How to take the perfect passport pic from home – be prepared for summer holidays

PASSPORT photos are something that will haunt you every time your jetting off for the next 10 years – so lets figure out how to get them done right

Picture this – you are ready for your trip abroad and looking your best… until you look down and see the bad passport photo you took 10 years ago that needs to be resurrected every summer.

We all know the feeling, so follow these tips and ensure that the next one you take will be a good one.

First and arguably the most important tip – make sure you have given yourself enough time to apply before you fly.

The current wait times are approximately 10 – 20 days depending on the complexity of your application.

And remember, that wait time estimation does not include postage and delivery times.

When applying for your passport online, you now have the option to take your photo at home.

But there is a list of guidelines to follow to be sure your application is not delayed if your picture gets rejected.

According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, “you must submit a photo that has been taken in the last six months.”

“This is a requirement from the International Civil Aviation Organisation.”

The DFA also require you to have a second person there to help out, as they state you cannot use a selfie as your picture.

“Do not use the zoom function on a digital camera or smartphone.”

No, a zoomed in timer picture will not cut it unfortunately.

The picture provided must be in colour aswell.

Now for the technical requirements, the pic can’t be less than 715 pixels wide and 951 pixels in height.

It also must be in JPEG format and there can’t be any compression, loss or compression artefacts.

I also can’t be digitally enhanced or changed and can’t contain barrel or other distortion.

The file for the photo being sent must not be larger than nine megabytes (9MB).

The guidelines say: “Ensure your facial features are visible, hair should not cover any part of the eyes. You can wear glasses but the frame must not cover any part of your eyes. There must be no glare on the lenses. Dark glasses are not permitted.

“You can wear a head covering for religious or medical reasons but your full facial features must be visible. You cannot wear head accessories for any other reason.”

Remember to have a good light source shining straight onto your face, you don’t want any shadows.

Stand in front of a completely plain, light grey, white or cream background to ensure that there is enough contrast.

Keep a neutral expression, no smiles or an open mouth.

Make sure you are looking straight into the camera and not tilting your head.

The photo should capture your image from head to mid torso so ensure there is visible space between your head and shoulders and the edge of your photo.

Once you have your perfect picture you will be able to upload it during the application process for your new passport.