Starting November 1- Passport Photos

In Oklahoma, we have to remove our glasses for our Drivers' License photos. I don't understand that - the only time I don't wear mine is in bed. I guess if they need to identify me when I'm sleeping, it makes sense...

@Jane -- yes, it's difficult if you have to take your glasses off to be recognized but the license itself requires that you wear corrective lenses. Catch-22!

I think I had to remove my glasses when renewing my drivers license; or maybe it was IDP or passport. I think the reason may have been glare from the flash.

When getting an IDP it is best to remove your glasses; discovered this in France when told by a rental agency that if you are stopped and they check your IDP and the picture is with glasses,if you don't have an extra pair with you could be fined. Therefore, when I get it prior to returning to the EU, it's glasses off.

Thanks for the tip JerryG. I just checked my last IDP photo and I had my glasses on. I'll skip them next year. I never have a second pair when I drive.

Although glasses are officially allowed if they're not tinted and don't obscure the eyes, I've always been told by the photographers to take them off for Passport photos . My glasses aren't tinted but perhaps they have some glare? They're really strict about the "neutral expression" requirement for the photos.

These are the current standards for Canada.....

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/pub/pass-photo-spec-eng.pdf

I think the real reason is that glasses screw up facial-recognition software.

As someone who worked in a place that took passport photos here in Canada - we generally asked people to remove them because of the glare on them. We had photos rejected by Passport Canada because of glare on faces from oily/shiny skin! Man - sometimes they were really really fussy. And my DL does say I wear corrective lenses, but for a long time I wore contacts and that's what I had in when I had the photos taken. I guess if the cops want you to prove it, they could make you pop out your contacts...

And you def have to make sure you have your neutral expression - no teeth showing at all, no smiling. I rem taking a pic once and I'm like - that's one of the nicest passport photos I've taken (of a customer) then realized her hair was obscuring part of her face and had to redo it...and don't get me started on trying to take photos of babies...not fun...

Sam is spot on. It's all about the use of facial recognition software. It's amazing the difference various styles of glasses make in one's appearance so the idea is to just get to the basic facial profile.

If it helps speed along getting back into the country and thru immigration then all the better. My husband wears glasses and is photographed with the glasses in his passport. He always gets the X when we come back thru Chicago.. I think he needs a new passport without glasses picture.

Even without face recognition it makes sense. If someone wears glasses but the picture was taken without glasses, the person can always take off their glasses. However, they might have two pair of glasses that make them look entirely different; what if they have the other pair with them. Or, suppose the picture was taken with glasses but today they are wearing contacts and don't even have their glasses with them.

I think having the picture taken without glasses is the best way.

If someone had particularly oily/shiny skin, the flash would glare off it. When I had my first passport done, luckily it was at a drug store and they kept getting glare off my forehead (I don't have oily skin per se, but shiny I guess!). I say luckily because they sent me to the makeup section and they put some powder on my forehead to take the glare off...lol.

When I worked at the store that took the photos, we'd always recommend people go to the main office in Halifax. There was a satellite office in new Glasgow (which was a closer drive) but they were horribly nitpicky with photos and would reject ones with seemingly no issues. We'd have to retake and then they'd have to make another trip. Annoying all around.