In this Travel Report, Valarie D'Elia tells you how to make sure your passport photo meets U.S. regulations so you don't have any trouble at border crossings.
At least every 10 years, frequent fliers get a reality check - the dreaded day comes when counting the number of miles we’ve banked morphs into reconciling those we’ve put on our appearance.
"I would suggest to anybody who is traveling who no longer looks like their passport photo getting a new passport with a new photo in it," suggests Michael Hoffman, Director of New York Passport Agency.
This is especially relevant to transgender travelers who must provide documentation from their doctor.
"We have two different passports that we can issue. One is a limited passport for somebody who is in the process of the transition of their gender, and a full validity passport for those who have completed the transition," Hoffman says.
And when it comes time for a passport do-over in the age of selfies, your photo can’t be photoshopped. Absolutely no fussing with filters.
"Sometimes if it comes in very pixelated it gets even worse when we go to print it, so sometimes it can be a problem," Hoffman says
Unless you have a medical condition that requires wearing glasses, you have to remove them. And no head coverings except for religious reasons.
Lastly, avoid Instagram-style poses. Photos have to be full-face, on a white or off-white background, with the image size measuring 2x2.
For more information, visit travel.state.gov.