in photographs used for passports or visas. France and the United Kingdom are among the many countries that do not allow eyeglasses of any sort in passport photos.

Previously, the US State Department only forbade the wearing of sunglasses or glasses with tinted lenses, which make it hard to see the applicant’s eyes. The also had a rule that if the applicant wore glasses in the photo, there must be no glare on the lenses from the camera flash, as that would also hide the eyes. Glare on eyeglass lenses has been a persistent problem with passport photos, and is one of the top reasons that passport photos are rejected by the Passport Agency. The new rule against wearing glasses in passport photos will ensure that no one will have a problem with glare reflecting off of lenses in the photo.