What is allowed and what is forbidden for a passport photo?

Not everything is allowed on a passport photo. A passport photo is a special kind of picture that must be biometric-sized. Also, certain objects or things are not allowed in the photo.

The following are allowed in a passport photo:

• Light makeup to emphasize natural facial features.
• Neutral, friendly facial expression.
• Normal, closed shirt or blouse, as the shoulders and collar will be visible in the passport photo.
• Light background if the hair color is dark.
• Dark gray background if the hair color is light.
• A visual aid (glasses) as long as the eyes are clearly visible.
• Any hairstyle, but it must not cover the face.
• A solid-color background, preferably light gray.
• Only one face is in the photo.
• The picture must be sharp and focused on the face.
• Straight sitting posture with eyes fixed on the camera lens.

The following must not be done or should be avoided:

• Laughter, as this will consume the face and make it more difficult to identify the person in the photo.
• Headgear of any kind, such as a cap or scarf.
• Anything that covers or obscures the eyes, such as sunglasses or colored eye lenses.
• Low-lying clothing with too much skin.
• Excessive jewelry or stickers on the face.
• Pipe or cigarette in the mouth.
• Chewing gum because the chewing deforms the face.
• Hands or other objects on the face that partially obscure the face.
• Eyes obscured by eyeglass frames.
• Light background and light hair color.
• Dark background and dark hair color.
• People other than the person in the photo.
• Wrong camera distance so that more than the person's face can be seen, for example, the upper part of the body.
• Wrong angle, so that the face is photographed too much from the side.
• Printing the photo on non-special photo paper or on a printer with too low resolution.

A good photographer knows what a passport photo should look like, so it is advisable to have appropriate pictures taken by a professional. Meanwhile, the prices for a passport photo are very affordable, and you get a decent photo.