Passport photo: no spectacles?

mike004

I recently went to renew my UK passport at the Post Office, using their check and send service. I took some new passport photos along with me.

They told me that my passport photo was not valid. I was wearing specs. Something about iris recognition.
There was a photo booth in the Post Office. So I took some new pics of me without specs which passed OK. Unfortunately, I was unshaven and had greasy matted hair from wearing a beanie hat all morning. So in my passport I will look like a vagrant for the next 20 years -- great!

Is this a new thing? AFAIK iris recognition is done at immigration in some countries and at automated passport gates in some UK airports. But I've never had problems with either before when using a specs picture in my passport.

Caz3121

information about passport photos here
https://www.gov.uk/photos-for-passports
maybe there was glare from the specs
don't worry you won't have it for 20 years...only 10 :-)

mike004

Caz3121 wrote: »

information about passport photos here
https://www.gov.uk/photos-for-passports
maybe there was glare from the specs
don't worry you won't have it for 20 years...only 10 :-)

And I will have to take my specs off every time I pass through an airport.

photome

mike004 wrote: »

And I will have to take my specs off every time I pass through an airport.

you would have to at border control in the USA but doubtful at every airport you go to


glasses are not a permanent feature of your appearance

Doshwaster

No specs was the rule when I last renewed my passport in 2010 so it must have changed before then.

pollypenny

My rimless specs passed the test for my passport phone. The big bold ones I wear now wouldn't.

shaun_from_Africa

mike004 wrote: »

They told me that my passport photo was not valid. I was wearing specs. Something about iris recognition.

It's nothing to do with iris recognition as the only way that this can work is if they already have a good quality scan of your iris.


The reason for the no glasses rule is that the e-passport system uses biometrics (measurements of your facial features) to confirm that the person standing at the e-gate is the same person whose biometric details are stores on the passport chip.


It uses measurements such as the distances from your eyes to your ears and mouth and glasses can stop the computer system from being able to get these measurements from the photograph.

Gloomendoom

Doshwaster wrote: »

No specs was the rule when I last renewed my passport in 2010 so it must have changed before then.

I renewed mine more recently than that and my photo has me wearing specs in it, as has every passport before it.

Sometimes I have to take my specs off for the electronic thingies, sometimes I don't.


Edit: The iris recognition thing must be nonsense. I've never had my iris scanned.

Ganga

I am sure that i have to take my glasses off everytime i use the new passport readers at Newcastle airport.

eDicky

Perhaps PO staff receive commission when sending someone to the photo booth.

There's no iris recognition involved in UK passport security features, and biometric face recognition is not affected by wearing spectacles as long as the eyes and facial contours are clearly visible.

If you normally wear glasses you can wear them for your passport photo or not, as you prefer (no strong tint or reflections).

katejo

mike004 wrote: »

I recently went to renew my UK passport at the Post Office, using their check and send service. I took some new passport photos along with me.

They told me that my passport photo was not valid. I was wearing specs. Something about iris recognition.
There was a photo booth in the Post Office. So I took some new pics of me without specs which passed OK. Unfortunately, I was unshaven and had greasy matted hair from wearing a beanie hat all morning. So in my passport I will look like a vagrant for the next 20 years -- great!

Is this a new thing? AFAIK iris recognition is done at immigration in some countries and at automated passport gates in some UK airports. But I've never had problems with either before when using a specs picture in my passport.

No glasses was already the rule in 2009 when I previously renewed. I have just done it again now and the instructions were the same.