Passport Photo

[bjarvis]

I finally found a place in the greater DC area which will do photos in a format suitable for Canadian passports. With nothing else planned for this morning, I dashed out to University Blvd & Colesville Rd (about three miles from home) to get the photos while Kent was still getting dressed.



For what it's worth, I hate the new photo requirements. The specification that the picture be taken with a "neutral" (read: blank and/or stoned) expression is utterly unflattering, especially for an official document which has a lifetime of 5 years. What a great way to make a good first impression when visiting a foreign country. :-^ The part that irks me is that the requirement is essentially a concession to automated facial recognition systems and their inability to deal with three-quarter profiles, expressions of happiness/sadness/whatever and the inability of bureaucrats to consider more secure alternatives for official documents.



Now I just have to find a window of opportunity to get downtown to have my would-be guarantor can sign & initial on the dotted lines so I can drop my renewal in the mail.

Comments

[faghatesgods.livejournal.com]

oh thats not bad at all

i should post my license picture

you'd feel much better about this one!

[ebearboston.livejournal.com]

One thing is true of all the photos - you always look so pink and healthy! Well, on the greencard photo it's a bit more salmon, but I'm assuming the photo has yellowed.

[pectopah.livejournal.com]

My US passport is good for 10 years and I am reaching year 8 with it. I don't look like me anymore and the US Border Protection Agency has told me so--the glasses and beard are a big change.

It is funny how the system "works". I have a Canadian friend in VT who goes back and forth all of the time with his expired for-2-years passport. He's even renewed his visa using it--if he flew, he couldn't get on the plane with an expired passport, but with driving the rules are different.

I don't have my Permanent Resident card yet (any day, I hope), but I was told in no uncertain terms Not To Smile. On the other hand, I was encouraged to smile for my Quebec drivers license.

[travelingcub.livejournal.com]

Oh that's a good photo.

[bearfuz.livejournal.com]

All that photo is missing is the numbers underneath... and an accompanying full-profile photo. I'm just saying. ;-)

At least your photos will be all ready when you're tagged as a terrorist!

[rsc.livejournal.com]

As far as we could tell (when we suddenly realized that our passports were due to expire before our next scheduled foreign trip), there's nothing in the US passport photo requirement that precluded our producing them at home with a digital camera and a color printer, thereby allowing us to keep trying until we got pictures we could live with (and without it costing anything¹). (I don't recall there being a "neutral expression" requirement.)

The green card photo actually looks like you!


¹Just as well, considering what they're charging for passport renewal these days.

[allanh.livejournal.com]

Pity you can't send 'em a nude photo instead.

I'd make fun of your picture, but I just got back my own new passport, and the photo is truly frightening. I have absolutely NO right to talk.

[allanh.livejournal.com]

Specifically, as of 12/31/06, a passport is required for re-entry by air or by sea. As of 12/31/07, a passport will also be required for re-entry by land.

Full details available online at: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html

[trawnapanda.livejournal.com]

well, I'll allow that the colouring isn't the best. However, someone was saying that you should have posed nude for it. There's NOTHING in the Canadian regulations that say you have to be wearing any clothing at all. The "neutral expression" might preclude having a hard-on, though.

(you're not allowed to be -er- Glad To See Me, as Mae would say)

the fact that they'll crop your picture at shortly below the chin takes a lot of the fun out of the passport end of things, but that doesn't mean you can't have fun in the photograpic session. As long as you don't show any teeth.

If you could't find your guarantor, mail it to me, I can countersign Canajun passport photos. Unfortunately, the documentation is very clear that I can't collect a fee for so doing (which is a bit of a disappointment, the standard fee in the UK is something like £10 from your doctor). But I could take it out in kind.

[beartalon.livejournal.com]

It's in colour... Mine HAD to be in black and white, which made no sense to me two years ago. How can you tell what shade of blue eyes or brown hair I have? I also couldn't wear my glasses while on my driver's license I had to wear them because I am illegal to drive without them on. While it's possible I may wear contacts, it makes no sense to take a picture that can't be readily identified as me.

[billeyler.livejournal.com]

Who is that in the picture?

[paigemom.livejournal.com]

Honey, you look like you were just told you need major root canal.

[urbear]

Could you tell me the name of that photographer? I'm not having a lot of luck finding someone who speaks Canadian in the greater Boston area, and it so happens I'll be in DC next week.

[urbear]

That's a great help, thanks! I'll probably check out the one on 7th... I often work in or around Silver Springs, but this time I'll be in the city proper.

Nice user icon, by the way. :)