Ensuring Accurate Representation in Passport Photos

Resemblance means similarity or likeness in appearance or characteristics between two or more things. It refers to how much one thing looks like, or is similar to, another thing. For example, two siblings may have a strong resemblance to each other, meaning they look very similar in appearance.

The photo requirements for official documents specify that the photo must be a good likeness of the applicant:

A passport photo is intended to identify the applicant of a document. Therefore, when applying for a travel document, a color photograph that gives a good likeness of yourself must be submitted.

A good likeness means that you resemble the person in the photo and are easily recognizable. However, in practice, this can be subjective and it is up to the discretion of the government official to determine whether the photo is a good likeness.

This also means that you can use a five-year-old passport photo if you still resemble the person in the photo.

Facial Changes to Consider

There are a number of facial features that can change over time and need to be taken into account:

• Facial hair: If you have grown a beard or mustache since taking the passport photo, the official may not consider you a good likeness if you are clean-shaven in the photo.
• Glasses: Wearing glasses in the passport photo is acceptable, but wearing them can change your appearance significantly. If you normally wear glasses, it is advisable to wear them in your passport photo as well.
• Wrinkles: We all get older, and wrinkles will eventually appear. This is not a problem, but if you have no wrinkles in your passport photo and have visible wrinkles in your application, it may cause problems.
• Makeup: Make-up can change a person's appearance dramatically. It is therefore important to keep your make-up consistent with your normal style in your passport photo.
• Hairstyle: Changing your hairstyle can also affect your likeness. Be aware that changing your hairstyle may have an impact on the resemblance in your passport photo.

Maintaining a good likeness to your passport photo is essential to ensure a hassle-free experience when traveling or applying for official documents.