Q&A for How to Look Good for Your Passport Photo

If you have a rounder face, wearing your hair down can make your face look slimmer in your passport photo.

You can pretty much style your hair however you want. It might be a good idea to style it the way you usually expect to have it, so you match up better with your picture when traveling.

Choose a colour that compliments your skin tone or hair, but make sure that you do not wear very bright colours, as it may look distracting. Go for a colour you would normally wear or a vibrant scarf.

You could, but you should only do that if it's close to your regular look.

There are no rules from the Dept. of State regarding eyebrows, so whatever makes you feel comfortable. Is not having eyebrows usual for you? If so, then that is the look that needs to be presented. If you do have them, then include them.

As long as you wear eyeliner in your daily life, yes. You just need to make sure your passport photo looks like you.

As long as that is what you normally look like, yes, that's fine.

Since they don't alter the appearance of your face, they are perfectly acceptable to wear for a passport photo.

Yes, I believe you do have to tuck your hair behind your ears.

You'll have to pin it back, so that your forehead is visible in the picture.

Yes, but only if they are not tinted, there's no glare from the flash, and the frames do not cover your eyes at all.

Wear a headband or pin it back with bobby pins. If you want a little extra style, use colored pins that match your outfit.

Yes, you should be allowed to wear your hair in a ponytail in your passport photo, as long as your hair is pulled back from your face.

There is no legal issue with dark circles, as they are not shadows. Since they are part of your ordinary appearance, your deep-set eyes should not pose any problems.

Yes, as long as you have your hair pulled behind your face so your features can be seen.

You’ll want to make yourself look as fresh as possible. If you’re female, makeup does wonders. A little highlighter at the inner corners of your eyes and under your arch in your eyebrow will make you look awake, and you can dab some concealer under your eyes if you have circles. A bit of blush will put some color in your cheeks. If you’re male, use a good facial scrub, and put a bit of lotion on your face. It will brighten up your complexion a little bit, and make you look a little bit healthier. And hydrate. Dehydration makes your skin look worse.

If this bruise were part of greater facial trauma, then your passport photos would have many other complications. If your bruise is not large and/or does not significantly alter your appearance (you still look like your ordinary self), then you could take that picture. However, it would be ideal to wait for it to heal, as this bruise is temporary and should not reflect your facial appearance for as long as you will have this passport.

As long as it's not the same color as the background, yes, you should be fine.

As long as your face is not obscured or overshadowed, you can wear turtle necks.

Any color is fine, but steer clear of white, as you may blend into the background and look like a floating head!

Jewelry is perfectly fine to wear, as long as it does not cover your face. If you are unsure, however, do check with the photo requirements in your state or country to see what they require or prohibit.

Try the methods in Quickly Get Rid of Bags Under Your Eyes .

If it is your daily look, yes. You just need to look exactly the same as you would every day.

Yes if you’re forehead is visible and there are no shadows over your face.

Yes, you can wear a braid in your passport photo, a side braid could look pretty and your hair might also look neater in a braid.

As long as you usually wear them, otherwise you might not be recognisable. If it is a one time thing that you are not likely to do again, then don’t.

Yes, lipstick does not alter the appearance of your face. Always aim to look like yourself in your passport photograph.

It depends on the size of the earrings. You should be allowed to wear studs but not if they cover some of your features. Ask the photographer for advice.