Getting your baby’s first passport is a pretty exciting moment and it is something which you will no doubt want to keep long into the future. What many parents struggle to deal with however is getting the passport photo right. The reason why this is challenging is because there are a strict set of rules which must be complied with, and babies do enjoy wriggling around.
It is always best to use a professional service here and if you type ‘passport photos near me’ into the search engine you’ll find many options. If you cannot find a good option then the Post Office also runs this service. When selecting a company to use, you’ll find that some specialise in infants and babies, so be sure to go with them. When having the photo taken, here are some tips on keeping your baby in place, and the rules which must be met.
Passport Photo Rules
- High quality digital or film camera must be used
- Camera to subject distance no less than 1.2 metres
- Even lighting with no shadow on face
- White or grey background
- No red eye
- Print size is 35mm wide and 45mm high
- High quality, glossy prints, minimum of 200 gsm
- No editing at all on the photo
Now here are the rules regarding the position of the subject:
- Eyes must be open and clearly visible
- Neutral expression on face, no smiling or grimacing
- Subject should be in the centre of the shot
- No hair or head covering
- It is possible to send a photo of your infant with an open mouth, this is accepted
Tips on Getting The Right Photo
As you can see from some of the rules above, getting your baby to stay in place and adhere to the rules is not always easy. What you should certainly anticipate here is taking a large number of passport pictures of your baby, because it only takes one wrong movement for the image not to meet requirements.
In terms of your baby’s eyes being open and visible, this can be achieved through the use of a toy behind the camera, which will attract their gaze. Bear in mind that this won’t work every time, so bring a number of items to hold up.
You will need a friend or your partner to help out here, so that one can hold the toy and the other can hold the baby. Kneeling down behind your baby is the best way to keep them in place, just make sure that you don’t create a shadow and that you are out of shot.
In terms of having your baby maintain a relatively straight face, the best way is to show them something that fascinates or confuses them. Failing this you will simply have to take multiple shots.
Once you have your shots, arrange for passport photo delivery and then it will be simply a waiting game to see if your baby’s photos have been accepted. However, by following these tips you will have a much greater chance of getting the right passport shot.
