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The Importance of Up-To-Date Passport Photos.
It's rare that someone undergoes extensive facial reconstruction surgery, or ages to the extent they are unrecognisable within the space of five years, however, we all undergo subtle physical changes to our faces as we mature. For this reason, passport photos submitted with national/ international passport and Visa applications must have been taken within 1-6 months of the application date.
Why are up-to-date passport photos important?
Passports and driving licences generally have to be renewed between 5-15 years after they were first issued. This is primarily because as we age, our features change. While these changes are not noticeable over a short period of time, ten years can have a considerable influence on aesthetic changes. Even the subtlest alterations to your look such as going from long to short hair, or changing it's colour, can make you look marginally different to your old passport photos.
How do authorities know my photo is older than six months?
New legislations brought into force in the majority of countries now require individuals to sit an interview for any passport/ Visa application. The interview itself is conducted by a member of the passport office or consulate within your country, and is designed to check over your application prior to submission. It also enables the passport office to check that you are who you say you are, and that your passport photos are “in-date”. An officer will obviously be able to tell if you're physical appearance at the interview does not match the youthful person within the passport photo. Save yourself the embarrassment and use your passport photo software to print out fresh photos prior to the interview. Home printing is by far more convenient, and faster than going down to the store to do so.
What happens if I submit an out-of-date photo with a formal I.D application?
Quite simply, your application will be rejected. There are no second chances when it comes to the right photographs. You submit your application, pay the fee, attend an interview and wait for an answer. If your application for any form of formal identification is declined, the entirety of your documents will be returned to you with your photos, and a brief letter explaining the reason.
You will lose the original fee paid upon application, and you will have to print off new pictures to meet the passport photo requirements of the agency, to submit with a brand new application.
How can I ensure my photos don't get rejected?
Firstly, make sure you fully understand the rules set out by your issuing licence/ passport/ visa office. These will be provided in a leaflet or poster in addition to your application form. The list regarding correct procedures and acceptable qualities of passport photos is quite long. By organising yourself, and taking advantage of free passport photo software provided by CamToPrint, you can be rest assured that your application won't fall into the rejection pile.
To ensure your photos are of optimum quality, utilize your photo editing software to fix common lighting and shadow problems, as well as justify the contrast of your images. Use the on-board template facility to obtain the right size images, and remember that photo size is exclusive of the white border. Experiment with the “sharpen” tool and “red-eye reduction” feature to get a natural finish.
How do I ensure my photos meet the print quality standards?
Many agencies recommend a resolution quality of between 300 and 600 d.p.i (dots per inch). An ink-jet printer will easily suffice for this, but be sure to select a decent quality photo paper with no watermarks to the rear. Agencies no longer accept passport photos which have any type of logo on the back, because they can interfere with the biometric identification process.
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