I am writing this as a precautionary step. You see, I am traveling overseas soon with my dearest and we had our passport pictures taken at your facilities. While, the process of having our pictures taken was simple we did have one issue. The photographer (I will use that term loosely.) did not allow us to smile. In fact, a young boy was in line ahead of me and she told him, "No smiling." I thought it was a ploy to get him to smile, reverse psychology if you will. When my turn came I plopped down on the seat with a huge smile. She told me, "No smiling."
As you can see from my picture I look horrible when I don't smile.
Being the vain person that I am, I questioned her about the no smiling policy. She fed me a line about it changing the shape of the face, smile wrinkles, etc. I believed her. I certainly didn't want to not make it through customs because I was smiling in my picture. I assumed she was an authority on passport pictures. Turns out she isn't.
I told this story to a friend who recently had her passport renewed. She was allowed to smile for her picture. I started asking around and everyone else was allowed to smile in their pictures.
This is a precautionary letter in case we aren't allowed to leave or enter the good ol' U.S. of A, because we look like criminals.
I want to have written documentation of why I have a mug shot and not a pretty, picture perfect passport photo.
Sincerely,
Lindsey
I had my passport picture taken at Walgreens back in May. I was allowed to smile however, when I applied for my passport, I found out the picture was the wrong size. Sounds like Walgreens folks aren't the experts on passports!
ReplyDeleteI was told not to cheese it up, but that a small smile was fine. Unfortunately, I don't usually do small smiles, so I look like I'm on drugs. Hmph. You still look pretty, though!
ReplyDeleteIt's not that bad!!
ReplyDeleteI know that our drivers licenses in Indiana are required to be non-smiling now but I had never heard that about passports - weird!
You are lovely, smile or no smile. But, when I had mine taken at Walgreens, I couldn't smile either. And, it was last year when I barely had any hair. It's dreadful.
ReplyDeleteWe did ours at a local AAA club and were allowed to smile. On another note, I think you look very pretty and not criminal-like even when you don't smile.
ReplyDeleteLMAO! Too funny!
ReplyDeleteHmmm. We weren't allowed to smile in our passport pics either.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you though, since I look like a criminal in my passport photo, I guess I should not smile while walking through customs. LOL.
Hope you have a wonderful, relaxing time on your vacation!
Seriously, I think it’s a written law that passport pictures have to look HORRIBLE!!! Yours actually looks pretty decent considering the no smiling rule, but mine however, AWFUL!!!!!! Well, despite the picture, at least it gets you someplace wonderful hopefully!!! :)
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, that's hilarious! I can't believe they told you not to smile. Sounds like the Walgreens "photographer" takes her job very seriously. I think you look beautiful in the picture. Though you're right - you do look guilty of something. It's more mugshot-ish than passport photo. I love it!
ReplyDeleteI'm from Canada and we're not allowed to smile in our passports or drivers licences. We all look like a bunch of criminals! :)
ReplyDeleteROTFLMAO!
ReplyDeleteI have to get my drivers lisence renewed next week and I will think of you if they tell me not to smile.
My Hubby and I had ours taken at Walgreens as well and we were told the same line... that we couldn't smile because it would change the shape of our face?!? Don't fret...my pictures looks as close to a mug shot as you can get.
ReplyDeleteFor our licensing board for Speech and Audiologist we ask that they do passport pictures for their license.....and I have to say that both of ya'lls pictures look amazing compared to the ones that I have seen!!
ReplyDeleteThere's a lot of controversary over smiling vs. not smiling. It seems that the US Homeland security guidelines say you should have a "natural look" which could be a smile for some! But the passport photo taker can interpert this several way.
ReplyDeleteFor the record, I think you still look really pretty not smiling!
I had no idea you weren't allowed to smile!
ReplyDeleteI look absurd when I don't smile so you are lucky! They recently changed our licenses in VA and you can no longer "show human warmth" as the DMV website says. Something about you looking different when you smile? Hope your travels go well! Where are you headed?
ReplyDeleteI look really, really mad when I don't smile, but you still look great! Odd story though.. Maybe your photographer was in a bad mood that day..
ReplyDeleteI just took mine at CVS and was allowed to smile...although I think I read somewhere on the passport website that you're not supposed to, so who knows! Where are you going?!
ReplyDeleteI totally cracked up when I read this!
ReplyDeleteI, too, had my pics taken at Walgreens...almost didn't get to use them because they said my head was too big. I am hoping they meant only in the picture...
Where are you guys going??? So jealous of all of your travels!
wowza ... no smiling? sheesh!
ReplyDeleteI feel like there are all these regulations that no one knows about! Some do say that smiling makes people look so different. When my passport expired last I was living overseas, and it was right after 9/11. I'm fairly sure the guy at the store saw the American coming a mile away and decided to mess with me! You should see mine! He said after 9/11 there were all these rules: I had to put my hair all on one side so my left ear showed (I know!), turn to the side, not smile, and face one side but show my eyes to the front. I look like a crazy person! I totally fell for it and now I have that on my passport. lol. But you don't look bad!!
ReplyDeleteI renewed my passport about two months ago and wasn't allowed to smile either. I didn't go to Walgreens, it was a county office, so I guess the rules are all over the place.
ReplyDeleteHA! I was allowed to smile in mine..but this was 10 years ago. At least it's not a super close up like mine was. :/
ReplyDeleteWhere are you going?
haha this made me laugh, but you look always look pretty girl
ReplyDeleteps i was allowed to smile in my passport picture, but it was back in 2000
Well, you look much better in your passport picture then I do in mine. I went to Walgreen's as well, but they did not even give me a 1, 2, 3 countdown. I turned around to place myself in front of the screen and CLICK!
ReplyDeleteim pretty sure I had mine taken and I was grinning ear to ear... which walgreens did you go too.. Im kinda laughin! sorry:)
ReplyDeletehahaha this post totally cracks me up! that's so odd that she would tell you that!
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely smiling in my passport photo, but when it comes to VA drivers licenses there is a strict no smiling rule!
ReplyDeleteSame thing happened to me last month! My previous passport photo is all pretty and smiley, and I look like a criminal in my current photo. Also, not pleased that my husband did not have to renew his passport, so he still looks like a pleasant human being!
ReplyDelete