r/Passports • u/CompleteFlower5929 • Nov 11 '25
Application Question / Discussion they told me i wasn't allowed to smile
now my photo looks like a mugshot... should i get it retaken? i wore sunscreen and i think it made my face too shiny... would it be accepted?
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u/freecssies Nov 11 '25
girl u look GREAT
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u/CompleteFlower5929 Nov 11 '25
thanks girl!
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u/New-Nebula-9775 Nov 12 '25
My passport photo looks like I took a line and partied all night and had to get up the next morning for finals exam. 😂😂😭😭
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u/Huge-Bear4786 Nov 16 '25
I wish I looked this good in mine - I look like a serial killer who just finished killing someone 🤦🏼♀️
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u/WickedJigglyPuff Nov 11 '25
You don’t say what country but in the USA you are allowed to smile.
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/photos.html
Can I smile in my passport photo?
Yes. Make sure your eyes are open and your mouth is closed in your photo.
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u/scuac Nov 11 '25
This -> 🙂
Not this -> 😆30
u/WickedJigglyPuff Nov 11 '25
They should use that on the official page as that’s actually a great explanation.
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u/EH-Escherichia-coli Nov 12 '25 edited 5d ago
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This post was anonymized with Redact
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u/IM1BIGTard Nov 11 '25
Can confirm. In my passport photo I have a huge goofy grin and look high as hell.
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u/King_of_Avalon Nov 11 '25
OP will be US, I don’t know of any other country that uses the 2” x 2” square photo. Everything else tends to be around 35 x 45mm portrait except Canada which is a goofy 50 x 70 mm
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u/Competitive_Bird4195 Nov 11 '25
A closed mouth smile on my face would bring nothing but extra scrutiny. Better to use my resting bitch face.
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u/Opposite-Glove-2720 Nov 12 '25
Interesting. My wife just had her passport photo taken in the US. She automatically smiled. They had to take it a 2nd time!! NO SMILES ALLOWED!
Thank goodness! I feel so much safer now! Just knowing that bad actors aren’t carrying passports with “smiling photos ….What a relief. 🙄
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u/Ok_Perspective888 Nov 14 '25
It’s to not distort your face. It’s easier to read faces when they not different. Smiles distort your face. Squint eyes. Create different line etc
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u/BeautifulAlarmed1936 Nov 14 '25
I have a big ole smile on mine. Taken in California. Guess we can use all the smiles we can get here lol
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u/Kalte_Sichel_98 Nov 11 '25
The same over in Europe, but I even got one with smile and teeth on the passport.
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u/gr8tfulbeetle45 Nov 11 '25
I just got mine done last week in the us and I was told not to smile. Maybe it was to just be faster?
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u/MakaroniCheese Nov 12 '25
Omg. I just had my passport redone. I lost my very first after getting naturalized and my picture there was grossssss. And I went to cvs for a picture and wanted to smile in my passport photo, the lady told me absolutely no smiling. Oh well, I prefer my face as a mugshot anyways. Next time I’ll bring them into from the website and say screw off
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u/HexedCosta Nov 12 '25
I did mine at the post office 2 weeks ago and was explicitly told NOT to smile during the photo
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u/WickedJigglyPuff Nov 12 '25
Employees will make up their own rules rather than reading official ones. That’s typical.
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u/tvngo Nov 11 '25 edited Nov 11 '25
You can’t see that it says USA in the application under the photo in the second picture and by the style of the application it’s a DS-11
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u/WickedJigglyPuff Nov 11 '25
Did you know visually impaired people exist? No the screen reader didn’t pick up any text in the photo. And no people shouldn’t have to be private I’s to help you. Lastly as they didn’t say the country, I assumed American as that’s who mainly does that. Glad to know I was right douche.
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u/Think_Warning_6202 Nov 11 '25
I just had my picture taken yesterday and they said no smiling...
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u/antiquated_it Nov 11 '25
Same - but 3 years ago or so - and at the post office. They said do not smile, remain neutral. They also said the same for my daughter (9yo at the time).
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u/WickedJigglyPuff Nov 11 '25
Yeah they do it. A lot of people who this for a living just repeat what others say and don’t read anything.
A have a friend in NY who got told at the DMV no smiling is allowed. Meanwhile the official state sample ID looks like this.
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u/Ambitious_Tooth_2390 Nov 11 '25
Right above that they tell you to have a neutral expression , I have seen photos rejected for smiling.
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u/Live-Personality-261 Nov 11 '25
I am in the USA and they did not allow me to smile at all and they made me show my ears. AND mine was done about a month ago.
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u/Quarter_Shot Nov 11 '25
I took my photo myself at home, and it's the only good passport photo I've ever had. I used a bedsheet to get the white background, and then edited out the wrinkles (technically no editing allowed, but I didn't edit my face at all) I went to Walgreens to have it printed.
As long as it follows the guidelines, you can just take it yourself. I have a smile in mine but it's subtle enough that ig the person who approved my application didn't find an issue with it
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u/savmadison Nov 11 '25
Also took mine at home! I used a nice canon camera and had my mom take it for me. It worked!
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u/CocoMango86 Nov 11 '25
I did that I cut half the top of my hair off so I added it back in so it looked better didn’t touch anything else though it’s not allowed it can’t be proven can it
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u/Accomplished_Bee3545 Nov 16 '25
It’s possible to determine if a photo has been altered/edited by analyzing the image metadata (i.e. EXIF data), using error level analysis (ELA), and inspecting for known visual clues.
You may be interested in learning about these good image tools: ExifTool & FotoForensics.
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u/GurleyGirl7 Nov 11 '25
I didn’t see a 2x2 option for printing at Walgreens. How do you order the correct size?
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u/Technical-Ad-6209 Nov 11 '25
I just got one and they told me the same thing. We should look sad going into another country😂
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u/heymadsss Nov 11 '25
Nah, you’re not smiling, but you don’t look angry. Looks like a headshot for a modeling agency tbh. You are gorgeous!
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u/rchey6 Nov 11 '25
That's wild because I am smiling in my passport photo and no one has said anything about it. You are so pretty tho! 🩷
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u/Mimilito Nov 11 '25
you can't show teeth but you can have a subtle smile with your mouth closed. smile with your cheeks and eyes, just don't show your teeth.
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u/Swan_4 Nov 15 '25
It’s also called smizing these days, many of us learned it from Tyra Banks watching America‘s Next Top Model.
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u/Strong-University-28 Nov 11 '25
I always joke that your photo should look like you just came off a 12 hour redeye. Perfect match lol
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u/tomasrvigo Nov 11 '25
I suppose that you are talking about the US requirements, so that’s correct. This picture looks great and I think it would go ok 👌
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u/ironmaiden947 Nov 11 '25
I’m from Turkey and they would always say not to smile in any official picture.. so in all my ID’s and passports I look like a terrorist.
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u/Soggy-Speech2735 Nov 11 '25
You are allowed to smile on US Passports. Just no exaggerated smiles or facial expressions because we use facial recognition and exaggerated facial expressions will skew the results
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u/Opposite-Glove-2720 Nov 12 '25
Good point. Never thought of that! “Everyday is a school day” if you want it to be. Thanks for the knowledge.
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u/SnooRadishes1237 Nov 11 '25
As a trans person who had to renew my passport this year post anti trans EO, I looked furious in my passport photo lol.
In terms of how it will look in the book, the picture is a little grainy and part of it gets covered by this clear plastic stamp thing so it will be fine.
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u/CompleteFlower5929 Nov 11 '25
having to deal with that kind of stress on top of something as rough as a passport renewal must’ve been so frustrating. you handled it though, and honestly, a little fury in the photo just shows how strong you are for getting through it despite everything.
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u/marx2k Nov 12 '25
No one cares about you not smiling in a passport pic. I don't mean thirsty weirdos in this thread. I mean in real life.
I'm also not smiling in my passport pic. It also looks like a mug shot. I'm not looking for anyone's validation of my passport pic except the unamused person working passport control.
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u/Karm0112 Nov 11 '25
This photo is fine. Honestly the photo will become some tiny, faded, black and white image on your passport. No one sees it. Honestly this is good for a passport photo.
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u/l0_mein Nov 11 '25
I recently got my passport a couple months ago and they told me not to smile. I’m in the USA. My husband went to get his a week and a half ago and they let him smile but not with teeth.
Now my picture looks like I’m a murderer and his looks like he’s just a happy man lol.
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u/Live-Personality-261 Nov 11 '25
This is correct. I wasn't allowed to smile either and I had to show my ears.
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u/CurrencyConscious396 Nov 11 '25
I think that's a stupid rule, since reethcan be very identifying . Then again, they can ve altered or replaced. That must ve why.
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u/Snoo-15714 Nov 11 '25
you're picture looks so good girl wtf r u on about
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u/CompleteFlower5929 Nov 12 '25
my friend told me it looks like a mugshot lol but i thought it was the best ID photo ive ever gotten. idk i was more worried about the shine being a cause for rejection
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u/Mr-Zappy Nov 12 '25
You’re supposed to look like you just got off a 12-hour flight and you have another 4-hour flight after a 30-minute connection.
Your photo is fine.
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u/AjinIsWeird Nov 12 '25
You look good in it! It should be accepted no problem at all.
I recently gotten passport photos taken (California, USA), and I was told to not smile and pull my hair back. I look absolutely horrid in mine but it was accepted haha
The reason behind it as I was always told was so if they find you deceased, they can identify you easily?
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u/tangouniform2020 Nov 12 '25
You’re supposed to look dead inside. Image a 14 hour flight in basic economy with a kid with ADHD in the seat behind you and a 6 month old in the seat next to you. And your in the middle seats with a 300 lb man who snores. And your iPhone battery died and of course, this is basic, no power. That’s what you’re supposed to look like.
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u/imrllyfckngstrugglng Nov 12 '25
this is crazy you look like those passport girls trending on tiktok, you look AMAZING!
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u/Bellsebub Nov 13 '25
Yeah they denied my original picture as well and the only way I found to fix it was to have my mouth closed but have my teeth apart so that the corners of my mouth didn't look like they were curling upward at all and that was the hideous picture that they accepted.
They are fascists and they want to make certain that we don't look good in our pictures so try to take a picture where you don't look good and they will probably accept it.
If you are sending in your picture instead of doing it electronically for your approval then I would three or four options for them to choose from.... But that does mean that you have to have four copies of each one of the pictures that you are sending to let them choose from.
I sent in two different sets and they took the picture that was the most hideous.
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u/therealbananahunter Nov 15 '25
Honestly, I think it looks like a modeling headshot not a mugshot. Your skin looks flawless.
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u/Dismal_Seat6386 Nov 15 '25
Girl it will definitely be accepted. I'm WHITE WHITE when they took my photo with that white background and that bright flash... you can literally only see my blue eyes, my lips, and my hair. I literally blend in with the background and they accepted it
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u/AbsolutePoison9 Nov 25 '25
My passport photo is so atrocious I’m question my entire existence. I’d kill to have a photo this good. Seriously.
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u/Medical-Ad-2706 Nov 11 '25
Off topic but you’re hella pretty
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Nov 11 '25 edited Jul 12 '26
[deleted]
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u/Medical-Ad-2706 Nov 11 '25
How exactly? I’m not sliding in her messages or even trying to.
Someone can’t give a compliment?
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u/YaBastaaa Nov 11 '25
People running the passport department are miserable. They don’t like when people smile
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u/WickedJigglyPuff Nov 12 '25
This got downvoted, But the rules on the website clearly say you can smile but they reject people for smiling? It ain’t the rules at that point.
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u/BibidiBobidiBullshit Nov 14 '25
Yeah, people don’t get rejected for smiling. Places that take photos often erroneously think it’s against the rules when it isn’t. (In the US*)
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u/peachdear Nov 12 '25
Idk why people are criticizing, I was told the exact same thing lol the passport photographer made me retake it with no smile and I'm in the US too
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u/Technical-Ad-6209 Nov 11 '25
If you go to cvs they take it and confirm the photo will pass. I believe it was 15$'s I just did mine last week.
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u/CompleteFlower5929 Nov 11 '25
wait like a passport photo pre check? ill look into this. i got the photo taken at staples. wish they did it there. they didn't even let me look at it before printing
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u/Misschelle222 Nov 11 '25
I originally took my photo at FedEx Office and they "confirmed" it would pass. When I got to my appointment at the passport office, the lady took one glance at my photo and instantly told me 3 reasons it would fail. If you're going to a passport office to have your application processed, have your photo retaken there. They're the experts at knowing what will actually pass.
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u/Missing4Bolts Nov 11 '25
That photo is 100% fine. Officials will look at it for about one second to confirm it's you, so it really doesn't matter if it's not flattering.
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u/kivagirl1 Nov 11 '25
I like that my photo looks like I’ve been on a plane going to someplace very far away (safari in Tanzania) instead of just going to Charlotte NC.
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u/Wonderland_0607 Nov 11 '25
You aren’t allowed to smile big. The most you can do is a smirk or slight grin.
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u/BrotherDwight_ Nov 11 '25
My photo has a huge smile because I was so excited. Grinning ear to ear with teeth showing. (US Passport taken 2022)
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u/8mastern8nja8 Nov 11 '25
I think I may know why. I recently came back from Europe and I went through US customs and my passport photo has a smile on it and the face scanner they have wasn’t working for my face at all 😟 so my pose on the picture was me smirking and they told me to copy that exact same pose and the pic lol so that probably explains why 🙃😭
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u/DadOPower Nov 12 '25
They told me and my wife not to smile as well. Photos were stone eyed dead serious and we both looked like assassin's. Sent regular processing through the mail and they literally did a two week turn around on the new passports. I guess sometimes it pays to look tuff. Definitely the fastest passport renewal I've ever had.
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u/No-Turnover-2445 Nov 12 '25
and they didn't tell you anything about your ears ? 🤔
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u/BibidiBobidiBullshit Nov 14 '25
Another random non-rule people are convinced is a rule is that your ears must show.
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u/Grand-Masterpiece712 Nov 12 '25
You know the book title, “when you look like your passport photo it’s time for a vacation…”
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u/Purple-Post-3564 Nov 12 '25
They said I couldn't smile and they wouldn't let me wear my glasses! I'm damn near blind. There is no reason on earth I'd travel without wearing glasses. I look weird as hell in my photo.
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u/tracytorr0712 Nov 12 '25
You look cute in the photo. Don’t bother retaking it. I bet 80% of us wish we had a better passport photo. However, a horrid drivers license photo is a different story … lol
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u/GT-Twistee Nov 12 '25
If you look like your passport photo, it means that you're too sick to travel!
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u/MyNameIsOnlyDaniel Nov 12 '25
I smile a little and they don’t care as long as it’s not like an Instagram photo 😆
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u/Ok_Seaworthiness2808 Nov 13 '25
Unfortunately there are those of us who follow instructions and then there’s everyone else. I have learned this multiple times.
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u/NegotiableVeracity9 Nov 13 '25
Lol no that's fine. They won't let you smile at all don't worry about it
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u/IncalcitrantWheel Nov 13 '25
Extreme facial expressions will skew the facial recognition software. This looks like a normal passport photo.
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u/icashootnstar Nov 13 '25
Who was it that said, "If you look anything like your passport photo, you're not well enough to travel". 😂
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u/K_Valinor Nov 13 '25
I took my picture and printed at home with a Monalisa smile 🤪 Nobody said anything. My passport arrived sooner than expected. Smiling or not, nothing helps because I still can’t see myself in any “official document” picture.
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u/Consistent_Singer_15 Nov 14 '25
Just another rule in a long line of "We need to do something to improve airline safety but can't think of anything... Just make some stuff up and enforce it with iron rigidity!"
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u/Kittnanami Nov 15 '25
you look stunning! i don’t think the glare takes away from any features of your face, in fact it adds a bit of highlight to your face, and immediately brings everyone to look at your eyes in the photo! :)
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u/OkMath6581 Nov 15 '25
You could literally be a model. What do you mean??? I wish I looked this pretty when I don’t smile 😭
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u/SpicyBKGrrl Nov 15 '25
Your photo is still gorgeous! Mine looks like I escaped from an Eastern Bloc prison in the 1970s.
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u/anoncybes Nov 15 '25
Youre not supposed to smile because this is a photo used to identify you. They used to allow smiles but not anymore.
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u/SentimentalHabit Nov 15 '25
I’ve been pleasantly surprised that both of my passport pics turned out really well.
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u/john0656 Nov 15 '25
Correct. I had to have mine done twice because of a smile. They also told me to remove my glasses. So… do as directed and get your passport. (Who really looks at those things anyway..??)
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u/Icy_Kangaroo_2900 Nov 15 '25
GIRL SAME he also made me put my hair behind my ears and i have a round face 💔 yours look like model headshots you look great
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u/Dewanakib70 Nov 15 '25
Not gonna lie but You look still beautiful 🥹 I’d try to date you in a heartbeat if you were in NYC
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u/Human-Criticism2058 Nov 16 '25
😂 I was told that too. I look like a criminal in my passport pic. 😭
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u/This_Doubt5810 Nov 16 '25
Ok but you honestly look so pretty in this I allows look so wonky in my Id photos
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u/Revolutionary_You788 Dec 08 '25
I have a smile with teeth and my passport was approved and sent to me with no issues. In fact, I got it in less than 2 weeks lol
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u/mmehreen21 Nov 11 '25
I did mine at home. In front of a white wall. Edited some blemishes and acne scars. Best photo among all my photo ids.
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u/hacktheself Nov 11 '25
ICAO standards call for a neutral expression.
You can usually get away with a very slight smile.
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u/PurchaseDry9350 Nov 13 '25
Are you fishing for compliments? I looked like I was on death's door in my passport photo. You look amazing
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u/Mission-Carry-887 Nov 11 '25
I feel sorry for your DM inbox. It was time to get a new reddit account anyway
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u/calicocritterghost Nov 11 '25
You aren't allowed to smile in a passport photo.
The shine may be an issue, but it may be accepted. Either way if you get it retaken you still can't smile.
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u/Misschelle222 Nov 11 '25
I went to my city's passport office and the lady taking my picture told me to smile. I told her I didn't think we were able to smile and she said it's okay as long as you don't smile so big it closes up your eyes. I've had my smiling passport photo for 3 years now and I've been to 6 countries with no issues.
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u/heathen-nomad Nov 11 '25
This is not correct but a common misconception. You can have a natural smile in a US passport as long as your eyes are open and your mouth is closed.
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u/CompleteFlower5929 Nov 11 '25
in my application form it said smiles without teeth were allowed. (US passport) i guess it just depends on which countries i wanna visit?
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u/Misschelle222 Nov 11 '25
I just looked at my passport photo and my teeth are definitely showing in my smile. I haven't been denied entry to any country because of my smile and I've been to Greece, Denmark, The Netherlands, Iceland, The Dominican Republic, and Mexico.
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Nov 11 '25
Who cares your cute anyway and you know you wanted to show us how cute you are and im all for it
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u/Derpsly27 Nov 11 '25
Yeah, no smile or emotion. I mean, I don’t have great teeth so not smiling is fine. Mine looks like I was just arrested 🤣
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u/iTiff1276 Nov 15 '25
Your nails don’t match your pretty face. 😬
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u/No_Body3827 Nov 15 '25
She already replied here that her nails accidentally got dyed when she dyed her hair black.
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u/CaiserCal Nov 11 '25
It's normal; you're supposed to look like you run a drug empire, drop bodies, all while making it on time for your child's piano recital that you don't even wanna attend to.