Passports?

[Alicatt]

I just want to thank everyone for their input. I an going to bring it up to my husband again in a little while. No matter which direction we go I just wanted everyone to know how much I appreciate the level genuine concern on this and all the threads I've been on.

 

[jrabbit]

"Howdy Stranger!"

"Stranger than What!!?"


Did you select the proper (correct) background or was the app "smart enough" to do that for you automatically. That pesky background can trip you up. And if you wear glasses, you should not in the picture (I am a full time glasses wearer, but the passport picture is without them).

 

[RedSox68]

"Howdy Stranger!"

"Stranger than What!!?"


Did you select the proper (correct) background or was the app "smart enough" to do that for you automatically. That pesky background can trip you up. And if you wear glasses, you should not in the picture (I am a full time glasses wearer, but the passport picture is without them).

When we renewed our passports in 2015, they asked if we wear glasses regularly and my DH and I do and they recommended we have them taken with our glasses on as that is what the agents will see when we go through the airport. We've never had a problem and it makes it so much easier not to have to take them off at every stop!

 

[Anchors Away 2016]

When we renewed our passports in 2015, they asked if we wear glasses regularly and my DH and I do and they recommended we have them taken with our glasses on as that is what the agents will see when we go through the airport. We've never had a problem and it makes it so much easier not to have to take them off at every stop!

When I traveled to Europe last year they used a computer terminal to pre-screen all of us, compare our faces to our passport photos. For that process, they wanted all of us to take our glasses off. It made it easier for the facial recognition software to line facial features up. If the computer thought you were the same person as your passport photo, you got in one line, where they still asked questions, but were pretty confident you were who you said you were. If the computer wasn't sure, you had to get in a different line where they asked more questions to make sure you were who you said you were.

For this reason, I was advised to get my passport photo without my glasses on.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

When we renewed our passports in 2015, they asked if we wear glasses regularly and my DH and I do and they recommended we have them taken with our glasses on as that is what the agents will see when we go through the airport. We've never had a problem and it makes it so much easier not to have to take them off at every stop!

Yes, in the past, if you wore glasses all the time, you were allowed to have the photo taken with glasses on.

This has changed, as the facial recognition program apparently doesn't allow for glasses. Everyone must remove glasses for passport photo, as well as at the immigration electronic check locations when returning to the US for the facial recognition to work correctly.

 

[jrabbit]

I've missed out on the Electronic Facial Recognition then, because no one has ever asked me to take off my glasses. Maybe in St. Petersburg, but I think that's the Russians doing their thing.

 

[PurplePencil]

When we renewed our passports in 2015, they asked if we wear glasses regularly and my DH and I do and they recommended we have them taken with our glasses on as that is what the agents will see when we go through the airport. We've never had a problem and it makes it so much easier not to have to take them off at every stop!

They recently changed the rules as @PrincessShmoo said. I renewed mine in 2015, and somehow they had an issue with me and glasses but nobody else with me. I had to get a new picture (while my passport was still with the Gov). But at least I got my retake photos for free at a AAA expo

 

[Beth06015]

"Hey, I wasn't making a strange face!"

Oops. My bad. That must be your....normal face? LOL

Getting any picture of my four year old son looking at the camera is a feat. It was torture for all of us. I don't understand the difficulty in "look at the camera"

 

[Beth06015]

"Howdy Stranger!"

"Stranger than What!!?"


Did you select the proper (correct) background or was the app "smart enough" to do that for you automatically. That pesky background can trip you up. And if you wear glasses, you should not in the picture (I am a full time glasses wearer, but the passport picture is without them).

Yes! We had to take them off my son for the pic. We just stood in front of a white wall for the picture.

 

[Beth06015]

When we renewed our passports in 2015, they asked if we wear glasses regularly and my DH and I do and they recommended we have them taken with our glasses on as that is what the agents will see when we go through the airport. We've never had a problem and it makes it so much easier not to have to take them off at every stop!

When I traveled to Europe last year they used a computer terminal to pre-screen all of us, compare our faces to our passport photos. For that process, they wanted all of us to take our glasses off. It made it easier for the facial recognition software to line facial features up. If the computer thought you were the same person as your passport photo, you got in one line, where they still asked questions, but were pretty confident you were who you said you were. If the computer wasn't sure, you had to get in a different line where they asked more questions to make sure you were who you said you were.

For this reason, I was advised to get my passport photo without my glasses on.

I've missed out on the Electronic Facial Recognition then, because no one has ever asked me to take off my glasses. Maybe in St. Petersburg, but I think that's the Russians doing their thing.

There are new rules which require NO glasses in the pic. We have very few pics of my son without them!!!

 

[MunFam]

Getting any picture of my four year old son looking at the camera is a feat. It was torture for all of us. I don't understand the difficulty in "look at the camera"

Hahaha!!! Try it with an 18 month old. I am pretty sure we had 50 or more rejects before we got one that was okay.

 

[jrabbit]

Getting any picture of my four year old son looking at the camera is a feat. It was torture for all of us. I don't understand the difficulty in "look at the camera"

Squirrel!
and another
and yet another
Hey look - shiny

 

[RedSox68]

Yes, in the past, if you wore glasses all the time, you were allowed to have the photo taken with glasses on.

This has changed, as the facial recognition program apparently doesn't allow for glasses. Everyone must remove glasses for passport photo, as well as at the immigration electronic check locations when returning to the US for the facial recognition to work correctly.

We just got our passports renews less than two years ago. Has this changed just since then? We went to Europe with them and were never asked to remove our glasses. I am certainly not getting new passports without glasses as I was told we could keep our glasses on! If they want to change it, that's fine -- but I'm not paying for new passports in less than two years.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We just got our passports renews less than two years ago. Has this changed just since then? We went to Europe with them and were never asked to remove our glasses. I am certainly not getting new passports without glasses as I was told we could keep our glasses on! If they want to change it, that's fine -- but I'm not paying for new passports in less than two years.

I doubt that you will be required to get new passports due to the change. They will most likely just require to you to be personally checked by an actual immigration agent instead of using the facial recognition computer option that's available in some airports.

But, for your next passport, the pictures must be without glasses.

 

[pixie3]

Not sure if this is the right place for this question:

My kids need passports for a trip to the Atlantis in the Bahamas on March 20th. They are expiring. Apparently kids can't renew by mail. They have to start the process all over and needs to be done in person. I have called my agency in town and am awaiting a call back. Should I be able to go down there and expedite them so I get them in about 3 weeks?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Not sure if this is the right place for this question:

My kids need passports for a trip to the Atlantis in the Bahamas on March 20th. They are expiring. Apparently kids can't renew by mail. They have to start the process all over and needs to be done in person. I have called my agency in town and am awaiting a call back. Should I be able to go down there and expedite them so I get them in about 3 weeks?

Are their passports expiring before you return from your Atlantis trip? If not, you don't need to get new ones right now.

You can expedite the passport application at the acceptance facility. Check around for other acceptance facility locations and give them a call. It may be worth a little trip to get into a facility that will take you right away. You can locate acceptance facilities here: https://travel.state.gov/content/pa...ervices/expedited.html#expediteacceptfacility

Link is in the paragraph about where to find them.

Or you can go directly to a Passport Agency (not an acceptance facility). There's a link there for a list of those, also.

 

[MrsSmalls]

My kid can not smile without showing teeth. Just.Can't.

And have I mentioned that you can't get within a mile of the kid with a camera without his smiling?

I thought the girl at the library was going to have a breakdown trying to get a picture without teeth showing

 

[jrabbit]

My kid can not smile without showing teeth. Just.Can't.

And have I mentioned that you can't get within a mile of the kid with a camera without his smiling?

I thought the girl at the library was going to have a breakdown trying to get a picture without teeth showing

carmels for the back teeth to keep his mouth shut and peanut butter on the teeth to keep the lips in place

Or early Braces and have the ortho wire his mouth shut - but that doesn't do anything for the lips. Sorry - I got nothing else

 

[PrincessShmoo]

My kid can not smile without showing teeth. Just.Can't.

And have I mentioned that you can't get within a mile of the kid with a camera without his smiling?

I thought the girl at the library was going to have a breakdown trying to get a picture without teeth showing

Possibly the explanation that, if he can't smile without teeth showing will make it so he can't take the trip?

 

[bumbershoot]

Not sure if this is the right place for this question:

My kids need passports for a trip to the Atlantis in the Bahamas on March 20th. They are expiring. Apparently kids can't renew by mail. They have to start the process all over and needs to be done in person. I have called my agency in town and am awaiting a call back. Should I be able to go down there and expedite them so I get them in about 3 weeks?

Check the passport site thoroughly. Your location tells me there should be more than one place near you.

IF they are actually expiring before or while you're on the trip you're going to need new passports and the passport site should tell you what circumstances allow for expedited and even same day passports and where to get them.