"Your ears have to be visible in your passport photo"
Jul 6, 2010, 5:06 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: ATL
Programs: DL Gold Medallion, AA
Posts: 347
"Your ears have to be visible in your passport photo"
So I went to get a passport photo today, and the female clerk at Walgreens told me to put my hair behind my ears. I have long hair, and although it partially covers my ears, they are still quite visible. She kept insisting the application would be refused and returned if my ears don't show because it hinders the facial recognition program. There no such requirement on the State Dept. web site - is this something new or was she merely misinformed?
Jul 6, 2010, 5:19 pm
#2
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: North of DFW
Programs: AA PLT, HH Gold, TSA Disparager Gold, going for Platnium
Posts: 1,535
misinformed, badly. The DOS website and elsewhere on PP photos says no such thing. My passport 10 years ago had hair that covered my ears. It didnt get rejected.
http://www.onthegosoft.com/passport_...ifications.htm
http://www.travel.state.gov/passport...uide_2081.html
http://travel.state.gov/passport/gui...ition_874.html
http://www.onthegosoft.com/passport_...ifications.htm
http://www.travel.state.gov/passport...uide_2081.html
http://travel.state.gov/passport/gui...ition_874.html
Jul 6, 2010, 7:10 pm
#9
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,849
I do think it should be a requirement to have the ears visible in passport photographs. Ears are a very useful reference point when an immigration officer compares a passport photograph to the person standing in front of him.
Last edited by yyzvoyageur; Jul 6, 2010 at 8:16 pm
Jul 6, 2010, 7:49 pm
#10
In Memoriam
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Easton, CT, USA
Programs: ua prem exec, Former hilton diamond
Posts: 31,801
It actually appears on some embassy websites for getting visas to visit the US -
American citizens should bring two identical photos when they apply for a U.S. passport. The following minimum requirements must be met or your application will not be processed. Please see the paragraphs below for more details.
1. The photographs must not be older than six months
2. The photographs must measure 2x2" (5x5 cm)
3. The photographs of the applicant's head must be between 1" to 1 3/8" (2.5 to 3.5 cm) when measured vertically
4. The photographs must have a white background
5. Must face the camera directly, with both ears visible
But then they say it's preferable
It is preferable that ears be exposed.
Though in their seven page official guide to passport photographs, it doesn't mention ears, and uses at least one example of somebody whose hair covers their ears.
American citizens should bring two identical photos when they apply for a U.S. passport. The following minimum requirements must be met or your application will not be processed. Please see the paragraphs below for more details.
1. The photographs must not be older than six months
2. The photographs must measure 2x2" (5x5 cm)
3. The photographs of the applicant's head must be between 1" to 1 3/8" (2.5 to 3.5 cm) when measured vertically
4. The photographs must have a white background
5. Must face the camera directly, with both ears visible
But then they say it's preferable
It is preferable that ears be exposed.
Though in their seven page official guide to passport photographs, it doesn't mention ears, and uses at least one example of somebody whose hair covers their ears.
Jul 6, 2010, 8:34 pm
#11
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: PDX
Programs: AS, DL, UA, AC, Nexus, TSA Pre
Posts: 364
So I went to get a passport photo today, and the female clerk at Walgreens told me to put my hair behind my ears. I have long hair, and although it partially covers my ears, they are still quite visible. She kept insisting the application would be refused and returned if my ears don't show because it hinders the facial recognition program. There no such requirement on the State Dept. web site - is this something new or was she merely misinformed?
When I got my green card years ago, I needed a photo with the ears exposed. No such requirement when I got my passport a few years later.
nrg
Jul 7, 2010, 9:54 am
#13
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: NRT/PDX
Programs: Willamette Valley Cropdusters Silver Elite, National Tent Frequent Stay program, Ed's Rent-a-tractor
Posts: 3,357
Jul 7, 2010, 10:04 am
#14
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: IAD
Programs: *wood Gold
Posts: 1,781
With the Walgreens employee's penchant for making up useless rules that only serve to harass and annoy while adding no security to the overall process, what makes anybody think that this person isn't already a TSAer who's moonlighting at another McJob? 
Jul 7, 2010, 10:24 am
#15
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 326
$9 or whatever they charge for a photo is nuts.
I am renewing my passport and had a friend at work take my picture with my digital camera against a white wall.
I used http://www.epassportphoto.com/ to frame and center them. Brought them to Walgreens and printed them for $1.
Funny enough there's no 2x2 option for photos on the Walgreens kiosk- smallest is a "wallet size." I asked the girl to just enter her passport code so I could get 2x2. They printed to that size and the charge was for two regular prints.
I am renewing my passport and had a friend at work take my picture with my digital camera against a white wall.
I used http://www.epassportphoto.com/ to frame and center them. Brought them to Walgreens and printed them for $1.
Funny enough there's no 2x2 option for photos on the Walgreens kiosk- smallest is a "wallet size." I asked the girl to just enter her passport code so I could get 2x2. They printed to that size and the charge was for two regular prints.