Study Finds Poker-faced Passport Photos Make the Holder Unrecognizable


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The next time your passport comes up for renewal, keep this in mind–smile if you’re allowed to.

A study from Glasgow University found that passport images aren’t as recognizable when people pose in a serious manner. A mugshot pose is said to distort facial features and occasionally the passport holder will receive a photo that looks nothing like them.

What can you do if you’re asked not to smile in your photo? For some, biometric passports are available. These passports contain detailed information about the holder’s face (e.g. distances between their eyes). For others, maybe it’s time to treat the photos like mugshots, complete with unique identifying numbers below the face?

More on the study at The Daily Mail.

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