passports photos=mug shots :/

[Tenshi no Ai]

So, I just got my passport picture taken a couple days ago and man oh man there is SO many rules for getting a picture for the Canadian passport taken >_< I knew you can't smile in it, but also on the list was: glasses, turtlenecks/hoodies, tanktops, and on and on it went for a page long of stuff. Now, I'm just wanting to know why we have to have it so strict, because every American I know can just smile in their picture, without worry on their photo being rejected because of smile lines changing the shape of their face :/ Apparently every American I've mentioned about this, haven't even HEARD of our silly rule... Actually, I'm not even sure how long it's been like this, but I think it's a recent thing...

So anyone have the slightest clue why this is? Just trying to figure this all out and see if anyone else has heard of this, or comes from another country that shares similar rules.

[Destroyer2000]

A fast spreading case of illogical paranoia, perhaps?

[ChristianKitsune]

O_O but..people dont' walk around frowing all day... they do smile, so how could that change the shape of your face?

and Wat?! What if this person wears glasses? That changest things, wow this is bizzarre... XD

[RedMage]

Wow, I just sent in my application for an American passport, and the rules are much different and not nearly as strict. Nothing was said about smiling, and you're actually supposed to wear your glasses in the photo if you do normally (which I do).

Actually, the guy said the glare on my glasses in my photo might be a problem, but they'd let me know if it was, and we haven't heard back, so I'm hoping it's OK. My eyes are just little black dots in a 2" x 2" photo anyway. XD

[Fish and Chips]

Still better than having lax procedure and a bad photograph anyway; my state ID makes me look like one of the 9/11 terrorists.

[Lady Macbeth]

[quote="Fish and Chips"]Still better than having lax procedure and a bad photograph anyway]

How true is that? XD My dad's driver's license makes him look like Saddam Hussein...no kidding there. It's his very black hair (that's going grey over the last several years) and his very tan skin. I've also had people tell me that pictures of him when he was younger look like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

[Fish and Chips]

:lol: How true is that? XD My dad's driver's license makes him look like Saddam Hussein...no kidding there. It's his very black hair (that's going grey over the last several years) and his very tan skin. I've also had people tell me that pictures of him when he was younger look like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

I remember Time magazine or some such publication once published photos of all the hijackers involved in the disaster, and the picture on my card looks like I would fit right in with their little group.

I'm pretty much the least photogenic person I know, but that's changed in more recent months since I've grown something of a beard. At the very least, people who sit next to be on the bus won't fidgit as much.

[Radical Dreamer]

Wow, yeah, I've never heard of anything like that. Not being able to smile would make my driver's license picture five times worse than it already is! xD And even if smiling did distort your face beyond recognition, all they'd have to do at the airport is ask you to smile to confirm. XD

I can half-understand the glasses thing, but...no turtlenecks, hoodies, or tank-tops? That...makes no sense at all. o_o

[Lady Macbeth]

Wow, yeah, I've never heard of anything like that. Not being able to smile would make my driver's license picture five times worse than it already is! xD And even if smiling did distort your face beyond recognition, all they'd have to do at the airport is ask you to smile to confirm. XD

I can half-understand the glasses thing, but...no turtlenecks, hoodies, or tank-tops? That...makes no sense at all. o_o

I'm not sure what tank-tops have to do with anything, unless they're afraid that not that many people wear tank-tops regularly. Turtlenecks and hoodies I understand - they're afraid that they mask features of your neck and head that would be distinct, including hair style and color.

On our student IDs we're not allowed to wear hats, hoodies, etc - anything that obscures our head.

[Radical Dreamer]

I'm not sure what tank-tops have to do with anything, unless they're afraid that not that many people wear tank-tops regularly. Turtlenecks and hoodies I understand - they're afraid that they mask features of your neck and head that would be distinct, including hair style and color.

On our student IDs we're not allowed to wear hats, hoodies, etc - anything that obscures our head.

Ooh, ok. I can understand turtlenecks now, but...couldn't they just tell you to keep the hood down on your hoodie until after the picture was taken? XD Oh well. Wonder who makes these laws...?

[Kaligraphic]

Actually, most of the new rules aren't intended to make things easier for humans - they are intended to make computerised face-matching easier. Though of course, they also want to avoid giving a passport to the Joker (theregister.co.uk).

[Warrior4Christ]

In Australian passports you can't smile either, and they have quite strict cropping/positioning rules. But you can wear glasses (no reflection or tinted lenses). But I don't think there's any mention of clothing you can't wear... (I was actually wearing a hoodie in mine - but due to cropping, you can hardly tell).

[Tenshi no Ai]

In Australian passports you can't smile either, and they have quite strict cropping/positioning rules. But you can wear glasses (no reflection or tinted lenses). But I don't think there's any mention of clothing you can't wear... (I was actually wearing a hoodie in mine - but due to cropping, you can hardly tell).

So I guess there are other countries that have similar rules.

Yeah... my photo came out looking pretty bad^^ Mostly because of my hair though :/ I'm just.,.. very fussy on the hair^^